What can defensiveness to antiracism look like? What can you do about it?

Many of us are in a state of defense when it comes to continuing our personal and professional work around Anti-Racism.  There are many ways that we defensively protect ourselves from being overwhelmed when we are met with confronting racist thoughts and actions.

This can look like:

• Leaving or checking out
• People pleasing, problem solving, grasping on to the thing, eating, numbing, spending, overworking
• Shutting down, freezing, enduring
• Pointing the finger, feelings of self-righteousness, charm, or aggression
• Defining good/bad and right/wrong, perfectionism, not feeling

The ways that we protect ourselves often stop our own growth processes. We can also lock defenses with people we love or other professionals when it comes to discussing racism.

What can you do to rid yourself of defensive against anti-racism?

• Find ways to move from what you think you know to understand about Anti Racism….where your beliefs and reactions are stuck from a trauma informed lens
• Continue practices around raising awareness, shifting and calling out micro and macro aggressions
• Find ways to name this work to continue to practice Anti-Racism
• Attain tools to work with privilege, racial bias, and fragility
• Develop methods for taking responsibility in conversations with individuals and in systems

Ask yourself these questions:

• What comes to mind when you hear the words ‘anti-racism’ and/or people of color?
• Is there an anti-racism concept that you don’t fully understand but want to better understand?
• How do you navigate deepening your anti-racism practice within your family and friend groups, particularly when opposing perspectives on the topics emerge?
• In what ways do you think your privilege shows up in the therapy room, executive team, HR discussions, board room, or staff meetings?
• What’s the most surprising thing about racism and/or anti-racism?
• What are you most worried about where racism and/or anti-racism are concerned?

If you would like to partner with Xanthia or Kristian for personal work, a group process, training, consultation surrounding your needs regarding compassionate Anti-Racist work, please contact us.