Why we keep hearing “I don’t see colour” and why it’s not helpful

“You’re not really black.” 

“Would you be on the black or white side if there was a war?”

“Do you go to a white person’s hairdresser or a black person’s?”

“Oh, you can swim?

“You could get away with saying you have a tan.”

“Why do you wear sunscreen, you don’t need it?”

Surely these questions are exaggerated? Have stayed unsaid? I must have misunderstood! 

Sadly, I didn’t understand at the time the intention behind the questions, but only felt all too deeply the impact. These are only some of the questions I have been asked, but I could probably write a ten-chapter book on the questions I have been asked throughout my lifetime.

The questions as I get older are less direct and more subtle, sometimes even wearing the cloak of’ ‘banter’ or seeping out as a microaggression (but that’s for another blog). The impact of being on the receiving end of a look, an assumption is still as strong, and devaluing as it ever was. As much as I would like to say the impact hasn’t played a part in some of the choices I have made, that would be a lie.

Only on rare occasions am I now catapulted back to the schoolyard playground where I was made to feel excluded, different and othered purely based on the colour of my skin. There were many times I wish my older self could have stood alongside with my younger self and given me the words to be proud of my mixed heritage and all that it brings, instead of being hurt and trying to hide it or laughing it off as if it didn’t get to me. 

Why saying “I don’t see colour” is not helpful

When well-intentioned people say “Oh I see you, I don’t see colour” as if to raise the flag for equality for being able to see everyone on the same level, I say “see me!”  

Besides failing to see and acknowledge racism, “I don’t see colour” fails to validate the anxiety and the experiences behind racism in our country, whether this is in our work life or social life. 

When the frequently uttered phrase of “I’m not a racist” is used closely followed up by a list of black friends someone has, this allows for people to avoid participating in anti-racism. It is a failure to see and acknowledge that racism exists. It’s a failure to see how your own thoughts, ideas, beliefs, choices you make could be racist.

Being anti-racist and taking action

Ibram X. Kendi who wrote “How to be an Antiracist” puts a firm spotlight on action: “Commit to some form of action that has the potential to change racist policies”. If a person does nothing in the face of racial inequities that are pervasive, if they don’t challenge them, what are they doing?

As Dr. Kendi states: “Someone is being racist if their actions, inaction or expression of antiracist ideas support racist policy. Someone is being anti-racist if their actions or expression of anti-racist ideas support anti-racist policies.”

Not seeing my colour means we will never have a conversation about how our experiences will have been different. Not seeing colour takes away my history, what makes me who I am today. It takes away our opportunity to have a conversation about how I burst with pride when my children tell me about externals going to their schools to run workshops on how to talk about race and differences and the questions they felt able to ask and discuss.

If we don’t see colour, if we don’t see our differences, if we don’t acknowledge and have conversations, we will never understand the walk, the journey of anyone with a difference, it will always be someone else’s responsibility. 

Support for employers

For in-house anti-racism training, take a look at some of our recent webinar topics below, or get in touch with our training team for bespoke training options.

• Introduction to anti-racism
• Next steps in allyship
• Intersectionality and the Black experience
• The influence of Black culture in Britain

Our anti-racism toolkit ‘Building an anti-racist culture: A toolkit for your workplace’ contains nine how-to guides to support you to take practical action.

Inclusive Employers members also have access to a whole host of resources in the Members’ Area of our website.