Strategies for coping with racist behaviour

[Emmen]

Hello everybody,

With coronavirus, there has been a spike in racist behaviour against people of Asian ethnicity in Australia. I’m sure there are people in our community who have been on the receiving end of such behaviour. You may also be Indigenous or of other ethnicities, struggling with the emotional impact of racism directed against you over the years. This could include anxiety, depression and reduced sense of self-worth. I though we could open up this forum as a way of sharing coping strategies when facing prejudiced behaviour.

I’ll start by listing some ideas:

• Build a network of people around you who can make you feel good about yourself
• Identify the behaviours that have led you to internalise the idea that you are 'not good enough' for society and work on accepting yourself as you are
• Reminding yourself that the actions/words of racist people stem from their own insecurity rather than you

What are your strategies?

For those seeking more information on racism, its impacts and what you can do about it, here are some links that can help.

BB article: Respond to racism (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/the-invisible-discriminator/respond-to-racism)
BB campaign: The Invisible Discriminator (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/the-invisible-discriminator)
BB article: Educate yourself about racism (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/the-invisible-discriminator/educate-yourself-about-...)
Forum thread: Racism (https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/racism#qgLmI3HzvGGEbv8AAOnT_A)

Sending love,
M

[ecomama]

Hi Emmen and everyone

What a whirlwind of a week for our family and the world attending to things. I avoid all TV atm and am not on any social media.

Peaceful Protest March - PPM
This all happened amongst much discussion this week. There's no shortage of empathy in our family with each other.
My eldest, adult children are Aboriginal. My youngest not. The eldest have children and thought it responsible not to attend due to being parents. They have taken their children to many protests and are activists but not this time in public.
My youngest children swapped work shifts to attend the PPM in a major city a number of hours away.

I was terrified but supportive.

Due to last minute High Court announcement last night, the youngest rallied to create a PPM locally.

I really am so proud of them. They asked their friends of 'colour' to stay home and stay safe. But they refused.

The PPM was a massive success! I AM SO PROUD OF OUR LOCAL POLICE supporting this March!
They cleared the streets and put up barricades for the children to walk safely! OMG, I cried with gratitude.

In a small town so many people gathered! The kids were put in groups of 10 lol.
Maybe 1000+ were there physically distancing. Indigenous Elders held a Smoking Ceremony awwwwww how beautiful.
Speakers spoke and t-shirts were given out. The children wore them proudly!

THANK YOU Community, keeping ALL children safe should be our Number 1 priority. HIGH FIVE to Police!!!

Getting THIS Message out loud and clear is a responsibility for EVERY PERSON.

Love EM

[eight]

im greater sydney based and couldnt attend protests but i have an inner city friend who attended the sydney march this afternoon. supreme court reversed the decision just before the march bc too many people showed up getting ready for the march to go violent, and she said the cops were there. just disassociating. no knees. no solidarity. had paddy wagons out. she got home at 5pm she was lucky because at roughly 7 the police kettled everyone remaining into central station, barricaded all exits but one, and starting macing the shit out of them because they refused to leave (50,000+ people at 6:30. not leaving. one exit.) v little media couldn't get in, cops insisted there was nothing to report.

protestors are reporting the cops are targeting poc without warning and... you have to wonder how badly they're proving the point when the protest about racial profiling by police that was almost cancelled due to risk of a respiratory pandemic ends up in cops using chemical irritants. that irritate the lungs and cause coughing. during a respiratory pandemic. predominantly on nonwhite protestors.

My friend can't protest tuesday (she wants to teach and educators need squeaky clean criminal records) but she knows her newly-radicalised group chat's definitely going. im just... so angry. so upset. we trust the police when they take knees or march in solidarity and theyll always turn around and turn it into violent shitshows. 

[ecomama]

eight

That's absolutely shocking, I'm so sorry this has happened for us all and especially those harmed today.

This is NOT the way to go.

Every person has the right to attend a Peaceful Protest March and that's how it can be...…

until.

Thankyou for posting this. In light of my previous post, I'm sorry. It seems so opposite.

I'm grateful the police were so respectful here today.

I'm disgusted at the police response in Sydney.

EM

[Croix]

Dear Eight~

Although it is tempting to do so may I suggest you are lumping a group of people together and judging them

"you could look into those eyes and see them thinking about how they were def meant to be shooting."

If an individual has to front a house and tell the occupant their loved one is no more, or sought a child without success then shooting would be far from their minds at a demo. They have seen suffering and that changes a person.

I'd be silly to try to defend all police in every state, and perhaps might not approve of some protesters actions eihter. I do think Adelaide is a shining example of cooperation and hope it will spread elswhere.

I'm also concerned anyone could contract the virus during these activities.

If you disagree with me OK, I'll not mention the matter further. This after all a mental health forum, and a lot of important matters may be better discussed elsewhere.

Croix (and yes I was policeman so you can me regard me as having a limited viewpoint should you wish)

[Emmen]

ecomama, thank you for sharing that experience with us. It is truly beautiful that everyone worked together peacefully for a positive outcome.

eight, you've had a terrible experience and I'm sorry it went that way. I don't agree with violence either and it sickens me whenever I hear of violence being justified for anything. That said, drawing on what ecomama and Croix have shared, the police have remained respectful in other instances and we should try not to lump them all as bad or untrustworthy. Sadly it's always the bad experiences that cause us to generalise a population - and unfortunately that's exactly what fuels prejudiced thoughts and stereotypes about racial groups as well. So let's not fall into the same trap that we don't want others to fall into.

Sending love,
M

[Croix]

Dear Emmen~

Thank you for coming back here, and sending love.

I would not want you to think you are not welcome here Eight, you are .I'm sure you have heard this before:-

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

I know it says 'men' but but was written in the eighteenth century, an even less enlightened time.

So demos may be part of it, not standing by is a must too.

Croix

[Guest_1643]

hi all

i hear you eight as well as Croix and emmem.
There are racist people out there who shameless target p.o.c.
I am mixed race and can pass as Australian but have experienced racism too

That said, I don't know if I'd ever want to be anything else- I'm happy to be different, because it makes me know that racism is real. It happens and is happening every day. I've often been shocked who expresses racism, it's sometimes the most educated people.
what a bust.

I don't know any policemen but I believe there would be some good ones. Although fair to call out those who use bullying to target the vulnerable.

Croix I understand you p.o.v. and thank you for sharing it. Not fair either to group all cops as bad, although I think good to call out those who are participating in racism.

[Guest_1643]

Croix I know you are an ex-police and I do know you! I am sure you were kind as a cop, what a hard job

I know these issues are laden with pain for people who have any involvement - i don't judge anyone for being sensitive.
I'm so sorry eight for what your friend went through.

[blondguy]

HI Emmen

Thankyou for your thread topic on coping with racist behavior (towards anyone) since Covid-19. I have seen some examples of the racism you mentioned on the news and its unacceptable and not condoned in Australia

This is an excellent thread that provides invaluable support to people of any ethnicity that have experienced prejudiced behavior post (or prior) Covid-19

Just for myself...I dont think discussion about protests or criticism of Police helpful where people's mental health is concerned.

Thankyou for the helpful links you provided Emmen

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Emmen]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for your valuable input. I hear you. Let's keep this forum focused on mental health issues.

I completely understand why eight has shared that experience, because it has clearly upset him/her and affected his/her mental wellbeing. And I encourage anyone to share experiences that have affected your mental wellbeing so that we can all support you and be a part of your recovery. But let's remember that this platform is here to help each other cope with these issues in a sustainable way rather than to debate these experiences that people have brought up.

Sending love,
M