Racism, Black People Health and Psychology
Anti-black racism is a system that underpins and organizes society, determining its policies, social and ideological practices worldwide, preventing access of black people to basic rights and quality of life (WERNECK, 2016). ).
Although Brazil is the blackest country outside the African continent and the black population is more than half of Brazilians, we are the majority in prisons, slums and minorities in positions of power, universities and high-paying functions. Blacks die longer, live less time and in poorer living conditions, as they have little access to their basic human rights and dignity, such as water, light, sewage, education, health, culture and leisure (MEYRELLES & ATHAYDE, 2014; IBGE , 2016).
I'm a black woman but I didn't always define myself like that, but told me mulatto.
I lived from 0 to 17 years old in Portugal and found out I was black (fair skinned) when I returned to Brazil in 2009. Looks said I didn't belong in that private university I studied.
In shops the famous vip treatment dedicated to those who are suspicious for their skin color.
I realized then that my color was loaded with several negative stereotypes. Black At 24 years old I decided to stop straightening my hair (straightened since 9), I started to have several black and black as support, reference and inspiration.
I discovered that Africa is a continent that already had enormous cultural, scientific, religious, commercial, and socially rich wealth before black Africans were kidnapped and enslaved by Europeans (and still have). I became black, proud of my race and the resilience story of my people.
Racism is like a violent wound that acts like a disease that can slowly kill a black man without even knowing he was sick or dying.
Many things can open or enlarge this wound: the mother who straightens a 9-year-old's hair to look better, the dolls that are always white; the classmate who says he is disgusted to hug you because you are black and have loose hair; the jokes with your physical characteristics; the teacher who caresses her hair and hugs all her classmates but you; the racist jokes of classmates that the teacher ignores or at most has apologized without any racial reflection; your high school classmate who tells you "you're perfect, pity your hair"; the boss who treats you worse than the white colleague; the colleague who tells you racist things; the college professor who makes hints about black problems being at university, graffiti on the wall saying "out monkeys, white on top, black on ru" in the academic directory.
How does all this affect the health of a black person?
Although it exists everywhere in the world and in many ways, in Brazil racism screams. He shouts so loudly at his lies that black children in kindergarten already believe that being black is negative and deny their race, they say they are ugly and they don't like their hair / mouth / skin color / nose, they say they are white and they draw like this and with straight hair. This process was described by Franz Fanon as self-hatred and represents the internalization of all this racist historical and social discourse of white supremacy. This phenomenon is called by other authors a negative racial identity, which can lead to the desire to be white, suicide or aesthetic skin whitening processes or nose-thinning surgeries. Racism is violence, crime and stressor and can lead to depression, anxiety disorders, insecurity, minimization or depreciation of their social role, low self-esteem,
Shame, negative self-recognition, affectivity issues, demotivation, negative self-image, feeling of inferiority, among others.
Black people can develop these problems due to the racism they lived and live, get sick from being black. White people don't. This violence that we blacks suffer hurts, hurts, humiliates, shames, dehumanizes, diminishes, gets sick and gives a lot of anger. The anger that racism makes blacks feel can be a poison that destroys us or a fuel to get us where we want to go. It is very difficult to use positively but it is possible, though tiring. This anger can be externalized through conduct and violence disorders or internalized and manifest as depression or psychoactive substance abuse. In both cases, anger affects black families and individuals, their mental and integral health, their way of functioning and their needs (BOYD-FRANKLIN & KARGER, 2016).
We blacks, in addition to surviving, still need resilience to love us, to believe in us, to know our worth and history of overcoming and strength. Like? Also with the help of psychologists fighting for racial justice. What can they do?
How can therapists gain knowledge and train their eyes on the subtle and systemic forms of action of racism? This is the theme of my tcc in Cefi's specialization in systemic psychotherapy.First realizing that race matters and then assuming that there are racist beliefs within them that interfere with psychotherapy. It is crucial to explore your own racial identity, challenging your internal racism and then others. Recognizing your privileges as a white person and showing openness and humility to listen to black people are also important attitudes (HARDY AND LASZLOFFY, 2003).
We all know that a human being needs positive referrals, people who resemble her preferably, with whom he can identify. It is up to the therapist to assist his black patient in self-knowledge of the history of his ancestors, including strength, overcoming, courage, struggle, resilience, protagonism and various reasons for pride. Black people who have existed and exist and can be inspirations are key. Talking about racism is urgent. I leave below a link with many materials on the subject. I hope many are interested, it contains articles, articles and books on racism, health and psychology as well as research with various recent statistical data illustrating the situation of black people in many ways.
In addition to being a CFP rule since 2002 (Resolution No. 018/2002), it is past time for us to have the human and ethical conscience to solve this ancient problem, which violates people by the color of their skin. Racism massacres blacks but it is a social problem, that is all of us.
We are surviving, conquering spaces that we still don't think we deserve and healing our wounds, we can't and it is not our role to fight racism alone. We Black people need white people to realize their responsibility to fight this social disease. Are we all human and anti-racist?
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Psychologist Gieri Alves - works in Clinical, Social and School Psychology. Has experience in the following subjects: systemic therapy; ethnic-racial relations; sexual and gender diversity; family; feminism; social Psychology; social and emotional education; mindfulness; violence; childhood; adolescence. Postgraduate student in Systemic Therapy with individuals, couples and family (CEFI) and Violence against children and adolescents (PUCRS). Black woman who is part of the anti-racist and feminist struggle, lecturer on racial justice, racism and health.
CEFI, committed to this social issue, has a discipline focused on the role of psychologists in this understanding. Race, Culture and Gender is part of CEFI's Systemic Therapy Specialization. The course is open enrollment. Learn more at http://cefipoa.com.br/index.php/en/internal-course/specialization-course-in-systemic-therapy-with-individuos-couples-and-families- 19 or call 51 99420-7008 (whatsapp).