Microaggression Breakdown: “I don’t see color” or “I’m colorblind”

“I don’t see color” or “I’m colorblind”

This microaggression almost always, but not exclusive, comes out when you try and tell someone something they said was racist. Their response is something to the effect of “Me! No, I couldn’t possibly be racist. I don’t have a racist bone in my body. I don’t even see color. I’m colorblind!”

Although, the intent is to be inclusive it is actually dismissing the lived reality of people of color. There is no place I can exist and say I am colorblind. Only those who do not have to think about race daily are able to say they are colorblind.

And I get it, it’s not something you ever had to think about why to you have to think and talk about race all the time now. “Just make it all go away”!

YES!! That’s what we all want - for racism to go away. It’s not something that can be swept away it has to be cleaned up and we all have a part to play.

To say, 'I'm colorblind' is to dismiss, ignore and make invisible the pain and suffering of people of color." -Kristen Rogers, CNN

This perpetuates racism and doesn’t help dismantle it. We cannot make it go away if we are unwilling to admit racism exists.

Let’s have these conversations. Sit in the discomfort of facing the sordid history of our great country and move on! We can do this - it doesn’t have to be hard but it DOES have to be done together. So stop saying you’re colorblind! That divides and invalidates huge groups of people.