Subtle Racism In America

My How Things Have Not Changed Racism has been an issue in America for many years. Over time, things have gotten better, but racism is still prominent in America’s society. Racism is a part of everyday life, and many individuals do not even realize it. There is racism in the work, school, and even friend environment. Subtle racism, colorism, and internalized racism occurs every day, and often times it remains unnoticed.
There are a lot of individuals that argue that racism is no longer as serious in America as it was in previous years. This argument may be true, but only because racism is not as open as it was many years ago. Subtle racism, according to the article “Four Different Types of Racism”, is defined as “slight snubs based
on race” (Nittle). To some this definition is extremely vague and does not really explain what subtle racism is. If people take a closer look at what exactly this form of racism consists of, it is much easier to understand why it is a problem.
Some examples of subtle racism include; waiters at restaurants or sales persons at stores looking at African Americans like they cannot afford the services offered at that place of business. In the work place, employers may ask for a thorough background check of an African American applicant, but not of a Caucasian applicant. This form of racism is not headlined or talked about as much as other forms because it is hard to catch. Individuals do not always see the looks or side comments that are made, and because of this the problem is not taken care of. In previous, and more than likely in future years this issue will remain unresolved if the proper attention is not given to it. Colorism is an issue that is unique to colored societies. This form of racism occurs when “minorities discriminate against individuals with darker skin than they have” (Nittle). For years in the black community, lighter skin was viewed as superior to darker skin. The reason behind this practice comes from “white supremacist ideology that values whites over people of color and equips Caucasians with what’s known as white skin privilege” (Nittle). In turn, African Americans view lighter skinned individuals as
better or more privileged than those with darker skin tones. There is much criticism against this practice, but like subtle racism it is not openly discussed. Individuals are aware of the situation, but because it is unique to one race it is not as important. Often times in low income or poverty stricken neighborhoods this is a large issue. Females and males with lighter skin are seen as more attractive than those that are darker than brown skin.
In the many different forms of entertainment involving African Americans, the image of beauty is an extremely fair skinned African American man or woman. This is an issue that has been embedded into the minds of many individuals, and removing this way of thought is almost impossible. People have learned to live with this and it will always be a part of the African American community. As a result of colorism, internalized racism has also become an extreme issue. The act of internalized racism is defined as “the personal conscious or subconscious acceptance of the dominant society’s racist views, stereotypes and biases of one’s ethnic group” (TAAR). African Americans are discriminated against in their own race because of skin color, hair texture, body shape, almost anything a person can think of. To keep from repeatedly being hurt due to the comments made, those discriminated against start to make the comments themselves before someone else can. They begin to hate their skin color, their hair texture and other physical features that are repeatedly talked about. Some even go as far as intentionally marrying outside of their race so that their children
will not have the same ethnic traits that they do. Many African Americans are unhappy with their appearance, due to the way other African Americans look at them and the way they talk about them. Such discrimination hurts even more because it comes from people that are supposed to be just like them. This serious issue is another that may be impossible to fix due to the lack of advocates and because it is now a part of the African American way of living. Individuals fail to realize how much discrimination is actually still in America’s society. The forms of discrimination that have been discussed may not be important to the majority, but to the minority it is a serious problem. These forms of discrimination are being practiced every day, and if steps are not taken to fix them they will only become worse.

Works Cited
Nittle, Nadra K. "Four Different Forms Of Racism." About.com Race Relations. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.
"TAAR - Internalized Racism." TAAR - Internalized Racism. Society of Counseling Psychology. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.