I work in a professional office, so I tend to wear grown-up clothes most days. I don’t wear a 3 piece suit but at least a collared shirt. While walking to a meeting or lunch, something has happened to me several times but I never thought much of it. On most nice days, you can find people walking around with clipboards near major intersection, bus stops, and the like. They are usually trying to get people to do one of two things: 1) sign up for the affordable care act (Obamacare in lay terms) or 2) sign up for government sponsored cell phone (an Obama phone for those unfamiliar). The solicitors aren’t overly aggressive but they do a good enough job making their presence felt. Most recently, I was waiting to cross the street and right on cue, one of the folks asked the lady next to me if she needed a cell phone. She was a white female, maybe 30, wearing pink sweats and a white t-shirt that (hand to God) had that picture of 2pac and Suge Knight the night Pac was shot in Vegas. She mumbled something, her face letting you know she wasn’t interested, in a hurry, or both. The clipboard lady kinda smiled and said thanks and moved her eyes towards me. I was getting my iPhone speech ready in my head and was more than prepared to let her know I was more than happy with iOS 8. Our eyes met briefly and she looked like she was going to say something but she didn’t. She turned and found another prospect a few steps behind me.
What the hell? How does she know I don’t need one of those phones? I went ahead a crossed the street but on the way back something dawned on me. I had judged clipboard lady, expecting she was going to judge me and assume I needed a free phone. She did judge me but not how I expected. She took one look at those wingtips and figured I wouldn’t be interested. It’s odd how stereotypes and implicit bias work. I could have been miffed that someone approached a young black guy assuming he couldn’t afford a cell phone (as if that would be the only reason she would approach). But I was also confused by her judging me positively and not approaching me at all. Can’t have it both ways now can I? I think we all need to be more aware of our implicit and subconscious bias and how it can affect how we see the world.
b+wequalsgray 