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Let me tell you a true story.
20-odd years ago I got a job as head of production in a growing digital tech company. Part of my role was to increase programming staff from 30-odd to 50-odd.
So I did an audit of what skills we had, what we needed, etc
20-odd years ago I got a job as head of production in a growing digital tech company. Part of my role was to increase programming staff from 30-odd to 50-odd.
So I did an audit of what skills we had, what we needed, etc
I came up with a grid showing our weak points, strong points, etc. And I met with my boss to discuss it. He liked the grid, but said I'd missed something.
What?
He said: look at the office.
So I looked. Nothing.
Look again. Do you see it?
Nope, nothing. What?
What?
He said: look at the office.
So I looked. Nothing.
Look again. Do you see it?
Nope, nothing. What?
In the centre of Manchester, one of the most diverse cities in the UK, every single employee was a white male.
My boss wanted me to change this. He wanted diversity. He made a point of it. Good on him.
You'd think that's a positive end to the story, wouldn't you?
My boss wanted me to change this. He wanted diversity. He made a point of it. Good on him.
You'd think that's a positive end to the story, wouldn't you?
But how bad is it that age 30, clever and a right-on leftie from a family of right-on lefties, I hadn't spotted the uniform white maleness of my workplace? That's awful.
My guess is: millions of us are equally blinkered to it.
Secondly...
My guess is: millions of us are equally blinkered to it.
Secondly...
I was there for nearly 4 years, and doubled the team. And in every advert we emphasised equal opportunities.
And in 4 years, not only didn't I manage to employ a single black person: I didn't even see a single application.
Not one.
What this tells me is: it's structural.
And in 4 years, not only didn't I manage to employ a single black person: I didn't even see a single application.
Not one.
What this tells me is: it's structural.
The message we're sending, through primary, secondary, college and university education is: those are white male jobs.
All around me, people like me did what they wanted. And teachers told me I could too.
Black people don't see that. They see those jobs reserved for, well, me.
All around me, people like me did what they wanted. And teachers told me I could too.
Black people don't see that. They see those jobs reserved for, well, me.
This isn't just about schools, or software in Manchester the late 90s. It's about every message our society sends to black people. Every step of the way, the opportunity afforded to me was denied to them.
And it'll be happening everywhere. Jobs. Housing. Policing. Everything.
And it'll be happening everywhere. Jobs. Housing. Policing. Everything.
And that's structural. It's bone-deep in society.
The diversity in my industry has improved in the last 20 years but it's still nowhere near equal. And there's no reason only white men can do this job. We have no special talents. Least of all me.
The diversity in my industry has improved in the last 20 years but it's still nowhere near equal. And there's no reason only white men can do this job. We have no special talents. Least of all me.
So how to fix this? Wish I had answers.
But one answer is positive discrimination. It has a bad reputation, but the one indisputably positive thing it does: shows the next generation that "white male jobs" can be done by everybody, black, white, female, trans - anyone.
But one answer is positive discrimination. It has a bad reputation, but the one indisputably positive thing it does: shows the next generation that "white male jobs" can be done by everybody, black, white, female, trans - anyone.
The second thing to do is what I did 20 years ago: just admit you've been blind to it. Just own up to it. It doesn't mean you're evil, or cruel, or overtly racist. It just didn't affect you, so you didn't notice it.
And then make a conscious effort to notice it in future.
And then make a conscious effort to notice it in future.
Maybe admitting this puts me on some sort of "racist" spectrum. I hope not. But if it does, I'd rather know about it, so I can try to become a better person. Regardless, I'm gonna try my best.
