Caitlyn Rintoul: Inappropriate or racist remarks can have a lasting effect
Casually making small talk with my ride share driver recently, I was shocked to hear an incredibly racist statement about an Australian minority group.
Words to the effect that anyone of that particular race was an addict.
The casual delivery of his words left me momentarily speechless.
I would like to assume it stemmed from a sheer lack of awareness and they haven’t had much exposure to diverse communities but it was unmistakably direct racism.
And, regardless, there’s no excuse for it.
Feeling uncomfortable, I made a point of highlighting that the generalisation was unhelpful.
It wasn’t a huge confrontation but I hoped the moment could provoke a rethink of such views and perhaps knock his confidence to say such things to a stranger.
It was downright unprofessional and he likely wouldn’t know the real impact it could have on future passengers.
That same evening, at the event I was travelling to, two attendees joked about people with disabilities.
Again, I was stunned. I understand that at times people can make unfortunate statements.
People might say hurtful things under the guise of humour, assuming it’s harmless or that everyone shares their perspective.
But fleeting inappropriate remarks can have a lasting effect.
Language matters and self-awareness is vital.
I explained to that one-in-six Australians have a disability and it’s not respectful to joke about.
To their credit, they both swiftly acknowledged it was inappropriate.
Not everyone may feel they have capacity in particular circumstances to say something but I think all it takes are small interventions.
I hope in these instances, those conversations will prompt people to reflect on their words and lead to more thoughtful interactions in the future.
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