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Are YOU mistreating others unconsciously?
What I noticed is that the contestants seemed to treat, judge, and criticize people of color – more specifically, black individuals – a bit harsher than the rest of the bunch.
For example, when a black chef made a minor mistake, they seemed to take more heat than a non-black chef who made a more significant or similar mistake; this type of behavior is prevalent in the workplace. If you’re a black individual reading this, you may relate because it has been proven that black workers really do need to be twice as good. And if you’re not performing better than your non-black counterparts, you will be scrutinized as harshly as a grater rubbing against cheese.
The instances on the show reminded me of two forms of bias I chat about in the article, Does Anyone Think Twice About Using POC Images For Their Articles?:
The article explains how society teaches us what is preferred, standard, and within the comfort zone. “Minority” or “Black” doesn’t always quite fit into these boxes – at least not yet. Hence, why many people might prefer white or non-black individuals versus black individuals; we may not even mean to prefer white over black because we often make the decision unconsciously; we’ve been conditioned to think this way since we were kids.
Affinity Bias: “Affinity bias is based on the idea that people are naturally drawn to like other people similar to themselves. These similarities can be based on age, race, gender, etc. (Source: Easy Llama)”.
Conformity Bias: This unconscious bias is most common in group settings. For example, people who gather in groups tend to think alike – even if they disagree. If one person gives their opinion, many others will follow suit.
Thankfully, there have been black winners on the show. However, I feel their journeys to the finish line were a bit more convoluted than other contestants. They had to face substantially more criticism than others and were the only or one of the few black contestants throughout the entire season.
Do you ever notice instances where people treat people of color a bit harsher versus someone who isn’t considered a part of the “other” groups? Do you ever notice how your black colleagues conduct themselves versus everyone else? Do you ever notice how people talk to and about black individuals versus white individuals?
Share your story in the comments.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.