Diverting From Race

DEFINITION
The practice of asserting that other social identities besides race — such as class, gender, or sexual orientation — are the predominant determining factors behind a given social inequity.

EFFECT ON RACIAL DISCOURSE ON RACIAL DISCOURSE
Ranks systems of power and dismisses racism as a primary, or even legitimate, determinant of social inequity. This logic inhibits an understanding of how bias and discrimination against groups for one reason — race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic class — intersects with others and works together. This promotes an either/ or instead of a both/and framework. The latter offers an important sociological and historical perspective, rather than a single identity or non-racial analysis.

EXAMPLE
A statewide LGBT non-profit organization releases a report that includes findings on rising rates of LGBT youth homelessness. Media coverage fails to take into account and report on how race/ethnicity and immigrant status have differing impacts on the experience of homelessness for LGBT youth of color, and how they affect their interactions with public, nonprofit and private institutions.

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In This Section:

1. Individualizing Racism
2. Falsely Equating Incomparable Acts
3. Diverting From Race
4. Portraying Government as Overreaching
5. Prioritizing Intent Over Impact
6. Coded Language
7. Silencing History

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