Are You Experiencing Racelighting? Here’s What it Means

by Joseph Williams, Word In Black

Think gaslighting but with racism added — and Dr. J. Luke Wood says if the condition isn’t identified, the healing can’t begin.

If you’re Black, chances are you’ve experienced it.

You’re in a mostly white space, maybe your workplace, a school classroom, or perhaps a social event. A white person with whom you’re interacting will do or say something seemingly innocuous — a joke about your hair, a compliment on how articulate you are, or asking if you really wrote that report the boss loved — that can trigger a stress response. Some describe it as a block of ice in their stomach; others experience sweaty palms, a racing heartbeat, or a mouth drier than paper.

The feeling prompts an inevitable question: Was that racist? But when confronted, that person is offended, becomes defensive, or dismisses the allegation outright. They might accuse you of being overly sensitive or even racist, transforming your insecurity or anger into self-doubt.

If this scenario is familiar, then you’ve encountered what Dr. J. Luke Wood, a sociologist and the new president of California State University, Sacramento, calls “racelighting” — an insidious form of racism that can trigger not only psychological but physical issues in its victims.

The original article explains the origins and impact of racelighting here.

Learn about racelighting in the media.

More Breaking News here.