A Few MoreThings to Think About!
Continuing with yesterday’s post, here are more things to think about prior to making a complaint of race-based misconduct or abuse. We start with tip #4:
4) Think about not appearing defensive. Always remember that on many jobs Whites explain and Blacks “defend.” The “you’re being defensive” line is often thrown around left and right, particularly against Black workers who are making complaints. You can’t stop someone from using this stereotype-driven argument against you, but you can definitely hurt their cause and take away any ammunition they might use against you by being very clear about what has happened and by not showing anything that can be construed as an “attitude.” Is that fair? No, it’s not. Do you have a right to be angry, frustrated, etc. because someone who has treated you in a racist manner or discriminated against you? Of course! But, reality is reality.
Having had to respond to a company’s arguments against me, including the “defensive” stereotype, I can tell you that I definitely helped my cause by never actually behaving in a defensive manner. This made it harder for my employer to prove the claim was true and it hurt their credibility. There’s nothing they could point to that I wrote or said, which could actually be called defensive. As a result, they had to describe behavior that would require a huge stretch of the imagination before it would truly fall into what anyone perceived as defensive behavior.
You should focus on being clear in your writing or speech, making point-by-point arguments to prove your point of view, and taking any so-called questionable language out of your writing or speech (e.g., name-calling, etc.).
5) Think about not portraying yourself as “sensitive” because sensitive often goes hand and hand with “defensive.” As a Black worker, you should try not to be overly emotional. If you aren’t described as being unable to take so-called constructive criticism (read: you are labeled as “defensive”), you will likely be described by another stereotype, which is “sensitive.” When a Black worker complains of race-based mistreatment, they are frequently morphed into someone who is either a loose cannon or a person who is overly sensitive and incapable of dealing with the most rudimentary conversations/feedback. Fight those stereotypes by being mindful of these employer-based red herrings. Don’t give your employer ammunition.
6) Think about not portraying yourself as “defensive” and “sensitive.” Yes, you can be portrayed as both a loose cannon and a person with childlike emotions, who turns to melodrama at the drop of a hat. Conduct yourself professionally at all times and think about the fact that you are always being watched. It doesn’t matter if you are being watched or not. However, being mindful of the fact that you might be under heightened scrutiny can help you keep any bursts of emotion in check. Remember, being under a race-based attack is like being subjected to psychological warfare. Your enemy is looking to exploit your weaknesses. They will often do that by lying, exaggerating reality/twisting facts, and by relying on stereotypes. Don’t give legitimate ammunition to any false claims being currently made about you. Know the stereotypes and stay away from behaving like one. In other words, no eye-rolling in meetings, etc. Yes, that’s a stereotype, but I’ve seen it used as ammunition against a Black female worker in employer-written documentation.
More things to think about will be discussed tomorrow.
4) Think about not appearing defensive. Always remember that on many jobs Whites explain and Blacks “defend.” The “you’re being defensive” line is often thrown around left and right, particularly against Black workers who are making complaints. You can’t stop someone from using this stereotype-driven argument against you, but you can definitely hurt their cause and take away any ammunition they might use against you by being very clear about what has happened and by not showing anything that can be construed as an “attitude.” Is that fair? No, it’s not. Do you have a right to be angry, frustrated, etc. because someone who has treated you in a racist manner or discriminated against you? Of course! But, reality is reality.
Having had to respond to a company’s arguments against me, including the “defensive” stereotype, I can tell you that I definitely helped my cause by never actually behaving in a defensive manner. This made it harder for my employer to prove the claim was true and it hurt their credibility. There’s nothing they could point to that I wrote or said, which could actually be called defensive. As a result, they had to describe behavior that would require a huge stretch of the imagination before it would truly fall into what anyone perceived as defensive behavior.
You should focus on being clear in your writing or speech, making point-by-point arguments to prove your point of view, and taking any so-called questionable language out of your writing or speech (e.g., name-calling, etc.).
5) Think about not portraying yourself as “sensitive” because sensitive often goes hand and hand with “defensive.” As a Black worker, you should try not to be overly emotional. If you aren’t described as being unable to take so-called constructive criticism (read: you are labeled as “defensive”), you will likely be described by another stereotype, which is “sensitive.” When a Black worker complains of race-based mistreatment, they are frequently morphed into someone who is either a loose cannon or a person who is overly sensitive and incapable of dealing with the most rudimentary conversations/feedback. Fight those stereotypes by being mindful of these employer-based red herrings. Don’t give your employer ammunition.
6) Think about not portraying yourself as “defensive” and “sensitive.” Yes, you can be portrayed as both a loose cannon and a person with childlike emotions, who turns to melodrama at the drop of a hat. Conduct yourself professionally at all times and think about the fact that you are always being watched. It doesn’t matter if you are being watched or not. However, being mindful of the fact that you might be under heightened scrutiny can help you keep any bursts of emotion in check. Remember, being under a race-based attack is like being subjected to psychological warfare. Your enemy is looking to exploit your weaknesses. They will often do that by lying, exaggerating reality/twisting facts, and by relying on stereotypes. Don’t give legitimate ammunition to any false claims being currently made about you. Know the stereotypes and stay away from behaving like one. In other words, no eye-rolling in meetings, etc. Yes, that’s a stereotype, but I’ve seen it used as ammunition against a Black female worker in employer-written documentation.
More things to think about will be discussed tomorrow.
Labels: heightened scrutiny, racist perceptions, stereotypes, tips and strategies
posted by S. Mary Wills at 5:27 PM
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