ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE: COLOR-BASED ATTACKS STILL OCCUR
Yes, I am beating the Don Imus horse to death! But, there is one more thing I have to say about the issue. We all focus on race-based discrimination, but there is also color based discrimination and prejudice. Don Imus talked about specific Black women in a vile and vicious way. And, if you look at the women on the basketball team, the color issue is very obvious to see.
I’ve heard that Don Imus one laughed, when one of his cronies said that Serena and Venus Williams should be in National Geographic. Again, look at the color issue. These darker Black women were mocked as reminiscent of some sort of jungle creatures. That’s what the fool meant! The comments made about the Rutgers basketball team were said with the same sentiment!
Don Imus and his crew didn’t attack girls that looked like Alicia Keyes. No, Don Imus and his cronies attacked specific Black women of specific complexions. They didn't attack Black celebrities that are considered to be acceptable and pretty and/or beautiful according to White standards!
Color was under attack. Color was what was ugly. Color was used by the code word “nappy-headed!” Color was used by the code word “Jiggaboo.” Color is what made these girls look “exactly like the Toronto Raptors.” This was a race and color based attack through and through! Is it any wonder that little Black girls still like to play with White dolls? Even the children get it!
Color is still a major issue in the workplace. At my job, EVERY Black woman that was ever told that she had “a bad attitude” or that she was “angry” or “defensive” or “snooty” or “moody,” etc. was a brown-skin or dark-skin woman—without exception. Every race-based issue at my job involved a White person (always a White woman) and a Black woman with “distinctly” African American features and color.
And, in every case, the prevailing White mentality was to side with the White person making the complaint. It didn’t matter that examples of the alleged negative behaviors of the Black women often couldn’t be provided or that, when they were, you never heard about the “White half” of the conversations. The White women always left out what they said and how they said it.
People need to think about something…sometimes you get a rude response from a person because you’ve been rude yourself. The person isn’t just being “angry” for the sake of being angry. If you are being demeaning, disrespectful, sarcastic, bullying, rude, etc., then you may receive an in-kind response. Some people will give back the energy they receive, regardless of color.
But, at my job, the onus for any work-related issues always fell on the darker Black women. The White women were always victims, not the instigators that the White women I WORKED WITH often were. My workplace tolerated racial intolerance, discrimination, etc. And, this mindset was manifested in the behaviors and actions of some staff. They had a license to kill or to act like they owned certain people and they ran with it!
Black women at my former company were subjected to Whites making remarks about our complexions, asking us offensive questions about our hair, and making wild accusations about our behavior—accusations that were easily attributable to their overactive and racist imaginations.
That’s the way it is in some workplaces. Race can be an issue. But, color can be another issue that we often overlook. In my case, I worked with a racist VP that was perfectly fine working with a light-skinned Black coworker and her light-skinned Black secretary, but she hated me—only after seeing me in person (She worked in another state.) A senior executive at the company told his secretary that her problem with me was “this.” When he said “this,” he ran his hand across his cheek to reference my skin tone.
The level of obvious Blackness can be a catalyst that sparks an outright or closet racist to engage in discriminatory or harassing behavior. This is just another issue for Blacks to contend with in the workplace—and in life, as Don Imus showed us all!
If you are dealing with race-based issues in the workplace, don’t forget to examine color as a potential issue in your case. If you believe color is an issue, it should be argued in your internal or external complaint.
I’ve heard that Don Imus one laughed, when one of his cronies said that Serena and Venus Williams should be in National Geographic. Again, look at the color issue. These darker Black women were mocked as reminiscent of some sort of jungle creatures. That’s what the fool meant! The comments made about the Rutgers basketball team were said with the same sentiment!
Don Imus and his crew didn’t attack girls that looked like Alicia Keyes. No, Don Imus and his cronies attacked specific Black women of specific complexions. They didn't attack Black celebrities that are considered to be acceptable and pretty and/or beautiful according to White standards!
Color was under attack. Color was what was ugly. Color was used by the code word “nappy-headed!” Color was used by the code word “Jiggaboo.” Color is what made these girls look “exactly like the Toronto Raptors.” This was a race and color based attack through and through! Is it any wonder that little Black girls still like to play with White dolls? Even the children get it!
Color is still a major issue in the workplace. At my job, EVERY Black woman that was ever told that she had “a bad attitude” or that she was “angry” or “defensive” or “snooty” or “moody,” etc. was a brown-skin or dark-skin woman—without exception. Every race-based issue at my job involved a White person (always a White woman) and a Black woman with “distinctly” African American features and color.
And, in every case, the prevailing White mentality was to side with the White person making the complaint. It didn’t matter that examples of the alleged negative behaviors of the Black women often couldn’t be provided or that, when they were, you never heard about the “White half” of the conversations. The White women always left out what they said and how they said it.
People need to think about something…sometimes you get a rude response from a person because you’ve been rude yourself. The person isn’t just being “angry” for the sake of being angry. If you are being demeaning, disrespectful, sarcastic, bullying, rude, etc., then you may receive an in-kind response. Some people will give back the energy they receive, regardless of color.
But, at my job, the onus for any work-related issues always fell on the darker Black women. The White women were always victims, not the instigators that the White women I WORKED WITH often were. My workplace tolerated racial intolerance, discrimination, etc. And, this mindset was manifested in the behaviors and actions of some staff. They had a license to kill or to act like they owned certain people and they ran with it!
Black women at my former company were subjected to Whites making remarks about our complexions, asking us offensive questions about our hair, and making wild accusations about our behavior—accusations that were easily attributable to their overactive and racist imaginations.
That’s the way it is in some workplaces. Race can be an issue. But, color can be another issue that we often overlook. In my case, I worked with a racist VP that was perfectly fine working with a light-skinned Black coworker and her light-skinned Black secretary, but she hated me—only after seeing me in person (She worked in another state.) A senior executive at the company told his secretary that her problem with me was “this.” When he said “this,” he ran his hand across his cheek to reference my skin tone.
The level of obvious Blackness can be a catalyst that sparks an outright or closet racist to engage in discriminatory or harassing behavior. This is just another issue for Blacks to contend with in the workplace—and in life, as Don Imus showed us all!
If you are dealing with race-based issues in the workplace, don’t forget to examine color as a potential issue in your case. If you believe color is an issue, it should be argued in your internal or external complaint.
Labels: color-based prejudice, intolerance, racial ignorance, racist perceptions
posted by S. Mary Wills at 10:32 AM
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