The problem with not seeing colour
Words: Ali Fleming // @alifleming_
For a long time, my honest (and true) response has been "I don't see colour". And the truth is - I didn't. I have a lot of friends, colleagues and acquaintances who are people of colour. I have family members of different backgrounds, who aren't white. To me, they were just more people within my world and my network - people who I love, whose company I cherish and who I highly respect as colleagues and as peers.
It is only through research and reading and more importantly, listening, over the last couple of years that I know this position of “I don’t see colour” to be just as detrimental to the conversation of race, and action against racial inequality, as anything. Recent events, here in Australia and overseas – but particularly what we are seeing taking place in the US right now – has shone a pretty bright light on a problem I didn’t even know I was a part of. Ultimately the sheer naivety and ignorance that comes with “I don’t see colour” breeds inaction via its neutrality – whether it be intentional or not.
It’s true that if I ever hear a single word, or see an action play out, that is derogatory or detrimental to any person of colour and that keeps the wheels of racial vilification turning, I’m incredibly vocal. I will always stand up, make myself heard, share and rally against it in these moments.
“My ‘I don't see colour’ was the white privilege we are hearing about every day. It is a place of comfort”
However, they are moments and unfortunately, moments are fleeting. It was this specific realisation that illuminated an interesting personal conundrum - my "I don't see colour" was, in so many ways, the white privilege we are hearing about in social media and media every day right now. It is a place of comfort. As we look and see images of violence and death committed against people of colour, we cannot remain comfortably passive about race and privilege.
We "think" by “not seeing” colour we are doing the right thing. But really, every time we repeat, "I am so shocked this is happening", “I can’t believe people are still doing things like that”, or quite simply, "I don't see colour" – the problem remains. We are hitting the pause button every time. Stopping conversation, stopping action and stopping change. We are being inactive and, in effect, allowing a racial divide to continue, to keep propagating because inactivity - whether neutral or otherwise - is harmful.
So, as a white female in 2020, I will say this now - I do see colour. I see the impact it has. I see the inequality it creates. I see how insulating being "white" is. It’s like a cloak of protection. I see racism and discrimination - subtle and overt happening around the world. I see it far too often right here on our own soil. Australia - we have so much work to do. It is not the duty of those directly impacted to carry the weight of this message and action, to keep the conversation going each and every day.
I pledge to do better - to see colour, to keep the conversation going, to never stay quiet, to be vigilant and aware. I pledge to the people of colour, in Australia and around the world: I will take matters into my own hands when it comes to standing up and fighting against racial vilification and violence. I know you’re exhausted.