Responding to racism
“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist; we must be anti-racist”. Angela Davis, Author/Activist.
“Anti-racism is an active process, unlike the passive stance of “non-racism”. Therefore, anti-racism work requires consistent, committed and targeted action and attention”. Creative Equity Toolkit
Anti-racism is more than being 'not racist'. Anti-racism involves actively fighting against racist policies, practices, culture, and ideas.
Being anti-racist means making conscious decisions that challenge injustice and inequality and promote fairness. It can be helpful to think of anti-racism as a skill set. We can all develop and use this skill set to create a more equitable society. When you have a robust anti-racism skill set, you can question and challenge the various ways racism impacts our society.
"The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward” Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk about Race.
Racism is not just individual behaviour. It is a societal and structural issue. Challenging racism requires us to commit to fighting systemic inequalities. Experts in racism and anti-racism, such as Angela Davis and Ibram X. Kendi, emphasise that simply being "not racist" is not enough. We must be actively anti-racist to challenge racism.
Racism has been a significant issue in Australia since British colonisation. It is complex and deeply embedded in Australia's systems and structures. Being anti-racist involves acknowledging racism as a systemic issue, but also one that demands active engagement, education, and advocacy for change from each of us
Anti-racism is essential. It explores how racism shapes our society and involves everyone working together to ensure equity for all. Since we all live and participate in racist systems, anti-racism does not mean 'never being racist'. Instead, it involves committing ourselves to recognising and rejecting racism in all its forms. This includes our own views and prejudices. It also includes in our interactions with other people, institutions we connect with, and the society we live in.
For more information: see the explanations of structural and systemic racism on the Key Terms page.
There is a lot that we can and must do to develop and apply our anti-racism skill set.
Being anti-racist or using our anti-racism skill set means identifying opportunities to challenge racism and racist systems. Through this, we can impact the people and institutions around us (our 'sphere of influence').
Educate yourself
Being anti-racist starts with self-reflection and learning. It’s important that we all understand the ways racism works in society and develop tools to dismantle it. Anti-racism involves an ongoing process of learning. This includes understanding our own privilege and biases, and the ways we might be complicit in racism, and taking action to address these.
Impacting your 'sphere of influence'
We all can practise anti-racism. No matter who or where we are, being anti-racist will impact your sphere of influence. Your sphere of influence refers to the people, organisations, and institutions you encounter daily. When you act differently, it impacts the people and processes around you.
Take the time to listen
Everyone's experiences are unique. If you haven't faced racism or inequality, it might be difficult to understand the experiences of those who have. People with lived experience of racism have been sharing their stories, knowledge, and solutions with us for a long time.
Talking about race and racism
Talking about race and racism with those around you is one way to practise anti-racism.
Having conversations about race or racism may not always feel comfortable, particularly with family and friends – but shying away can mean that significant opportunities are missed. These conversations are a chance to change peoples' thinking.
Respect First Nations sovereignty
As the First Peoples of this continent, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a unique experience of racism. Being anti-racist means understanding how racism works around you. In Australia, we need to learn about the unique experience of racism experienced by First Nations peoples because of ongoing colonisation.
A note from the campaign team
What happened to the "Being an ally" page?
September 2024
Like everyone, our campaign team continues to learn and is committed to an ongoing anti-racism learning journey. Our team values the advice and feedback we receive from anti-racism practitioners and experts. Their guidance has been invaluable in shaping our campaign.
We received feedback on the need to support Australians to develop and practise anti-racism as a skill set, and to actively challenge racism. The content of this page has shifted from “being an ally” to “being anti-racist” to focus on the skills required for meaningful action.
You can read more on the limitations of an ‘allyship’ approach, and preference for anti-racism focus here:
- Performative Allyship is Deadly (Here’s What to Do Instead), Holiday Phillips
- No More white saviours, thanks: How to be a true anti-racist ally, Nova Reid
- “Nothing about us, without us”: Performative allyship and selling silences, Bronwyn Fredericks, Debbie Bargallie and Bronwyn Carlson