Embracing Consistent Allyship: A Call to Action in Light of LinkedIn's Trust and Safety Moderation Failure
**WARNING** The screenshot includes explicit language, racism, and offensive ableist language.
Introduction
The recent incident involving Dana Brownlee on LinkedIn, where she faced blatant racism and received inadequate support from the platform's Trust and Safety team, has brought to light a critical issue in our professional and online communities. As an antiracism educator and career development coach, I believe this is a pivotal moment to discuss the importance of consistent and committed allyship in combating systemic racism, especially in professional environments, particularly when such experiences and lack of support are vividly exposed. This is a crucial time for those claiming allyship to use their voice, words, and actions to actively:
a) support Dana Brownlee,
b) write a post and tag LinkedIn and Microsoft,
c) demand they review their outcome and share their decision-making process.
The Incident and Its Implications
Dana Brownlee's experience, distressing yet not uncommon, reveals a harsh reality: racism continues to permeate our professional spaces, often going unchecked or inadequately addressed. This isn't just a failure of one platform but an indicator of a broader societal issue where racism, particularly against Black women, is normalised or overlooked. As an antiracism and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging consultant, Dana’s experience shook me to the core. Black women are often called upon to support, educate, and be at the forefront of solving issues when organisations strive to appear proactive in dismantling systemic issues. Once the organisation's focus shifts, the same Black women who were leaned upon are marginalised, sidelined, or even bullied out of their roles. Then, they are subjected to visible abuse online in their professional spaces. Had Dana's experience occurred in 2020, 2021, or 2022, the level of high-profile support would likely have been overwhelming, with waves of “solidarity,” shares, and posts. Yet, as I write, 16 hours after the post went live, there are only:
420 expressions of support,
175 comments from allies who have tagged LinkedIn and Microsoft,
51 reposts.
The Need for Consistent Allyship
This incident underscores the need for consistent and proactive allyship. Being an ally is not passive; it requires ongoing effort, education, and action. Allyship involves understanding the experiences of marginalised communities, empathising with their struggles, and actively participating in anti-racist actions. It's about using our privilege to challenge and change the status quo.
Our Role and Responsibility
As professionals and individuals, we are responsible for making our physical or digital environments safe and inclusive for everyone. This means not only speaking out against racism when we witness it but also taking steps to educate ourselves and others and to implement and advocate for inclusive policies and practices. Due to the dismantling of affirmative action in the US, some organisations have removed or modified their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism policies, leading to an increase in discrimination cases and experiences. This is where active allyship becomes crucial. It will expose why, without explicitly written equitable action, we will see behaviour go unchecked and dismissed as mere freedom of speech.
Supporting Your Allyship Journey
To support this journey towards effective allyship, we proudly introduce our "365 Days of Allyship" and "Daily Commitment Journals," which are now available for purchase. These resources are designed to help you incorporate allyship into your daily life. They offer guidance, reflective exercises, and actionable steps to ensure your commitment to antiracism is persistent and impactful.
A Call to Action
Let's use the unfortunate incident on LinkedIn as a catalyst for change. It's time to move beyond passive support to active antiracism. By committing to consistent allyship, we can work towards creating truly inclusive and equitable professional environments.
Today, you can write to LinkedIn and Microsoft and ask them to review Dana’s case and other people who have experienced direct racism, misogyny, and ableist comments, which LinkedIn has deemed NOT a violation of their standards of professionalism.
Reflect on your actions when you read these posts, and you only show your support with an icon but not your words. The icons and engagement only feed LinkedIn; they don’t bring the issue to their attention to be addressed.
If you’re unsure how to commit, join us in this vital journey and equip yourself with the tools you need to be an effective ally daily.
Access your 365 Days of Allyship and Daily Commitment Journals
Join us in making a difference. Every step, every action, no matter how small, contributes to a more significant movement towards a more just and equitable world.
#ConsistentAllyship #AntiRacismAction #Professional