What Is the Definition of Internalized Racism

What does internalized racism mean? One might describe it as a fancy term for an issue that’s pretty easy to grasp. In a society where racial prejudice thrives in politics, communities, institutions and popular culture, it’s difficult for racial minorities to avoid absorbing the racist messages that constantly bombard them. Thus, people of color sometimes adopt a white supremacist mindset that results in self-hatred and hatred of their respective racial group. Minorities suffering from internalized racism, for example, may loathe the physical characteristics that make them racially distinct such as skin color, hair texture or eye shape. Others may stereotype those from their racial group and refuse to associate with them. And some may outright identify as white. Overall, minorities suffering from internalized racism buy into the notion that whites are superior to people of color. Think of it as Stockholm Syndrome in the racial sphere. Causes While some minorities grew up in diverse communities where racial differences were appreciated, others felt rejected due to their skin color. Being bullied because of ethnic background and encountering harmful messages about race in greater society may be all it takes to get a person of color to begin loathing themselves. For some minorities, the impetus to turn racism inward occurs when they see whites receiving privileges denied to people of color. â€Å"I don’t want to live in the back. Why do we always have to live in the back?† a fair-skinned black character named Sarah Jane asks in the 1959 film â€Å"Imitation of Life.† Sarah Jane ultimately decides to abandon her black mother and pass for white because she â€Å"wants to have a chance in life.† She explains, â€Å"I don’t want to have to come through back doors or feel lower than other people.† In the classic novel Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, the mixed-race protagonist first begins to experience internalized racism after he witnesses a white mob burn a black man alive. Rather than empathize with the victim, he chooses to identify with the mob. He explains: â€Å"I understood that it was not discouragement or fear, or search for a larger field of action and opportunity, that was driving me out of the Negro race. I knew that it was shame, unbearable shame. Shame at being identified with a people that could with impunity be treated worse than animals.† Beauty Standards To live up to Western beauty standards, ethnic minorities suffering from internalized racism may attempt to alter their appearance to look more â€Å"white.† For those of Asian descent, this could mean opting to have double eyelid surgery. For those of Jewish descent, this could mean having rhinoplasty. For African Americans, this could mean chemically straightening one’s hair and weaving in extensions. Also, people of color from a variety of backgrounds use bleach creams to lighten their skin. But not all people of color who alter their physical appearance do so to look â€Å"whiter.† For example, many black women say they straighten their hair to make it more manageable and not because they’re ashamed of their heritage. Some people turn to bleach creams to even out their skin tone and not because they’re trying to uniformly lighten their skin. Who’s Accused? Over the years, a variety of derogatory terms have cropped up to describe those likely suffering from internalized racism. They include â€Å"Uncle Tom,† â€Å"sellout,† â€Å"pocho† or â€Å"whitewashed.† While the first two terms are typically used by African Americans, pocho and whitewashed have circulated among immigrants of color to describe people who have assimilated to white, Western culture, with little knowledge of their native cultural heritage. Also, many nicknames for those suffering from internalized racism involve foods that are dark on the outside and light on the inside such as Oreo for blacks; Twinkie or banana for Asians; coconut for Latinos; or apple for Native Americans. Putdowns such as Oreo are controversial because many blacks recount being called the racial term for doing well in school, speaking standard English or having white friends, not because they didnt identify as black. All too often this insult demeans those who don’t fit into a box.  Accordingly, many blacks who are proud of their heritage  find this term hurtful.   While such name-calling  hurts, it persists. So, who might be called such a name? Multiracial golfer Tiger Woods has been accused of being a â€Å"sellout† because he identifies as â€Å"Cablinasian† rather than as black. Cablinasian is a name Woods devised to represent the fact that he has Caucasian, black, American Indian and Asian heritage. Woods has not only been accused of suffering from internalized racism because of how he racially identifies but also because hes been romantically involved with a string of white women, including his Nordic ex-wife. Some people view this as a sign that he’s uncomfortable with being an ethnic minority. The same has been said about actress and producer Mindy Kaling, whos faced criticism for repeatedly  casting white men as her love interests on the sitcom The Mindy Project. People who refuse to date members of their own racial group may, in fact, suffer from internalized racism, but unless they declare this to be true, it’s best not to make such assumptions. In any case, children may be more likely to admit to suffering from internalized racism than adults. A child may openly yearn to be white, while an adult will likely keep such wishes internalized for fear of being judged. Those who serially date whites or refuse to identify as an ethnic minority may be accused of suffering from internalized racism but so are people of color who espouse political beliefs considered detrimental to minorities. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Ward Connerly, a Republican who’s led the effort to strike down affirmative action in California and elsewhere, have been accused of being â€Å"Uncle Toms,† or race traitors, due to their conservative beliefs. Whites who associate mainly with people of color or  politically align themselves with minority groups have historically been accused of betraying their race as well and dubbed names such as wiggers or n---er lovers. Whites active in the civil rights movement were harassed and terrorized by other whites for seemingly â€Å"siding† with blacks. Discussing With Others It’s impossible to tell if someone suffers from internalized racism simply based on their friends, romantic partners or political beliefs. If you suspect someone in your life suffers from internalized racism, try to talk to them about it, if you have a good relationship with them. Ask them in a non-confrontational manner why they exclusively associate with whites, want to alter their physical appearance or downplay their racial background. Point out positives about their racial group and why they should be proud to be a person of color.