Have you ever heard someone use the phrase, “I don’t see color” when talking about

race? The phrase seems harmless and the unsuspecting listener thinks that its impact would be
positive. However, the phrase is dangerous and it has to do with racial colorblindness ideology.
The phrase “I don’t see color” and racial colorblindness is hurting society by rejecting present
racism and oppressing the backgrounds of diverse people. Racial colorblindness is an idea
where people claim to not see or take account another person’s race when interacting with them.
People from all different backgrounds, political parties, and religions use the colorblind approach
when dealing with race. Racial colorblindness can be used in a positive and negative way.
Unfortunately, racial colorblindness counterproductive and has a negative impact on the lives of
minorities. Colorblindness ideology has a negative impact on society and it ignores the issue of
racism instead of confronting it.
Racial colorblindness is a counteractive way to approach racism. An article titled, “The
Myth of Colorblindness” written by Rosa Perez-Isiah writes about why not taking about racism
won’t help. Perez-Isiah writes, “Should we end poverty by not talking about it? Should we close
the achievement gap by avoiding the topic?” (2018) Perez-Isiah then suggests a solution, “We
could begin to change so much of what is wrong in our nation if we engaged in honest and
courageous conversations about our biases, beliefs, and misconceptions.” (2018) Racial
colorblindness ideology includes not talking or addressing race in all types of situations. In an
article posted on Phycology Today titled “Colorblind Ideology is a Form of Racism”, Monnica T
Williams Ph.D. says, “Colorblindness has helped make race into a taboo topic that polite people
cannot openly discuss. And if you can't talk about it, you can't understand it, much less fix the
racial problems that plague our society.” (2011) Racial colorblindness is not helping the fight
against racism but unintentionally or intentionally allowing racism to continue.
While some claim to “not see color,” this is actually impossible. People see the color but
use racial colorblindness ideology and choose to ignore what they see. Phillip Mazzocco, author
of “The Psychology of Racial Colorblindness: A Critical Review”, has designed a model to
categorize racial colorblindness. In an article titled, “The Many Shades of Colorblindness”
posted by Ohio State lists Mazzocco’s four categories of racial colorblindness. (2017) These
categories are protectionist, egalitarian, antagonistic, and visionary. The protectionist idea
involves the belief that racism is the fault of the minority culture and racism isn’t a big issue in
society. The egalitarian idea believes that racism is no longer an issue therefore, it doesn’t need
to be discussed. The antagonistic idea is that they are aware of racism however, they feel like the
white race is superior and feel entitled to be treated better in society. Lastly, visionary is people
aware of the problem and they think the solution is to stop talking about race and focus on what
we have in common. All four categories prove that people still see color and are still aware of
race. People just have different reasons on why they choose to ignore race.
When we ignore race, we also ignore culture and identity. Race contributes to the
identity and historical background for many people. People are generally proud of their
backgrounds. Imagine that people keep telling you to ignore your background and your heritage.
This is how people of color feel when you tell them “I don’t see color.” This phrase is implying
that there is an issue with color. The phrase really means, “I see you as white.” In the article,
“Colorblind ideology is a Form of Racism” that was referenced earlier, Monnica T. Williams
says, “The need for colorblindness implies there is something shameful about the way God made
me and the culture I was born into that we shouldn't talk about.” (2011) Identity is what makes us
unique and ourselves. Identity is connected to our value system, our goals, and our personal
development. Many think that race doesn’t play that huge of a role in our lives however, it does.
Monnica T. Williams writes, “It affects opportunities, perceptions, income, and so much more.”
(2011) If we don’t recognize these problems, we will never solve them. We have to stop
oppressing ethnic backgrounds and interact and acknowledge a person for who they are, race
included.
How do we fix the racial injustice in society while preserving our unique backgrounds? It
may not be fixed within one lifetime but we can start now. We can teach our next generation to
accept each other and our differences. Teach them to accept the differences rather than ignore
them. In the future we need to focus on embracing our differences instead of oppressing them.
There are many people who disagree that racial colorblindness has a negative impact. An article
titled, “The New Racism, Part I: How ‘Race and Ethnic Studies’ Made Color Blindness a Bad
Thing” author John Staddon writes about Racial Colorblindness and how it is positive. Staddon
writes, “The problems I will describe infect all, but I focus on sociology, where MLK’s idea of
color blindness has been turned on its head.” (2018) Staddon is referring to Martin Luther King
Jr.’s famous quote, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
Staddon’s statement is incorrect because it does not account for the ignorance or negative impact
of racial colorblindness. We should not judge each other by skin color but embrace it. Racial
colorblindness is negative because it tell us to ignore race rather than see it and accept it. It has
had a negative impact on society and in the future, I hope that we are able to see race without
hatred and see it as someone’s unique and beautiful identity.
 Bibliography

Perez-Isiah, Rosa, and Rosa Perez-Isiah. “The Myth of Colorblindness – Identity, Education and
Power – Medium.” Medium.com, Medium, 4 Jan. 2018,

Staddon, John. “The New Racism, Part I: How 'Race and Ethnic Studies' Made Color Blindness a

Bad Thing.” The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, 19 Aug. 2018,

www.jamesgmartin.center/2018/08/the-new-racism-part-1-how-race-and-ethnic-studies-made-

color-blindness-a-bad-thing/.

“The Many Shades of 'Colorblindness'.” Ohio State Insights, Aug. 2017, insights.osu.edu/life/racial-

colorblindness.

Underhill, Megan R. “White Parents Teach Their Children to Be Colorblind. Here's Why That's Bad

for Everyone.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 5 Oct. 2018,

www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/10/05/white-parents-teach-their-children-be-colorblind-

heres-why-thats-bad-everyone/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.f7f5107aef08.

Williams, Monnica T. “Colorblind Ideology Is a Form of Racism.” Psychology Today, Sussex

Publishers, 27 Dec. 2011, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/culturally-

speaking/201112/colorblind-ideology-is-form-racism.