The Elephant in the Room

Race is the elephant in the room. It’s the unspoken visual bias that has been subtly reinforced for years. It’s codified into our laws and affects almost every facet of day to day life. It affects the way we’re treated and often the way we treat others. How do we stop this though? This year has exposed probably more so than any other that we have an issue with representation: in the media, in politics, even in printed material. If this is news to you, it shouldn’t be. Historically, the news and the media have been controlled by a small number of people. They have endorsed and empowered content that reinforces their beliefs and little else, squashing or diminishing all considered to be subversive. However the minority voices are getting too loud and the barriers to entry are crumbling. As whenever there is a threat to hegemony, we’re seeing the dwindling majority consolidating their efforts; with the election seeming to confirm this assertion as well as the multitude of hate crimes all over. In the midst of this, I find myself asking where I stand in all of this. I work in a business with very few people of colour in management positions, which has relegated my people into depictions of stereotypes, evil, laziness or even cannon fodder. The industry claims its casting decisions are based on viewership and hiring decisions based on merit. However Black and Latino audiences make up nearly 60% of ticket sales. That’s about as close as you can get to a sure bet in a business constantly searching for a guarantee. So why the disconnect? Why are we in the seats but not onscreen or in the boardrooms? I know how we got here but when is it time to stop making excuses for the terrible past and move into the new. It’s better now for people of colour than ever before, which is great but also indicative of how far we still have left to even the playing field. I’ve got some simple advice that will go along way: the next time someone of colour or female or LGBTQ describes an event that left them feeling diminished or marginalised, listen. Don’t assume they’re crazy or tell them they should just carry on. We have to stop normalising irrational behaviour. Racism and intolerance are born out of fear and ignorance. Until we acknowledge the inequality inherent in so many parts of our society (the workforce, banking, housing, education, politics, the list goes on), there’s no way to move forward. We can’t treat the disease if we don’t acknowledge its symptoms. So here’s hoping that I can do my part in playing a little doctor. It’s taken me a long time to write this, because the ending eludes me. There isn’t a conclusion, there’s still so much work to be done. So hear my words: Do your part. It will take all of us to change the world. Don’t get complacent. Things are improving but we can’t stop moving til every group/culture/subculture gets the attention and respect they deserve. Support those who don’t look like you or sound like you. Everyone has story and you’ll never know who you’ll connect with. Live and share your truth. We can all learn from each other, all it takes is open eyes, ears and heart.

Let’s put that elephant on parade.

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