Intention vs. Effect
"I didn't know. I didn't mean to be prejudiced/racist, therefore it isn't racism."
In discussions about the definition of racism, some individuals may argue that a particular statement or action does not constitute racism because racism was not intended. As noted elsewhere, in Human Rights law and anti-racism education, intentionality is irrelevant. It is the effect of the action on the target person/group that is to be considered and takes precedence.
“Racism is not about the intent, it is about the result of a behaviour no matter how innocent the intention” (Maracle, 2017).
In addition, individuals might argue that they have never been taught the correct or appropriate information and, therefore, they cannot be racist. While their statement may be factually correct, ignorance does not justify racism or mitigate the effects of their actions; it can be another form of defensiveness.
However, we would also like to acknowledge that when it comes to becoming a better anti-racist ally, showing up imperfectly is bound to happen. It is important to see these situations as learning opportunities rather than as attacks on your sense of self for not knowing better. What is important here is taking responsibility for yourself and showing up to do the work. To assist individuals in identifying what they know or do not know, a number of Learning Actions have been designed to address Knowledge Gaps.
References:
Maracle, Lee (@MaracleLee). June 1, 2017, 8:31 am. Tweet.