UK students must tackle bigotry too
Students in Charlottesville showed that generation snowflake can fight hate. UK students can do the same.
On Friday, students stood up to hundreds of torch wielding white supremacists. The neo-Nazis descended upon Charlottesville chanting “white lives matter” and violence broke out.
There were many horrifying elements to the story; the violence, that it happened at all, that white supremacists now feel safe enough to venture out without white robes and cloaks. The one shred of hope that remained is those who stood up in the midst of chaos to say that they would not tolerate racism.
It was a true case of hope as often the term has been used as an excuse to wait patiently and to not demand too much too soon. We’re told to have hope that things will get better. We can wait because we have hope. But hope is angry, hope is relentless and hope is only ever true when it is worked for. Those students put themselves in danger to stand up to hatred. The students of Virginia showed what hope really looks like.
Yet, it should never have gotten to that point. White supremacists should never have felt able to descend on Charlottesville. Their openness signifies how racist society is. It was not about one act or one incident but years of racism that enabled white supremacists to feel emboldened. Hate crimes spiked since Trump was elected, the KKK openly celebrated his election and Trump has made up terrorist attacks by people of colour yet has barely been able to tweet on Charlottesville.
It is not just a US problem. The UK voted for Brexit to stick it to migrants even though it meant burning the economy. Hate crimes have risen sharply since the vote, and the terror attacks in Manchester and London were used as an excuse by some to target Muslims. Our bigotry may not be as overt as America’s but it’s just as omnipresent, just as pernicious and just as entrenched.
Our bigotry may not be as overt as America’s but it’s just as omnipresent, just as pernicious and just as entrenched.
UK students can however, make a difference too. Universities should be safe spaces for all marginalised young people who want to pursue higher education but there are still exclusionary practices. In small ways, we can begin to dismantle prejudices that are wrapped up in our higher education system. We can be better allies and we must act to stop the rise of populism and hate. The “alt right” is here too. Let’s stop pretending and get to work.
Make accessibility a priority
Any university event should offer transcripts (if no sign language interpreters are available) and there should be the offer of breaks. People who are disabled, suffer chronic pain or are neurodivergent may need to step out but shouldn’t have to feel as though they need to miss things to be able to manage their own self-care. There should be gender neutral toilets, and these should be separate from disabled toilets. The more people ask for better facilities and better systems in place to allow people to thrive the more likely it is that change is delivered. This is why allyship is actually important. It’s not about comfort but by going to those in power and saying services should be better. It’s an exhausting battle to have equal access so if you want to support disabled students then step in and battle for better. Don’t just leave disabled people to have to keep fighting the same battles.
Make your work have an intersectional focus
Whether its history, geography, literature, journalism, fashion, social anthropology, whatever. All fields can be intersectional. Focus on researching oppression by the British Empire from those who experienced, not by white scholars. When writing articles, seek out marginalised voices and don’t promote neo-Nazis. The right are everywhere, they don’t need another soap box. When studying literature, examine the text for how intersectional it is, its implications for gender oppression of the time and which other marginalised writers were churning out great texts in that era.
When writing articles, seek out marginalised voices and don’t promote neo-Nazis
One of the best things about my MA in journalism is getting to read other people’s intersectional writings that have nothing to do with politics. It’s seeing people produce work around queer representation and comics, how Muslim women are rocking hibaji cosplay or how hip-hop is being used to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health. Anything we produce can be empowering. Anything we create or research can examine systems of oppression and work to make things better.
Examine the societies you’re involved with
Societies can make a university experience – or can break it if they’re exclusionary. Students are at huge risk of experiencing stress and poor mental health and the social side to societies can combat this. Unfortunately, the people who would benefit most from them are often made to feel unwelcome.
If your LGBT society is on a night out, is there fetishism and exoticism of young queer people of colour? Racism is endemic in the queer society so take a look at whether all of the members are white. Is the LGBT society really for LGBT people or is it just for LG people? Societies have to constantly examine and work to be inclusionary. It’s not something you are, but something you have to do day in and day out if you truly want a diverse society.
If you’re with a sports society then make sure there’s a way that students with limited resources can partake. Some of the trips away are ridiculously expensive and some students will struggle to be able to afford any sports equipment at all. In society, those with the most wealth are white cisgender people. If a society is then (stealth) charging exorbitant amounts for people to take part then inevitably it’s going to be dominated by white cisgender people. It may not be an active decision but it’s a barrier in place nonetheless that means marginalised people are blocked out of being able to join the societies they want to. That’s what discrimination truly is. It’s not just about a ranting bigot, it’s about systems in place designed to keep marginalised people out.
It’s not just about a ranting bigot, it’s about systems in place designed to keep marginalised people out
It can be tackled. Start a fund that students can access to be able to take part. Buy spare equipment that can be used by anyone who needs it. Bargain hunt so when trips are arranged they’re as inexpensive as possible (but also make sure that disabled people can come along too). Relax policies on equipment. Don’t ask for the top gear but what people actually can access.
If there’s a dress code for any specific reason or event then make sure it doesn’t enforce a gender binary. Let people be able to choose how they want to identify. And before I get a load of historical accuracy bullshit, trans people fought in battles throughout history so they can join your group and wear what historic outfit they want. Before people start chatting on about practical hair and sports, yeah, that’s racist if you’re using it to shut out women of colour. Women can play sports how they want and they sure as hell know how to manage their hair. If your black tie policy means paying hundreds for one outfit then that’s classist. Every single policy is a choice. Examine why you’re choosing to enact them.
Support marginalised students
University can be the best time of a person’s life or the loneliest. We get to choose which one it is. It’s all about the effort we put into each other. We can build a community in our year, or on our course that works together and supports each other or we can go off on our own. Have open conversations. Don’t assume everyone is straight, ask about partners. Talk about accessibility in the uni and think about what it may be like for other people. Step outside of yourself.
The truth is that activism is fucking hard for people because most don’t want to put that effort into someone else. There’s a lot of “me, me, me” even around other activists. Trust has to be built up, particularly when it comes to issues of equality. Those who are marginalised are likely so used to being screwed over or having a system fail them that allyship has to be shown to be fierce and consistent. It’s not just about when people want to look good. We have to stop being so fucking selfish. It’s what brought us to this point. If you look at Trump, Brexit, le Pen, basically any populist idiocy that’s happened lately it’s all because of selfishness. People don’t want to share their sandpit or hear about other people’s experiences. We have to completely abandon selfishness, even when it comes to the relationships we have with other students. It’s the only way to cultivate a sense of community and therefore solidarity.
We have to stop being so fucking selfish
Put the work in. Talk to tutors if you’re worried someone is being excluded by some bullshit uni policy. Ask how other people are doing. If they listen to your problems then you should listen to theirs otherwise you’re expecting emotional labour while offering nothing to other students who may be going through a tough time. Listen, stand up for each other and work together and do it without any sense of entitlement or expectation. Do it because it’s just fucking right.
Know your student union reps
You don’t have to be a part of the student union but it is good to know a rep or anyone with ties to the union. They’re great people to be able to point out issues to the uni or if someone is struggling. They might know how to bring about change, or at the very least, can make the issue known on a wider scale so it could be tackled long term.
We don’t have to work 24/7 for things to be better. Nobody has to burnout but small differences, and even just being aware of our narrow approaches in life can begin to break down the culture of white cishet supremacy that we have. Society right now is not serving everyone, and higher education certainly isn’t, but we can bring change. The popular idiom is “when you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression”. Let’s never expect, let’s not be complacent and let’s constantly strive to make the neo Nazis uncomfortable. When you’re pissing off the right, chances are you’re doing something good.
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