You are Indigenous and work at a group housing complex for Indigenous youth. One day on your way to work, you notice posters that contain racist, anti-Indigenous comments and racist imagery about Indigenous peoples generally and about the youth you work with specifically. The posters say that the youth shouldn’t be allowed in the community and should be barred from public places. The posters are posted in public areas like transit shelters, telephone poles and walls. You are shocked by the posters and very worried about the effect that this kind of speech will have on the youth you work with. You are also worried about how this will affect the group home’s relationship within the community. You feel that these posters have placed the youth at risk in the community. You wonder if the youth will be treated badly at the community centre and local stores because of the posters. Since you are Indigenous too, you worry that you will also be targeted.
When you get to work, you realize that many of the youth have already seen the posters. They are deeply upset by the content and tell you that they feel unsafe in this community.
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Yes, and the youth have experienced discrimination under the Code. Section 7 of B.C.’s Human Rights Code prohibits publications with discriminatory speech. These very publicly posted anti-Indigenous posters clearly discrimination towards Indigenous people generally and the Indigenous youth you work with specifically. Both you and the youth have experienced harm based on your Indigenous identity which is protected by B.C.’s Human Rights Code. The posters perpetuated negative stereotypes of Indigenous peoples, putting the youth’s housing safety and existence at risk.
You can read more about responsibilities regarding hate speech and discriminatory speech under the Code.
- Previous case study:Hate speech at local comedy club