Racism never really left, it was never solved, it just got smarter.
In the past, Racism was openly hateful with slurs, harmful language, and “White Only” signs. Now, racism has changed as it is more subtle, racism is now hidden behind compliments and praise, making it often hard to perceive. This is not considered progress, it’s a new version of racial bias called Racism 2.0.
Racism 2.0 is when people praise certain minorities for being “different” from their race, while still assuming most people in that group fit negative stereotypes. It is an insidious form of discrimination that allows people to believe that if they don’t say bad things out loud about people of different color, they are not racist.
An example of this is how people talked about Barack Obama. Barack Obama wasn’t just intelligent. How many times have white commentators called him “articulate,” “well-spoken,” or “clean”? To people, these seem like regular compliments, but they have a hidden message: that these traits are surprising for a Black man.
This is enlightened exceptionalism, the idea of praising someone for “transcending their race.” It implies that most Black men are not usually articulate or well-spoken, enforcing more harmful stereotypes. The same thing happens with other successful people of color, like when a Latino doctor is called “one of the good ones”, they are not being praised for being skilled, they are being praised for “being different from the others.” We still reinforce the same old racist assumptions. It implies that success is unexpected for these groups of people, rather than something they actually work for.
The problem with enlightened exceptionalism is that it causes people to ignore systemic racism. If a few individuals from different minorities succeed, people assume that the system is fair and anyone can “make it” if they just work hard enough. This ignores the real challenges, like unequal schools, job discrimination, or unfair policing that hold many people back from becoming successful. When companies or schools highlight a few successful minorities, they use them as proof that racism isn’t a problem anymore. But it is important to understand that one person’s success doesn’t mean the system is fair for everyone.
Racism 2.0 is also evident when it comes to differences in accents. Why is it that a British accent is seen as more “sophisticated” or “posh” while Nigerian or Mexican accents get mocked or labelled as “unprofessional”? This limits opportunities to those who may not be taken seriously because of their cultural background. Additionally, it affects job availability, housing, and more.
Here are some ways to fight racism 2.0:
· Challenge all stereotypes, even the positive ones: Even common stereotypes like “All Asians are good at math” could also be harmful. This gets rid of individuality and creates standards that are often hard to achieve.
· Ask yourself: “Would I say this to my own race?” If not, do not say it to other people of color.
· Make an effort to look beyond individual success: One Black CEO does not prove equality, there are still people left behind.
Enlightened exceptionalism is harmful because it makes racism harder to see and overcome. It tricks people into thinking society is fair when it’s not. To make real change, we need to recognize these hidden biases and work toward equality for everyone and not just the “exceptions.”
It is important to note that racism is still happening in these other forms, and unless everyone is able to understand it, there will always be a problem in social justice. Sugar-coated racism is still racism.
Written by Audrey Limowa
