What is Racial Battle Fatigue? - #JusticeforFloyd

May 30, 20203 min read

|By- Gayatri Tilgulkar|

Dear you,

The only reason I am writing this is because I think you will understand even you are inside your house threatened to go outside not knowing what could kill you. Living under uncertainty, letting the stress get better of you. I think today you will discern a little better how lethal a battle is….

Sincerely, Unsigned.

The physical and psychological toll taken due to constant and unceasing discrimination, microaggression and stereotype threat is known as Racial Battle Fatigue.

Racial battle fatigue or RBF leads to people of colour undergo numerous forms of mental, emotional and physical tension which can usher to psycho-physiological symptoms such as:

· Immune suppression

· Increased sickness

· Stress headache

· Tremors and agitation

· Persistent irritation in healed injuries

· High blood pressure

· Throbbing heartbeat

It was established by William A. Smith in the year 2003. Initially used in respect to the ordeals of African American men in America is now broadened to depict the adverse and racially criticized incidents for all people. Racial fatigue battle inflicts suffering upon a person making him/her lose confidence and question self-worth.

The marginalization and racial tension dominate this stress Anxiety shoots up when they perceive that no matter how hard they try the surroundings are never going to be supportive. A constant conjecture that something is going to happen to them or they are going to be pushed aside even if they bend over backwards and work diligently.

When people undergoing RBF, foretell racially driven disputes. They may go through:

· Rapid breathing

· Stomach ache

· hypertension

Imagine that Racial battle fatigue would have never existed if equality wouldn’t be a pipe dream but a natural setting.

Racial battle fatigue isn’t ferocious as violence and disservice?

Another study has found that RBF isn’t a firm concept due to lack of knowledge. It is often pushed to the corner and given less attention than it needs. When RBF is ignored and dismissed it may evolve to be lethal, killing deliberately through high blood pressure and low health practices. Mental and emotional well being of a person is also the responsibly of society. If a person is uncomfortable by our bearing then what does it say about us?

Why is this as important as any other hate crime? Many researchers found that this trauma was raised only in a hostile environment where an individual is slammed with anger, hate and rivalry. The hostile environment makes them think they are inferior and will always be treated unfairly. They assume there is no chance to grow and it takes a toll on their mental health. It isn’t always a threat or an insult. Sometimes microaggression throws weight around.

It is so subtle that perpetrator might not even understand how his/her words have affected a person. With microaggression shoulder to shoulder micro invalidation walks in, negate or nullify the thoughts or feelings of people.

The invisible should be visible so people know that even though we can’t see or detect microaggression, it’s a pretty big deal to people continually getting jabs from it. The onset of my thoughts I perceived to ask people undergoing this stress to reach out, and I yet believe they should. But I don’t think it will be enough. The environment needs to rewrite and shift views. A suggestive insult or slur could hurl a person’s sentiments and small-mindedness and holding prejudices could create distress for a person.

Racial battle fatigue cripples a person and we don’t see any physical evidence of it on them. So we assume everything is fine. If we want to make things fine we need to reach out, campus and workplaces need to conduct check-ups to know who are dealing with RBF. We need programs to help them.

The purpose of this article isn’t to belittle violence, aggression and mistreatment in comparison to racial battle fatigue. To make someone feel inferior for who they are is itself ridiculous. Racism overall is sickening. Racial battle fatigue is a psychological response to racism in all.

The study of RBF has its limitations for not enough representation and eluding some aspects. Studies have found that many people aren’t even aware of this pressure and are generalized which leads to unfair remedy. The cure for racial battle fatigue is more in our hands then the person enduring it. Acceptance and awareness are the only prescriptions we have been assigned.

Racial battle fatigue is a real thing which people go through every day and it should not be dismissed or look down in any case. George Floyd lost his life to racism. Many innocents face this daily in their lives. It still exists very starkly. We need to stop this from happening. The onus is on us to respect every human with every skin colour equally. #JusticeforFloyd