It seems shocking that America went from electing its first black president to an outspoken xenophobe in less than a decade. But Dear White People, a controversial new Netflix Original, points out how ignorant attitudes towards race existed long before Trump began to gain traction, even among the most unlikely sections of American society.
The 10-episode series is set in a diverse, Obama-era university, full of students who would vote Democrat without a second thought. In other words, the last place where you would expect to find racial tensions.
But as Dear White People goes to show, such "forward-thinking" environments are far from the multicultural utopias they see themselves to be. White students wear blackface to Halloween parties, insist on using "the N word" despite their black classmates' distress, and laugh off the very real threats of racial profiling and police brutality. These students claim they "don't see race", but what they really don't see is their complacent denial of modern racism, or how it helps create a society that would vote for someone like Trump.
Irish culture is heavily influenced by the USA – we watch the same TV shows and movies, follow the same celebrities, and hold the same ideals of democracy and personal freedom. We have to ask ourselves: have we also adopted the same ignorance of racism as our transatlantic neighbours? And if so, can we recognise it before it’s too late?
Shekemi Denuga, a committee member of UCD's Africa Society, could see a lot of parallels between Dear White People and her experiences as a black student in Ireland: "There was so much I could relate to on a personal level. Irish people are always taking the piss when it comes to things like racism because they don't believe it exists in Ireland. [Some say the Irish] were oppressed too and we don't see them complaining".
Although there are many influential black celebrities in the media, Denuga feels that respect for black culture hasn’t extended to black people themselves: “We have so many white people wanting to rap, or get their lips done. Our culture is regularly appropriated and then renamed in a way so it’s ‘cool’ and acceptable on white people, but still ghetto or ratchet on us. Black men are viewed as violent criminals, and black women as aggressive, loud and ugly.”
While this form of racial insensitivity isn’t as drastic as the hate crimes or discrimination seen in America, it’s important that Irish people stay aware of how their attitudes affect ethnic minority groups. By treating black culture like fashion statement rather than an identity, and buying into unfair stereotypes, we can be unconsciously putting black people under pressure to prove their value in society, so they feel like outsiders in their homes. “I feel the need to ‘tone down my blackness’, and not fit into the stereotype of a ‘loud and aggressive black girl’. My parents have always told me I have to work double what a white person would have to do, if I want to get where I want”.
When Dear White People was announced, many people criticised the show's provocative title, which could turn them off learning from its message. But Denuga believes that such shows alone won't make people consider the impact of their actions. "I think the show would just be a show to many Irish people watching it... The media should change the way black people are represented, [and universities should] make sure opportunities are available for people of colour, and raise awareness of the negative bias that is still present in our communities. But the main responsibility has to lie on the students themselves choosing to educate themselves on other cultures".
Ireland doesn't share America's history of slavery and segregation, but it could be susceptible to the anti-Muslim fear mongering that has swept the UK, France and Germany. However, Mustafa Assaf, President of UCD's Arab Society, believes that "the atmosphere [towards Muslims] here is quite different to what we see in Dear White People. Obviously, there are people who disagree with my culture and traditions, and some can be hostile towards it, but the situation is much more lax. Irish people in general are very accepting of different cultures, and they're quite keen to learn about new traditions and heritage".
In the wake of the recent ISIS attacks, women wearing headscarves and burqas in public have been targeted for harassment and abuse across Europe. But Assaf has found that Muslim women generally feel comfortable wearing symbols of their faith in Ireland. “My grandmother [who wears the burqa] recently came to visit us here. She was expecting a certain level of hostility or derogatory looks aimed at her, following her experiences in France, but she said that no one took notice, or really cared. She could've almost blended in as a regular Irish citizen”.
Assaf believes that Islamophobia is rooted in unbalanced depictions of Muslims in the news, which isn’t an issue in Ireland. “It’s really the subtleties of the language used. Instead of saying 'Palestinian territories' [Irish reporters] say 'Palestine', instead of saying 'Muslim jihadist', we say 'terrorist'. The media is very powerful in the sense that they basically form public opinion, and as long as Irish media stays on the course that it is on, we should have no problem.”
But fictional representations have as much of an impact, if not more, on people's attitudes. High-profile Muslims like comedian Aziz Ansari have called Hollywood out for showing Muslims as one-dimensional stereotypes rather than real people. Assaf agrees that "there is a serious anti-Arab sentiment in western films. You have movies like American Sniper, and Zero Dark Thirty where the American comes out as the hero by taking down the radicalised and the barbaric. It's become so common that it's exhausting to be offended every time it happens". However, Assaf is optimistic that Irish people are informed enough to see past these stereotypes.
There are still areas where Ireland can do more to make Muslims feel accepted and wanted in our communities. For example, it is still completely legal for public primary schools to discriminate against non-Catholics in their admissions, putting Muslim families "at a serious disadvantage". And when Muslim children are accepted, they are often made feel like the odd ones out when all their classmates are preparing for sacraments like Communions during class time.
Assaf also feels that the response to the refugee crisis has been lacklustre: “Ireland could do more for the Muslims that are not in this country. I read that Ireland accepts about 40 refugees every 2 weeks. That figure can most definitely be raised”.
While Ireland may not be on the verge of electing racist presidents, or putting up immigration barriers, we have more lessons to learn from shows like Dear White People than we'd like to admit. But considering Ireland's history of emigration, and the mutual benefits brought by a diverse range of cultures and ideologies, it's the least we can do to support our black and Muslim communities, and show them that Ireland is their home too.
