When a friend makes racist comments online
A: We’ve all been there: You log on to social media only to see friends or relatives using the timeline as their soapbox to share a not-so-informed opinion about a marginalized group. Your immediate reaction might be to share a few choice words of your own, but it could benefit your case to start with a clarifying question. Encouraging articulation sets the tone for a productive dialogue and may uncover the root of where these beliefs are coming from. Listening and building this rapport is essential to understanding and educating versus giving a condescending lecture.
Although it may be difficult in the moment, empathy and kindness go a long way.
A: When approaching conversations where there is disagreement, I often try to think about finding empathy — even when the topic is highly triggering.
When it comes to racism, we can have a tendency to just shut down and fight back. This is not how we create change of thought. Share your stories and encourage them to share theirs. Regarding these sentiments over social media, I strongly recommend face-to-face conversations because things can get way too heated too quickly, and it can be easy to say things online we’d never say to someone’s face.