Does Intent Matter? The Impact of Racism Is the Same

Recently, a client shared a situation of discrimination and harassment, insisting it was “unintentional racism.” That raised a critical question: does it matter whether racism is intentional or unintentional? My answer is simple—the impact is the same.

Understanding Unintentional Racism

Unintentional racism often arises when we piece together judgments from snippets of information about people. It’s the automatic associations we make without reflection. For example:

• When I say peanut butter, you probably think jelly.

• When we encounter someone from a different background, we may unconsciously attach stereotypes or assumptions.

Robin DiAngelo calls this “Nice Racism.” White progressives may insist they cannot be racist, citing evidence like “I have a Black friend” or “I’ve traveled extensively.” Friends may defend them with “He’s a really nice person.” Yet, these behaviors still perpetuate harm.

Intentional Racism and Bias

On the other hand, intentional racism is deliberate. We often picture overt acts:

• A “Karen” spewing the N-word

• A KKK rally

• Calls for “white replacement”

• Law enforcement violence toward marginalized communities

But intentional bias also shows up in microaggressions. Phrases like “All lives matter,” “You’re so articulate,” or “There’s only one human race” may sound harmless to the speaker, but they dismiss lived experiences and reinforce oppression.

The Impact Is the Same

Whether racism is “nice” or overt, intentional or unintentional, the result is oppression. The minoritized person experiences:

• Being devalued

• Being disrespected

• Being disregarded

• Disruption of dreams, life, and purpose

The Pyramid of Racism illustrates how covert racial practices build the foundation for more socially unacceptable behaviors. Think of it this way:

• If I slap a bee off your face to protect you, it still hurts.

• If I slap you across the face while calling you a racial slur, it hurts too.

The sting is the same.

Lessons From the Road

For the past 10 years, I’ve traveled across the country speaking about microaggressions and how to heal the ruptures they cause. During one Q&A session, a young woman asked me:

Her question cut to the heart of the matter. When we think of racism, we often imagine burning crosses, slurs shouted in public, or physical assaults. These are clear, overt, intentional acts. But the quieter, “nicer” forms of racism—those brushed off as unintentional—carry the same weight of harm.

Final Thought

It doesn’t matter whether racism is intentional or unintentional. The impact is the same: oppression. Healing requires us to acknowledge both forms, confront them honestly, and commit to disrupting the cycle—because silence and minimization only perpetuate harm.