Have you ever heard someone say something like “You’re so articulate” or “You don’t sound black” or “I don’t see color” to a person of color? If you have, then you might have witnessed a white person phrase in action.
What are White People’s Phrases?
White people’s phrases are expressions or comments that white people use to communicate with or about people of color, often without realizing how offensive, insensitive, or ignorant they sound. They are also known as microaggressions, which are subtle, indirect, or unintentional forms of discrimination or prejudice that occur in everyday interactions.
White people’s phrases can take many forms, such as:
- Compliments that imply surprise or exceptionality, such as “You’re so smart for a Latino” or “You’re not like other Asians”.
- Questions that assume stereotypes or exoticism, such as “Where are you really from?” or “What are you mixed with?”.
- Statements that deny or minimize racial differences or issues, such as “We’re all human” or “I don’t care if you’re black, white, purple, or green”.
- Jokes that mock or trivialize cultural aspects or experiences, such as “Can you do the Indian accent?” or “Do you eat dogs?”.
White people phrases can be harmful and hurtful to people of color, because they:
- Imply that they are inferior, abnormal, or unworthy of respect and dignity.
- Erase their identity, history, and culture.
- Invalidate their feelings, opinions, and perspectives.
- Reinforce white supremacy and privilege.
How to Respond to White People Phrases?
If you are a person of color who encounters a white person phrase, you might feel angry, hurt, confused, or frustrated. You might also wonder how to respond in a way that educates the speaker, asserts your boundaries, and preserves your well-being. Here are some tips on how to do that:
- Assess the situation and your safety. Before you respond, consider the context, the relationship, the intention, and the potential consequences of the interaction. Is it worth engaging with the speaker? Are they open to learning and changing? Are you in a position of power or vulnerability? Are you physically and emotionally safe? Depending on your answers, you might decide to respond immediately, later, or not at all.
- Choose your response strategy. There are different ways to respond to a white person phrase, depending on your goal and style. You can use humor, sarcasm, irony, or exaggeration to highlight the absurdity or offensiveness of the comment. You can use questions, facts, examples, or stories to challenge the assumptions or stereotypes behind the comment. You can use emotions, feelings, values, or goals to express how the comment affects you or others. You can use silence, body language, tone of voice, or facial expressions to convey your disapproval or discomfort.
- Be assertive and respectful. When you respond, use “I” statements instead of “you” statements to avoid blaming or attacking the speaker. For example, say “I feel hurt when you say that” instead of “You are hurting me when you say that”. Also use respectful language and avoid name-calling, insults, threats, or violence. For example, say “That’s a racist remark” instead of “You’re a racist”.
- Set boundaries and expectations. After you respond, let the speaker know what you expect from them and what you will do if they repeat the comment. For example, say “Please don’t say that again” or “If you say that again, I will end this conversation”. Also let them know what they can do to learn more and improve their communication. For example, say “You can read this article to understand why that’s offensive” or “You can ask me more questions if you want to learn about my culture”.
Conclusion
White people phrases are expressions or comments that white people use to communicate with or about people of color that are offensive, insensitive, or ignorant. They can cause harm and hurt to people of color by implying inferiority, erasing identity, invalidating feelings, and reinforcing white supremacy. If you encounter a white person phrase as a person of color, you can respond in different ways depending on the situation and your safety. You can use humor, questions, facts, stories, emotions, silence, body language, tone of voice, or facial expressions to respond. You can also be assertive and respectful in your response and set boundaries and expectations for future interactions. By doing so, you can educate the speaker and protect yourself from white people phrases.
