“I don’t see colour,” or, “I don’t see race.” They’re phrases that often come from good intentions, but it unfortunately carries some other messages with it. Here’s why I don’t think it’s a good thing to say.
It says we shouldn’t talk about race. If you don’t see race, then there can be no conversation about race, because you don’t see it. It automatically shuts off our ability to talk about it.
It says there’s no problem with race. If you don’t see race, then there can’t be any problem with race. It’s almost sweeping under the rug all the problems of race by saying you don’t see them.
It says I shouldn’t see colour too. If you don’t see colour, who am I to see colour? It’s almost a place of superiority, that you’re so woke that colour doesn’t exist for you. It’s only possible to not see race though, if you don’t experience race yourself.
I understand this phrase is trying to tell us that our racial differences don’t matter, and stereotyping people by race is not good. I agree, each person is an individual. But different racial groups do have different racial experiences, especially in Australia, and I think we do a disservice to minorities by saying that we don’t see colour.
Rather, I think we should try to see colour. Not in the way of trying to apply stereotypes to every person of that colour that we see and meet, but in trying to understand the different experiences of visible minorities in Australia.
Our differences aren’t bad, but we do have differences, and we can only talk about our differences if we acknowledge they exist.
