Is sexual attraction racist?

[Mad Maddie]

40. Racism is Complicated

Racism is a complicated issue.

What makes racism complicated is that there is more than one school of thought regarding its definition and how it is applied. The "dominating" school of thought holds that racism only exists when members of one race have the power to dominate over a powerless race. In this respect only White people can be racists since White people control the majority of resources and political power over African Americans (and other racial/ethnic minorities). Of course, the problem with this application is that one can argue on what level racism applies - i.e. macro vs. micro level. For example, are we talking about national politics, non-government social institutions, marriage equality, social interactions, neighborhood disputes, refusal of services, etc. But regardless of its application, in this respect, racism has to have a power component - the ability to maintain control of resources by keeping them from those who have less power. Depending on the context, it is argued that "racism" can be flipped over where the racist group becomes the group discriminated against (e.g., the controversial affirmative action). A White person saying they prefer Whites over Blacks wouldn't be racist.

But the second school of thought on racism holds that racism includes racist thoughts and does not require the power component. Basically, it encompasses any biases whether they be overt behaviors, personal beliefs, or personal preferences. This definition would hold that everyone is racist, even those people who have been blind since birth (because preferences are taught, for the most part). It doesn't have to lead to overt discrimination. So, a White person who says they prefer Whites over Blacks and vice versa would be racist. The problem with this definition is that it essentially makes racism meaningless except as a sociological discussion.

So that's my long answer. My short answer is no, it would not make you a racist except maybe to sociologists who might want to study you. Lol.