Direction of the anti-racism work 2021-2023

Organisation and the BoardRFSL

Adopted by RFSL's congress, October 2021.

Introduction

Racism is a structure that permeates all societies and all parts of society where whiteness is premiered and others are placed at a disadvantage. The ways in which racism expresses itself can vary over time and place, but the mechanics are the same.  The consequences of racism are big and limits people’s lives and room to manoeuvre.  Racist structures are strong and must be addressed and must be opposed.  Specific forms of racism that target specific groups are, among others, antisemitism, afrophobia, islamophobia and antiziganism, but there are many forms of racism.  RFSL has decided to be a feminist as well as an anti-racism organisation and this means that we work continuously internally and externally to combat racist and sexist structures.    

Intersectionality is a term and an analytic tool used to understand how different norms and power asymmetries interact with each other.  Being subject to homophobia, biphobia and/or transphobia and at the same time being subject to racism is different from what homo-, bi- and transphobia looks like for people who aren’t racified.  RFSL’s work should be conscious about that an individual’s position in different power structures greatly impacts their ability to influence their life and therefore work actively against racism and discrimination.  

Direction

  • RFSL should counteract racism within and outside the organisation and work so that everyone feels welcome and respected within the organisation and is given the same rights, preconditions and opportunities to participate and influence regardless of ethnicity, culture, skin colour, religion and origin. The diversity of the LGBTQI movement should be represented in the organisation’s boards, members and staff, nationally as well as locally.  
  • RFSL should make sure that its operations and its political advocacy work benefits all parts of the LGBTQI community and that the work is in line with our values regarding racism and other power structures.  
  • RFSL should be perceived as a relevant and interesting organisation for all LGBTQI people regardless of ethnicity, culture, skin colour, religion and origin.  
  • There should be transparency within the organisation – everybody should find ways to have real influence over, and an understanding of, the organisational structure.
  • RFSL should be an anti-racism actor against racism in Sweden and globally.

The task

To RFSL, the term anti-racism is about actively taking a stand against racism, to examine in what way racism affects LGBTQI people, in what way racist structures affect the organisation, how racism affects LGBTQI people within the organisation and the community and to counteract racism in all its forms and expressions.  In its work, RFSL should refrain from using member groups’ work or influence in matters that obviously concern the member group’s minority status and subordination in the organisation.

RFSL should continuously work to counteract racist structures in the organisation by:

  • continuously working with measures, methods and strategies to develop and implement the anti-racism work in the entire organisation,
  • setting aside resources to strengthen the anti-racism work,  
  • regularly surveying and evaluating the organisation and operation, produce statistics over the experience of diversity within the organisation and examine factors and structures that contribute to underrepresentation,
  • continuously using methods to improve representation within the organisation,
  • regularly carrying out internal education to strengthen the anti-racism work and increase competency,  
  • prioritising operations that target marginalised parts of the community,
  • offering safe spaces and separatist rooms for members who are subject to racism and encourage members to find each other, be strengthened and gain influence,
  • regularly reviewing steering documents,
  • developing routines for follow-up.

Division of responsibility and tasks

RFSL’s goal is that everyone who comes to the organisation must feel welcome and be given real opportunities to influence and participate.  The diversity of the LGBTQI movement should be represented in the organisation’s boards, members and staff on a national and local level.  RFSL is an organisation with many branches and different operations.  The entire organisation is involved and is responsible for integrating the anti-racism work. It’s not just the responsibility of the federal board. The on-going work should be done by all parts of the organisation.    

The responsibility of the federal board

The federal board is responsible for that RFSL should work actively to eliminate discrimination and racism in the organisation. 

The federal board is responsible for: 

  • That the national office offers tools to branches, such as member training, awareness raising and integrates anti-racism methods in the branch guidebook. 
  • That the national office supports and gives tools to branches so that they can write their own guidelines or plans of action where anti-racism and intersectionality are included. 
  • That the branches and the national office use the anti-racism policy in their work.
  • To uphold the whistle-blower function that members who have experienced racism and bullying because of ethnicity, culture or racist preconceptions and structures within the organisation can use. Any person who believes they have been subject to racism should always be taken seriously by the organisation, locally as well as nationally. 
  • To make sure that there are resources for the anti-racism work, for example in the form of means or staff at the national office that can support the anti-racism work.   
  • That RFSL should develop a recruitment policy and thereby use recruitment that promotes diverse experiences and competencies at the workplace.
  • The federal board decides upon a plan of action for the national office’s anti-racism work and makes sure the branches have relevant and updated support for their areas of responsibility.   

The branches and their external operations’ responsibilities

The branches are the most important actor in the work to recruit and take care of members.  The branches are largely responsible for creating an inclusive organisation where many different experiences and areas of knowledge are being capitalised.  The branches and the branches’ external operations should take help from the national office if they need to, in order to decide upon a plan of action or a list of activities in their own anti-racism work.  The branches and the branches’ external operations ask for support based on their respective needs and resources.

The branches and the branches’ external operations are responsible for:  

  • Counteracting racism and discrimination.  
  • Working actively to reach different target groups as potential members.  
  • Working with awareness raising and making sure that a discussion about power structures is on-going.  
  • Working to achieve a wide representation in boards, nominating committees and members.  

Trustees’ responsibilities

Trustees are responsible for: 

– Being aware of, and actively counteracting, the power structures within the organisation.

– Being conscious about one’s own position and access to power compared to others.    

– To act if there is racism or discrimination in the organisation. 

– That there’s a wide representation among trustees. 

– Being aware of, and actively counteracting, the power structures within the organisation.

– Being conscious about one’s own position and access to power compared to others.    

– To act if there is racism or discrimination in the organisation. 

– That there’s a wide representation among trustees. 

The nominating committee’s responsibility nationally and locally

The nominating committee’s work is crucial when it comes to creating diversity and representation.  The nominating committee prepares one of the most important decisions for the organisation; who should be chosen to represent it. Nominating committees in the branches and at the national office are responsible for:  

– Using non-discriminatory selection processes when searching for trustees locally and nationally.    

– Using, like the whole organisation, methods and tools to find candidates and nominees from groups that are underrepresented.    

Responsibility in communication, member contacts and current PR and brand

RFSL needs to have strategies for how communication can be done in such a way that the image we give of our politics and our organisation corresponds with our values regarding racism and other power structures.  

When working with communication nationally and locally you are responsible for:  

  • Counteracting norms and stereotypes about who can be active and who is a potential RFSL member. 
  • Thinking about what target groups can identify with, or be appealed by, the communication that is conveyed.   
  • That an anti-racism perspective permeates all work with communication.

The president and the vice president’s responsibilities 

The president and the vice president should have an anti-racism perspective in the planning and prioritisation of the work of the federal board. The president and vice president communicate RFSL’s politics externally.  Therefore, the political leadership should have an anti-racism perspective in their description of problems, analyses and political suggestions.