Racism 101: Tone Policing
I recently started a series to explain terms and other basic concepts that have rushed into the forefront over the last year of frenzied discussion on hard topics like systemic racism and the pervasiveness of misogynistic ideas in all levels of American society. For those of us who are members of marginalized groups, we are well acquainted with what these terms mean because we live with the effects of them every day, but that’s not good enough. Everyone needs to understand their meaning, because the behavior they describe continually contributes to systems of oppression in this country and it has to stop.
So, what exactly does tone policing mean?
It’s simple, really. Tone policing describes a diversionary tactic used when a person purposely turns away from the message behind her interlocutor’s argument in order to focus solely on the delivery of it.
Still confused? Well, allow me to elaborate…with an example!
White person: Wow, you are surprisingly well spoken!
Person of color: For a black person, you mean? That’s really insensitive and I can’t believe you thought you had the right to say that to me.
WP: Why are you so upset? I just gave you a compliment.
POC: Do you not even realize what you said and how racist it is for white folks to pat black…
