Respectability politics is defined as "a set of beliefs holding that conformity to prescribed mainstream standards of appearance and behavior will protect a person who is part of a marginalized group, especially a Black person, from prejudices and systemic injustices."
It is critical to be aware of the impact of racism and institutional oppression, and even more important that we do everything we can to support BIPOC navigating those institutions. It is equally important that people understand how using this knowledge to further restrict, shame, or marginalize us while “trying to help” is as harmful as navigating the institution itself. In this workshop, we will define and explore respectability politics and how they can be difficult to spot and stop because they are often veiled as good intentions.