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Dismantling Racism Resource Book

DISTORTION

Definition: the selective presentation and false representation of the lives and histories of
particular groups of people.
Example: The continued dissemination Example: After the Civil War, many racist portrayals of
of information regarding sexual abuse black people were created by white people who feared
of children that tells us that gay men black equality. Among them was the new myth of the black
sexually assault boys. Statistically male rapist of white women, which was used to justify
speaking, crimes against children are hundreds of lynchings. Ironically, white men had
perpetrated by heterosexual men. systematically raped black women in slavery, often as a
means of reproduction of laborers.

STEREOTYPING

Definition: defining people through beliefs about a group of which they are a part; usually a product
of ignorance about the diversity among individuals within any given group.
Example: The stereotype that bisexual people are Example: Stereotyping Jewish people as
promiscuous. This stereotype erases the humanity stingy. Both selfish and giving people can be
and diversity of bisexual people and disregards the found among every group. In many Jewish
processes by which individuals of all sexual communities today, the obligation to “tikkun
orientations go about choosing a way of life olam”, to heal and transform the world,
appropriate to their values. guides individual and community involvement.

BLAMING THE VICTIM
Definition: assigning blame to the targets of oppression for the oppression itself and for its
manifestations.
Example: A rapist saying that a woman Example: In situations of violence against people who
“asked for it”. Historically, women of color are bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender, the
have been especially vulnerable to these charge is often made by attackers that the targets of
accusations because part of racist violence were flaunting their sexuality or not acting
devaluation has been to sexualize women the way their gender should. Consider that few, if
of color in order to inflate the purity of any, heterosexual couples are attacked for holding
white women. hands in public (unless they are interracial).

TOKENISM
Definition: a limited number of people (pick one and only one) from non-dominant groups are chosen
for prestigious positions in order to deflect criticism of oppression.
Example: Recruiting a person of color on an Example: Appointing a woman to a high
otherwise white board of directors with no faculty position at a university with the
intention of actually serving the needs of people of intention of preventing the need to hire
color. other women faculty.

Dismantling Racism Project 35 Western States Center