‘No Pride in Prejudice’ seeks to make kids aware of bias

The team of Warhorse was inspired to come up with the idea, after pondering why schools don’t dwell on the topic more with children and is now seeking to mentor youngsters in understanding inherent biases, social conditioning, prejudices and discrimination based on gender, race and religion. Says V Vishal, head of outreach and experiences at Warhorse, “The question first arose when we wondered why many people have inherent biases without any proper rationale — for instance, a darkskinned chap on the road is more likely to be racially profiled by a policeman than a person whose skin is fair.” Initiating the concept among school children recently saw a massive impact, with parents and teachers too being engaged in the process. 

“So, we decided to make it a bigger initiative and make it a workshop open for anyone who wishes to attend. 

There are several essential things to touch upon — the difference between prejudices, biases and stereotypes; how explicit (with reason) and implicit (without reason) biases work, and so on. If I mention the word ‘doctor’ to someone — immediately it’s usually a man who comes to mind, not a woman — that’s implicit bias,” Vishal explains. 

Active for around two-and-a-half years in the city, Warhorse aims to continue working with students, apart from offering curating experiences for adults. The first instalment of ‘No Pride in Prejudice’ has been scheduled on Saturday at the Ilovereadin Library in Adyar here, with the second workshop already in the works. 

“During the event, we will focus on other aspects of discrimination. For example, in a frisbee match, it is compulsory that three guys and two girls play — why? This is what we want to explore, and hopefully spread more awareness among the next generation,” he concludes.