It is important to note that racism and race-based discrimination can take a multitude of forms. Colorblind racism is a real and widespread phenomenon of being passive, dismissive, and non-acknowledging of existing race-related issues among marginalized and oppressed groups (Burke, 2018). In other words, it perpetuates racism by shutting down further necessary discussions on issues disproportionately affecting a certain group. For example, a colorblind racist would use the rhetoric of ‘not seeing’ color or race when the problem of poverty among African Americans is brought up. There are major systemic practices and legislative enabling mechanisms keeping Black neighborhoods poor and isolated, such as intricate housing laws (Burke, 2018). However, colorblind racism would manifest in ignoring these realities by claiming that there is no race, which means that there is no systemic racism.
However, it should be noted that it is okay not to see color when it comes to personal relationships or interpersonal interactions, but it becomes a problem when it is covertly used to enable racism. Essentially, colorblindness in a racial sense is not inherently problematic, but it can be abused by racists in order to retain the status quo, resist positive changes, and create a society on the basis of equity. Therefore, it is vital to understand and identify the central issues disproportionately affecting specific groups, which requires acknowledgment and ‘seeing’ the race as it is. One might prefer to be colorblind in personal matters, but legislative, political, and social changes require an active understanding of the underlying systemic problems impacting marginalized groups. Colorblindness should not become a shield behind which privileged racists hide to avoid serious and critical discussions on the topic of racism and other forms of inequality.
Reference
Burke, M. (2018). Colorblind racism (1st ed.). Polity.