Here are the discussions Black Lives Matter protesters should carry on having – SCREENSHOT Media

Opinion

Here are the discussions Black Lives Matter protesters should carry on having

By Medya Gungor

Published Jun 25, 2020 at 11:13 AM

Reading time: 3 minutes


Human rights

Jun 25, 2020

It has been just over two weeks since I attended my first peaceful protest in Hyde Park to show support for the black community in the light of George Floyd’s death. Although some media outlets were quick to depict them as violent, the protests I took part in were incredibly visceral and moving experiences, fostering no violence or aggression, only compassion and understanding felt by all of those who considered it their moral duty to be there. Now, as public demonstrations start slowing down, it’s important we carry on having discussion about systemic racism and injustice. Here’s where we should start.

The discussions regarding racism in the UK I’ve had prior to and in the wake of this global movement have been nothing short of eye-opening. Many people seem to be giving the impression that they are willing to do the work needed to educate themselves on this subject. The response we have seen across social media, in theory, suggest potential change as people are continuing to share useful resources and as books on institutional racism fly off the shelves. This is a start.

However, after speaking at length with a lot of my POC friends, I’ve noticed that while sharing articles and showing support online is important, it must not slip our minds that initiating the real-life conversations on how black people are treated in society is crucial. Listening to a podcast with your favourite celebrities discussing the topic is great, but are enough people going further in questioning their personal behaviours and deeply ingrained prejudices? Spoiler: probably not.

This process isn’t supposed to be easy. Accepting that you are part of a system and throughout your life have contributed consciously or subconsciously in promoting racial injustice is uncomfortable. These feelings and realisations are necessary to invoke a mindset which accepts responsibility and is committed to changing habitual beliefs.

I recall a conversation I had about a month ago with my friend Lutanga, who is both Zambian and English. I had asked him his thoughts on what he thinks white people need to be aware of: “Friends either fear what to say, so they don’t speak their mind, or it goes the other way where they feel too comfortable and think they can say whatever they want or do whatever they want because they have a black friend. Being black or mixed-race has now been qualified as ‘cool’ by some but there are so many everyday racist scenarios that people don’t understand.”

“People make assumptions like ‘oh you’re black, you must be good at this’ or ‘you’re black, you must be not very good at this’. People need to understand that they can’t just say one thing if they’re going to act the opposite of what they actually mean. You might be all buddy-buddy with me until you go home to your parents and then you start making different comments,” he added.

I asked him a question that had been on my mind for some time, one which I think many people will resonate with. How can someone who undoubtedly benefits from white privilege initiate and explore the topic of racism without seeming disrespectful or inauthentic?

“It’s really just knowledge, learn what is acceptable to say and what isn’t so that you understand the boundary and never have to cross it. Understand that mixed-race people come from two cultures; just because I have white attributes that doesn’t mean I’m not black at all. There is no need to assume that everything you’re going to say might offend us, it’s the way you go about saying it. If you’re defensive, I’m gonna be defensive. People only think stereotypes are true through a lack of understanding. If you have a black friend or a friend from another culture, ask loads of questions, in the correct way.”

That’s exactly why alongside signing petitions, educating yourself on the history of white supremacy and attending protests, one of the most useful resources available to us right now might just be our voices. By both speaking up when you hear a racist comment, having constructive conversations and being confident in confronting people’s views, you might be able to further change. As a placard at the protest rightfully stated; understanding that black lives matter more than your white friends’ feelings.

I had to explain to my best friend of ten year’s mum that racism is far more of an issue in the UK than she believed it to be—this is an example of the work that needs to be done behind closed doors. It won’t be easy and it won’t happen by itself. The excuse of ignorance in different generations is not a valid one. It is in these moments which are not shared on Instagram that our dedication to this movement is truly challenged as we must push aside the presence of our ego in order to rip the roots of systemic racism from under the ground.

Are you willing to take part or will you watch from the sidelines?

Keep On Reading

By Emma O'Regan-Reidy

What is affordable affluence, and why is Erewhon everywhere?

By Charlie Sawyer

Khloe Kardashian’s nanny tells all in extravagant day in the life video

By Jennifer Raymont

Here’s our guide to the 20 cutest Baggu products out there

By Alma Fabiani

French journalist who infiltrated Paris police reveals disturbing pattern of racism and discrimination

By Alma Fabiani

BeReal unveils new RealPeople feature in latest attempt to win back the hearts of gen Z

By Charlie Sawyer

Jamaica women’s football team forced to crowdfund in order to attend 2023 Women’s World Cup

By Alma Fabiani

Real Madrid players arrested for sharing explicit video involving a minor

By Charlie Sawyer

Guess which US state has been named shark bite capital of the world?

By Alma Fabiani

Watch Terry Crews recreate iconic A Thousand Miles scene from White Chicks at sports game

By Charlie Sawyer

Software engineers scam Reddit users with AI-generated nudes in new social experiment

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Lizzo takes the stage to denounce new anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQIA+ rights bills in Nebraska

By Simon Bland

How the Super Mario Bros. movie went from box office bomb to unlikely LGBTQIA+ hit

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Viral TikTok attenzione pickpocket lady Monica Poli’s political allegiance exposed

By Charlie Sawyer

Scientists discover terrifying new sea species that looks exactly like the iconic monster from Alien

By Charlie Sawyer

Generation Z careers: Exploring trends, preferences and strategies

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Johnny Depp is proud of daughter Lily-Rose for The Idol role despite controversial reviews

By Jennifer Raymont

How much does it cost to attend the Met Gala 2023?

By Charlie Sawyer

Former Apple employee reveals insider scoops on 2023 event new products

By Louis Rabinowitz

Frame by frame: This Twitter account is offering fans a whole new way to watch Breaking Bad

By Jennifer Raymont

Pregnant Rihanna might be about to burst, but we’ll miss her iconic pregnancy fits