Bias Incident: What is it?

What is a Bias Incident?

A Bias Incident refers to behavior, speech or expression that reveals conscious or unconscious bias, which targets individuals or groups based on but not limited to their race, color, ethnicity, nationality, economic background, age, physical or mental health or ability, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, or religious practice.

Speech or expression that is consistent with the principles of academic freedom does not constitute a bias incident.

Bias Incidents stem from:

• Fear
• Misunderstanding
• Hatred
• Stereotypes

What is or is not a Bias Incident Response?

A bias incident response is:

• Providing care
• Restorative
• Learning more and asking questions
• Proactive outreach 

A bias incident response is NOT a platform for censorship or thought-policing on campus.

Some Examples of Bias Incidents Include:

• Telling jokes based on a stereotype
• Racist or derogatory graffiti or images/drawings
• Calling someone the r-word, n-word, f-word (in person, in writing, on social media, on whiteboards, etc.) 
• Calling a person or a behavior ‘gay’ as an insult
• Making jokes or using stereotypes when talking about someone
• Saying that all ______ [people of a certain group or identity] are _____ [stereotype]
• Using a racial, ethnic, or other slur to identify someone
• Making a joke about someone being deaf or hard of hearing, or blind, etc.
• Imitating someone with any kind of disability, or imitating someone’s cultural norm or practice
• Making derogatory comments on social media about someone’s disability, ethnicity, race, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, or political affiliations/beliefs
• Drawing or creating pictures that imitate, stereotype, or belittle/ridicule someone because of their gender, gender expression, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, faith, or political affiliation