The person you’re talking to is not racist or sexist.
But if they’re a white man and you know them, they’re likely to look at you differently.
“The people who are racist and sexist tend to have the same beliefs and attitudes that are prevalent in the wider community,” said Mark A. Brown, professor of social psychology at the University of Virginia.
“It makes it harder for them to tell the difference.”
That’s because it takes some of the nuance that goes into knowing your social circle to know what’s real and what’s not.
It’s important to remember that you can’t know the truth, or at least not as much as you think you do, Brown said.
It can take a lot of time to work out who you’re dealing with.
That’s why it’s important for people to avoid telling anyone they know they’re being racist or sexism, especially if that person is a trusted friend or relative.
People who have no friends who are also in the same profession as you, or whose friends don’t have the best interests of their children at heart, might not feel comfortable talking about racism or sexism because they’re worried that it might be perceived as a threat.
If that’s the case, you should keep your mouth shut, said Brown.
But you can also tell your friend you’re being a jerk, and be a bit more assertive in your approach.
“Be the aggressor,” he said.
“Don’t let them see you as someone who is afraid to say anything.
Just keep saying, ‘Yes, I’ve been discriminated against.
But I don’t care about that.
It has nothing to do with race or gender.'”
Be polite If you’re speaking to a white friend or acquaintance who you think is an ally, be polite and respectful, said Alyssa Lee, founder of the Black Women’s Alliance, a nonprofit group that helps people of color build their own communities.
“We don’t want to feel like we’re not respected,” Lee said.
In order to work with people of different races, you have to have empathy.
And that can be difficult for many people.
When people of other races ask you to say something, you don’t always know if it’s a good idea to say it.
“When people ask, ‘Are you a friend?’
I want to say, ‘Sure,'” Lee said, but she adds, “It doesn’t mean you have a good relationship.
It just means that you’re a friend.
And it doesn’t have to be a bad relationship.
There are a lot more of us out there than we realize.”
She also recommends keeping in mind that sometimes the best way to talk to someone is not to talk at all.
“Try to find a way to just say hello, be friendly and talk to them in a friendly way,” she said.
This will help people feel comfortable.
And while you’re at it, don’t make assumptions about their personal life.
You should never assume that they’re the same person you know, said Lee.
“Just because you know someone doesn’t make them a racist or a sexist,” she added.
“That just makes you look like a racist.”
If you need more tips, check out the Huffington Post’s guide to avoiding accusations of racism and sexism, which includes a list of common phrases to avoid.
