You’ve just been called a bigot. Now what?

Apr 6, 2019 by

by Adam Mill, Intellectual Takeout.

So you have just been accused of being a bigot of some kind—you’re a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, or some other horrible-sounding name. Don’t fool yourself. Everyone is a potential target. Anyone can be called out.

Forget intersectionality. African-Americans, women, LGBTQ, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and all manner of foreign nationals have all been accused of discrimination at one time or another. Being a member of a protected class does not insulate you from these allegations.

Your boss subtly distances himself from you. Your coworkers look at you differently. Will you lose your job? Will you ever work again? Your reputation and career suddenly seem to hang in the balance.

Allow me to suggest a few tools for your response toolkit. After nearly two decades of working in the field of discrimination complaints, I continue to be surprised that these allegations can sometimes cause devastation with very little evidence. We have come to expect that the accused will either prove himself innocent or immediately begin apologizing and offering penance. Take heart and consider these points:

Don’t panic.

Accusations like these can overpower even the best response. Spineless bosses, owners fearful of boycotts, and threats of lawsuits can make capitulation seem like the only path forward. But for every member of the outraged mob, there are even more people around you who empathize with the falsely accused.

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