A few things to unpack that white Allies need to know but clearly aren’t told enough. A THREAD :

#blm #BLMUK #antiracism #WhiteAllies #racism #oppression

1. It doesn’t matter if you have good intentions when you do something that harms bipoc people. If I run someone over it doesn’t matter that I didn’t mean to or that I’ve never done it before my intention doesn’t change the fact that I hurt someone and need to be criticised.

2. It doesn’t matter how many anti-racist things you read how many black people or poc people you know or love. You will never fully understand so you will make mistakes. That’s okay but own up to them and correct yourself when you are called out.

3. Just because you as a white person or of any other race than the one who is affected by something don’t understand why that thing is hurtful to some or all people of that race doesn’t mean that it’s not hurtful, racist or wrong. Morality isn’t dependent on your understanding.

4. Picking and then tokenising someone from the race that is affected who is most aligned with your viewpoint and then using it to defend the person who did x thing isn’t cute or okay. Of course some bipoc people aren’t gonna be Offended or hurt by X thing. (Continued)

4. Continued. Every bipoc person even from the same race is an individual with individual thoughts/opinions. It doesn’t matter if some ppl aren’t hurt by it some ppl are so you need to listen and support the people who are hurt. You can’t ignore all the ppl upset bc some aren’t.

5. Being an ally or believing in equality doesn’t exempt you from doing something racist. You do not have to be a racist to harbour racist ideas or have unconscious racial biases. Racism and white supermacy is the premise of the world we live in. We are all affected by it

5. Continued. Accept when someone calls you out on it and accept that you will never be finished unlearning your own racism , racial prejudice and racial biases but that doesn’t and shouldn’t stop you from doing the work.

6. Bipoc people don’t owe white people especially or other non-white People politeness in conversations about their race, especially when they’re trying to educate you on something you did or you are defending. (Continued)

6. Continued. If you are being told you did something wrong as a white person. Then you are upholding their oppression. You already benefit from it now you’re upholding it. They owe you nothing when that oppression contributes to the death of their people. Don’t police their tone

7. Being an anti-racist isn’t conditional. You can’t pick and chose when you’ll listen to bipoc nor should you ever blame them for their oppression. Their attitude isn’t why white ppl stay silent. Bipoc owe white People nothing when it comes to race. Not a single thing.

8. Someone’s take on Racism isn’t a moral stance. Racism isn’t about morals not being a racist is the bare minimum. Listening to bipoc is the bare minimum. Being an anti-racist doesn’t make you a good person. It makes to bare minimum decent human being. Racism isn’t about morals.

9. you not understandingwhy something was harmful, wrong or racist doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong with it. It just means you don’t understand. The moral code does not depend on your personal understanding of something. accept that you don’t get it but it’s still wrong.

10. Being an anti racist and not saying slurs etc. isn’t about respecting bipoc and not offending someone or tolerating them. It’s about it being wrong and understanding why it’s wrong. Racism itself isn’t about morals bc there’s no other side to the story.

11. Can’t believe I’m still saying this: having bipoc friends, partners, children of family doesn’t exempt you from harbouring, upholding or exhibiting racist behaviours and ideas. Everyone even bipoc can and do harbour racist ideas. The world is set up that way.

12. Know your place as an ally. Your job is to amplify bipoc voices not talk for them, not talk over them & not forgive people for them. Bipoc have the solutions to racism Listen to us then share & implement what’s we say. We are experts bc we have lived it. Know when to shut up.