'I don't want to be called anything other than Black - please don't refer to me as anything other than Black'
There’s no neat ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to tackling racism, says LeRon Barton.
Speaking with HRD, the writer, author and much in demand TEDx speaker on all things race and equity says that he’s fed up of diversity groupings in HR – terms that essentially throw a blanket experience on anyone that’s not white.
“I think it's very lazy,” says Barton. “It essentially says that, oh, because you're not white, we all have the same experience, the same problem, the same issues. And yes, we do all suffer against racism and white supremacy – but our individual experiences with that are different. That’s why I think terms like BIPOC are goofy.”
In a recent episode of HRD Talk, Barton told HRD that a reluctance to use the word ‘Black’ could actually denote anti-Blackness – asking that employers avoiding diversity groupings at all costs.
“I think people will do anything and everything to avoid saying the word ‘Black’,” says Barton. “Personally, I think Black is beautiful. There’s another phrase – the ‘global majority’ – that’s goofy as well. I am a 44-year-old Black man, I don't want to be called anything other than Black. So please don't refer to me as anything other than Black. For me, being afraid or hesitant to say the word suggests you’re anti-Black – as if you have a negative view of Blackness.”
Listen to HRD Talk’s latest episode here.
