Recognizing Low-Key Racism Through Subtle Signs and Actions

The acknowledgment of low-key racism has become increasingly important in today's society. It involves recognizing and addressing the subtle, often unintentional, behaviors and attitudes that can contribute to systemic racism. This article delves into the signs and actions that indicate low-key racism, providing insights and examples for better understanding and addressing the issue.

Understanding Low-Key Racism

Low-key racism is often not overt and can be difficult to pinpoint. It involves microaggressions, subconscious biases, and seemingly benign statements that, when aggregated, can contribute to an unwelcoming or discriminatory environment for individuals of certain races. Unlike overt racism, which is generally accepted as clearly wrong, low-key racism is more insidious and can be more challenging to identify and address.

Signs of Low-Key Racism

There are many subtle signs of low-key racism, some of which include:

1. Referring to People by Race and Ignoring Individuality

One of the most telling signs of low-key racism is when a person talks about someone of a different race, especially in a negative context, and refers to them as a group rather than an individual. For example, they might say, 'I don't trust [race] people' instead of 'I don't trust that person.'

Conversely, when it comes to members of their own race, they see them as individuals. This behavior demonstrates a bias where people are judged based on their race rather than their individual merits or actions.

2. Excluding Certain Groups in Advocacy and Equality Efforts

Individuals who claim to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and equality but exclude white and Asian people from the equation are exhibiting low-key racism. For instance, they might say, 'DEI efforts should focus on marginalized groups, which don't include white and Asian people.'

In a notable case, the video game developer Ubisoft faced criticism from DEI advocates for their stance on race, which excluded certain racial groups in their DEI efforts. This action highlights how white privilege can sometimes lead to a blind eye being turned to issues affecting other racial groups.

3. Selective Accountability and Emotional Responses

Another sign of low-key racism is an inconsistency in accountability and emotional responses. For example, if someone is attacked or criticized for comments directed at a person of a certain race, they may not hold accountable those who use actual racist slurs and do so without context. Instead, they might get attacked themselves, while the actual racist comments go unchallenged.

Additionally, there are cases where people celebrate when someone they know attacks a person of a certain race, indicating a level of complicity in or indifference to racist behavior.

The Human Element in Racism

It is important to recognize that everyone has an innate tendency toward racism, as categorizing and judging others based on visible characteristics is a natural human activity. Preferring one's own group to others is also a common and natural human tendency. These innate biases form the basis of racism, making it challenging to achieve complete racial equality.

However, the difference lies in how individuals respond to and address these natural tendencies. Those who embrace and justify their natural racism, or even exacerbate it, are more overtly racist. On the other hand, those who try to overcome and mitigate these biases are still dealing with the challenge of being 'low-key' racists. Even the latter can never completely eliminate their natural biases, and thus, every decent person who is not an overt racist is still to some extent a 'low-key racist.'

Conclusion

People are complicated, and clear-cut labels of racists or non-racists often oversimplify the issue. The key is to focus on specific actions and behaviors rather than generalizing people. By recognizing and addressing low-key racism, we can work towards a more inclusive and equitable society.