MTWBookClub Transcript 6th December 2021

 

MTWBookClub Transcript 6^th December 2021

A big thank you to our #MTWBookClub followers who read along with us and participated in our Twitter discussion on 6^th December; we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

For those of you who were unable to participate, but would like to follow the discussion then a copy of the #MTWBookClub transcript follows:

Q.1 - Did you learn anything from Eddo-Lodge's book that you hadn't known before?

Yes. There was lots I didn’t know about black history. Much of what I knew was in relation to the American civil war, depicted through American films

I thought that was interesting too - we are so influenced by media - films, fiction books and the way they depict people of colour, esp during the WW2 years

Some of the statistics were interesting to read; also the comment that UK racism is as bad in the UK as in USA - just less well reported. Lots of food for thought, more than will fit in one tweet!

Easy to see how the omission of black history from British education, media, general discourse etc can lead to an attitude of 'not my problem'. When in fact it is everybody's problem

I learnt more about the history and slavery than I knew before and it honestly made me say “oh my gosh!”. In hindsight I guess secondary schools can only teach so much but at the same time it’s really important to know

Q.2 - Has reading this book changed your perception about racism? How? Will it change your behaviour?

It’s deepened my understanding of the insidiousness of systemic racism, and the importance of knowing and acknowledging how my race affords me privileges

The System chapter was my favourite of the book. I found the idea of white supremacy being the bar we set for racism and anything more implicit and subtle being tolerated and viewed with less abhorrence, really insightful

Yes. Feel I have a much better understanding of White Privilege, and concepts like meritocracy and why it is so flawed to assume we can use this in areas like recruitment, talent management

As a result, I will consider my actions, motives, drivers and inherent biases much more carefully when considering how we shortlist/ recruit staff, identify talent and progression

It honestly made me feel a lot; a lot of sadness, a lot of anguish and it also made me feel motivated to do more, and do better as a POC. Even in my marketing I try to include a fair representation because historically, it’s been predominantly white.

Q.3 - Is it possible to feel as passionately about inequality if you are not experiencing it?

I believe empathy does allow us to feel passionately about inequality, but this will naturally be felt more strongly and acutely by someone with first-hand experience

I really agree with you!

Eddo-Lodge posits that anti-racist work need to be led by those at the sharp end of injustice p215, but identifies things that white people can and should do to support, which feel achievable, including challenging racism where we see it

also, I feel that it is important to feel passionately, otherwise it is too easy to step away when issues become challenging

sometimes the greatest understanding and empathy comes from experience yourself, yet not everyone would have experienced inequality which is both a blessing and a curse

And to watch people around you suffering is horrid. That's enough to make me passionate about equity.

Q.4 - Is age an excuse for racism?

No. Age is not an excuse, but opportunities to raise awareness and educate, through books, web, social media, would have to be fewer 2/3 gens ago. Now, there is NO excuse for ignorance

Completely agree - feel better equipped to challenge it where we see it now.

Unfortunately, there will always be the wilfully ignorant

This feels tricky - NO! It shouldn't be an excuse, but by the end of the book, with an understanding of how media, politics, history, systems of privilege, you can see why there is an 'intensification of personal prejudices' in older generations

I was thinking just this. Time/place (and the broader sociocultural climate of the era) does not excuse racism, but does go some way in explaining and contextualising (not condoning or justifying) why some of the older generation hold these beliefs

True, but sometimes they seem put out when you remind them it’s inappropriate and uncalled for in this day and age; it’s a tricky one!

It is tricky - I think that the challenge is to ensure that these prejudices and racist behaviours are not passed down to younger generations.

That’s very true. My friend is a primary school teacher in a very multicultural school and she has heard some shocking things…Sometimes the things you do hear are passed down straight from parents, and grandparents which is really sad

Absolutely not - especially if those who were present and witnessed what happened several decades ago, and then saw what happened in summer of 2020 and the chaos that followed continue to act in a prejudicial way.

Q.5 - If you are a white person do you feel that reading Eddo-Lodge's book has helped give you a platform for discussing racism more freely? Why or why not?

Yes. A platform in terms of giving me the knowledge and confidence to participate in the conversations like this

I feel that reading the book has given me a better understanding of both the issues and also of how my own views and opinions have been shaped by my gender, colour and race. Feel better equipped to challenge others and consider my own actions

Our next #MTWBookClub will be held on 7^th February 2022, 12-1pm on our @mtwnhslibrary Twitter page. The title will be selected from the Uplifting Resources collection for NHS staff, crowd-sourced by Health Education England and the Reading Agency. You can find out more about this collection, which includes books, poems, and online resources here: Uplifting resources for the NHS from the NHS - Knowledge and Library Services.

Make sure you follow our @mtwnhslibrary Twitter page to vote for our next book club read from a selection of three short-listed uplifting titles. The poll will open on 20^th-30^th December, with the winning title being announced on 31^st December. Maybe make joining the #MTWBookClub one of your New Year’s Resolutions?!