How to Push Back When Someone You Know Says Something Prejudiced
"It's my best friend who says something shocking."
It can be hardest to push back against prejudice when it's coming from people who are close to you. But those are the people who are most likely to listen to you, so it's extra important to say something.
It doesn't matter whether someone in the group that's being targeted is there to hear it: you can object to prejudiced speech because it hurts you.
"Sometimes my friends say they're just kidding, but the damage is done and they're backtracking to cover what they really mean."
Sometimes it's not clear whether or not somebody meant to say something prejudiced. As well, people sometimes will act like something doesn't hurt their feelings because they don't want to admit that it affected them.
If people have to think for a moment about whether people are going to push back against a prejudiced joke or comment, they're going to be a lot less likely to say it.
"The big thing is recognizing it at the time. Too often it goes by so fast, it is over before you realize what just happened."
Whether you’re speaking out against hate, reporting it, or just showing you don’t agree, we all have the power to take a stand against hate online.