Racism is more than just personal dislike or prejudice. It is a system that believes some races are better than others. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, racism is defined as:
“The belief that humans can be divided into separate and exclusive biological groups called ‘races’ ... and that some races are naturally better than others.” – Encyclopædia Britannica, britannica.com
Many experts now say that racism includes not only individual beliefs but also the way society is built to give power to one group over another. For example, Merriam-Webster updated its definition to show that racism involves both personal prejudice and social power.
“Racism is not only prejudice… It is both prejudice combined with social and institutional power.” – The New York Times, nytimes.com
Even with clear definitions, people often use the word “racism” in ways that do not fit the true meaning. Here are some examples:
| Example | Description |
|---|---|
| Casual Usage by Kids | Many kids (and even some adults) say “that’s so racist!” as a joke, even when no real racial bias is involved. – NPR Code Switch, npr.org |
| Claims of "Reverse Racism" | Some people use the term “reverse racism” to criticize programs meant to help underrepresented groups. This misses the point that racism involves a power system. – BBC News, bbc.com |
| Calling Anti-Racist Efforts Racist | Critics sometimes say that teaching about racism or using Critical Race Theory is itself racist, even though these efforts are meant to fix unfair systems. – The Atlantic, theatlantic.com |
| Overusing the Term | Sometimes, any unequal policy or result is quickly labeled “racist” without enough evidence of racial bias. – Vox, vox.com |
Experts explain that many people misuse the term “racism” because:
There are many resources and programs that teach the correct meaning of racism: