Fighting Bias in a Pandemic
#TogetherAgainstBias
Published on: April 10, 2020
Alexis L. Krohn
The novel coronavirus SARS-COV2 is sweeping through the country, and people are responding in a variety of ways. Some are finding new ways to help each other through crisis, and especially in the Bay Area, we’re working hard to maintain social distancing to flatten the curve.
Unfortunately, many leaders and citizens are taking advantage of a climate of fear, using this as an opportunity to stoke racist and xenophobic behaviors. Our president himself and other agencies and major news outlets have misnamed the virus, escalating racial tensions. Even well-intentioned citizens are being drawn into a net of other misinformation which will affect their actions. We are witnessing a rise in discrimination and attacks against Asians and Asian Americans generally, and especially against Chinese and Chinese Americans. Verbal harassment, physical attacks and overt aggression are harming you, your neighbors, your loved ones or your friends on a daily basis.
The Unconscious Bias Project operates out of Berkeley, CA
I want to acknowledge here that I am a white writer, and so I’m not going to be able to speak from first-hand knowledge about these experiences. As a white woman, I have the privileges of not being on the receiving end of such racism and xenophobia, and therefore I have a responsibility to disrupt this when I see it or hear of it. The Unconscious Bias Project has some tips and tactics for anyone, especially white people, to use against bias.
We encourage readers who are white or non-Asian PoC to read and believe the many experiences of Asian Americans right now during the pandemic.
Bias and Repercussions
Long after we get over the worst of COVID-19, we’ll likely continue to witness and to experience this discrimination. Our friends, family, and neighbors will be influenced by negative media portrayals and misinformed discussions about Asians and Asian Americans and this will have repercussions. Even the most liberal, socially just, and racially aware of us might even catch ourselves thinking biased thoughts or engaging in acts of bias, even when these do not reflect the best of our conscious intentions.
We know that discrimination has negative effects, impacting both mental and physical health, but we can each analyze and counteract our own biases. We can fight back when we experience discrimination and we can intervene as bystanders when we witness overt conscious aggressions and small slights that may even be unconscious and unintentional. UBP has a number of strategies you can use, but here are two highlights.
To make these strategies effective, especially those of resistance and bystander intervention, practice will make it easier. Find a buddy to practice these tactics with, and you’ll be an even more effective advocate against bias.
Bias Reduction — Stereotype Replacement
Even as we responsibly socially distance in these trying times, we’re likely to leave the house occasionally (remember to check the CDC guidelines for this). While out and about, Asian Americans will continue to face discrimination, and we’ll all continue to witness it. Being bombarded with negative stereotypes, we may catch ourselves reflexively thinking or behaving in ways that we know are biased. It’s part of swimming in a culture with systemic historical and contemporary racism, but we can help ourselves do better.
If you catch yourself thinking (or being exposed to) stereotypic thoughts, you can engage in stereotype replacement. Set aside for a moment a person’s belonging in a group, and consider who they might be as a person, aside from any stereotypes. This will, in fact, involve some almost-daydreaming, and some creativity.
Consider where they might be from, or what their family structure is like. Picture them picking up their grandchildren from school, or attending a meeting as a CEO. Maybe they’re the funny kid on their track team, or their favorite hobby is metalworking. Consider all the work they are also doing to help prevent the spread of disease right now. Consider the fears they may have as well for their friends and loved ones. This will help you cement in your mind people as so much more than the stereotypes of a group they may belong to.
Bystander Intervention — Transfering the Work
Depending on your neighborhood, your work, or your social media diet, you may encounter some overtly biased actions in life or online. The things you experience or witness may have been reflexive, and born out of fear, so remember to come at things with some compassion in mind. People will respond better if you give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they have the best intentions. Immediately labeling someone as racist is likely to provoke an argument rather than prompt a change in behavior.
To intervene when you see moments of bias, transfering the work is an excellent method. For instance, if you hear, read, or witness someone making biased assumptions about Asian Americans and acting on it, you can honestly ask them, in a neutral tone, “what makes you think that person has coronavirus?” Oftentimes, having to answer a direct question like that will cause a person to reconsider what they’ve said and realize their lack of justification.
Let’s come #TogetherAgainstBias
Practice, Practice, Practice!
Crucially, don’t forget to practice these tactics. Recruit a buddy to roleplay out a couple of scenarios so that you can be better prepared when you see bias. You and your bias buddy can back each other up when you see moments of bias, even if it’s just to confirm afterwards, “did that really just happen?” You can gently prompt each other to move in a positive direction if you catch each other making biased judgements. Remember, we are all swimming in a sea of media and socialization which are constantly pushing us toward bias. We’re all going to have to do our part within ourselves and outside ourselves to push back toward a more equitable and just society.
Learn more about UBP and how to support our #TogetherAgainstBias resource series: https://unconsciousbiasproject.org/