Lots of coverage this week about racism & football in Bulgaria. Sadly racism exists here too. Over the years I've had my share of verbal racist abuse, in parks, on the street, in department stores and supermarkets, in rich & poor neighbourhoods, even in university town like York.
Most of the overt verbal racist abuse one learns to "stomach" and gets used to sadly. More difficult to address is what's not said, the racism that is hidden and unconscious bias that can sometimes happen even in the most unexpected places.
Racism affects the individual in many ways, the feeling of "otherness", the fear of constantly being judged, and its effects on self confidence, esteem and worries of wider effects on friends and family.
I worry that the last few years has led to an "acceptability" of more overt racism than was "tolerable" even just 10 years ago. But I'm encouraged by the many decent folk I encounter each day. So long as there are good decent folk around there's hope!
