The implicit bias tests: I have taken these tests before and my results have changed since the last time. My bias has become lesser, though I am a little sceptical. Biases are ingrained and there is a lot of work to do. I work in a privileged position and so I am exposed to different people and ideologies. It is interesting to think about how privilege causes biases but also may hold the key to unlearning them. The tests stressed me out, especially the sorting ones. When asked to categorise Foreign and American places, it was tricky since they're all foreign to me!
The lack of empathy in the group struck me. It seems that the group that was discriminated did not carry on any lessons when they came to power. It also shows the power of messaging (like the kind explored in the last module and microaggressions) and how it affects behaviours. When you're taught that someone is inferior, that's how you treat them.
I have also taken the test & my result changed as well. I am not sure why because though I tried to lessen my bias, I believe I still have works to do regarding that.
Yes! I think we still have work to do and so I said I am skeptical of the results. I think we have more awareness and are educating ourselves but there is more wok to do.
Lived Experiences: It was very educating to learn about the experiences of Native people in America and how they have to keep proving their identity. There were sooo many microaggressions in these experiences!
Skin colour is a discriminatory factor in India and it is tied to caste, which is a privilege that I have grown up with. There are many micro aggressions in India based on skin colour as a darker skin colour is associated with a lower caste and so used as an insult in two ways.
Recently, a lightening cream manufacturer said they would remove the word 'Fair' from their brad name (which was Fair and Lovely.) How is that enough? You're still selling that casteist and colonial ideal of beauty
Hello, thank you for sharing this; I learned a lot about this issue recently and am so glad you brought it up.
I am white and took the race test about 3 years ago and was appalled to see I had a strong preference for white people. I have done a ton of work on my implicit biases and unintended racism since then and in particular in the past month since the recent protests started -- tons of Ted Talks, Robin DiAngelo's speech on her book White Fragility, the Seeing White podcast, local meetings around racism -- and I actually now truly feel a preference for non-whites and against whites because I am sickened by the centuries of oppression that we caused and still cause. I feel strongly now that whites are foreigners and do not belong in a place where we continue to control others and where we have stolen from the true Americans who were here before us and living peacefully. And so my responses today with the tests did reflect the change in my attitudes, I was shown to have either no preference or a slight or moderate preference for all of the non-white groups and darker skin color. I know that these tests aren't necessarily entirely valid, but I do now think that it's possible that a change in attitude and beliefs, and educating oneself about what the history of our country really is about, can lead to less bias. At least I hope this for myself, and I believe change starts with each of us individually.
Yes! Thank you for sharing. This is just the start of a journey!
The link between white privilege and the lack of white culture is so interesting to me, definitely eye opening. Learning how white skin privilege allows assumptions and makes things easier is mind boggling but is a great example of conformity bias!
Sitting with discomfort and listening is definitely something I would like to be better at as someone in a position of privilege!
Well said, this thread has been helpful for me to read. Thank you all for commenting.
There are a lot of considerations to think about here. I am aware of how much work it is to maintain a good self image. How the children colour have to worry about people being afraid of them. They need to protect themselves in a variety of ways. There is a struggle just to get started, let alone to move along the life continuum.