Racial Battle Fatigue vs. Social Justice Fatigue and How to Overcome Them

Racial battle fatigue was coined first by William A. Smith, associate professor in the Department of Education, Culture & Society and the Division of Ethnic Studies at The University of Utah. The college professor was studying microaggressions and the experiences of specifically Black male students on historically white university and college campuses. As a reminder, microaggressions are the everyday slights, indignities, put-downs, and insults that people of color, women, LGBTQIA populations, or those who are marginalized experience in their day-to-day interactions with people. During his extensive research, Smith came up with racial battle fatigue to describe the psychophysiological symptoms people of color may experience living in and navigating historically white spaces. 

These symptoms look like: 

• high blood pressure
• anxiety
• frustration
• shock
• anger
• depression

The difference between the two terms, racial battle fatigue and social justice fatigue, is that one occurs by simply existing and there is no escaping it, while the other is by choosing to put yourself in the ring with the option of removing yourself completely.

I personally know the struggle as a Black woman in the social justice world. I’m hit with both racial battle fatigue and social justice fatigue. Trust me, I know how easy it is to want to give up. I know what it’s like to, day after day, put in the work and not see the needle move even in the slightest. It’s exhausting and quite frankly I am tired. However, while I may not see (insert social justice issue here) change, at least I’ll know I was/am a part of the change. That’s what keeps me going. It’s the hope that eventually things will change, if not with me and my generation, the next, and/or the next. But things will get better, there is progress being made even if it feels like the opposite.

I’ll leave you with some of my own personal practical steps to help fight racial battle fatigue and/or social justice fatigue:

• Go to bed – Honestly, I’m not much of a napper, but let me tell you when I feel like the world is beating me up and all this activism work feels impossible, physical rest helps 95% of the time. If you can’t nap during the day, give yourself an “early” bedtime. You won’t regret it.
• Give yourself a break – I make sure there is at least one day out of the week that I’m not working/subjecting myself to justice issues. That means for a full 24 hours no news, no TV or movies involving racial trauma, and no social media. On this day I only do things that bring me joy because just as much as physical rest is crucial, you need mental rest as well. 
• Boundaries – Say no! Especially if you notice the person who is asking/inquiring isn’t doing the work themselves. Be a resource for people, not the source. There is a difference. Ultimately if we want to make a difference, we must empower others to do the work, not just inform them of the work. If you don’t know where to send people, I would start by encouraging them to subscribe to Iridescent Women to receive our Advocacy in Action newsletter and have them check out organizations like Be the Bridge.
• Seek a professional – If you’ve noticed that this fight for justice is affecting your mental health, maybe it’s time to seek out counseling. Counseling and therapy have helped me personally get back on track and create a plan that keeps me in the game. I understand the hesitation in seeking a professional, but I can’t recommend it enough. For my Black sisters, check out Therapy for Black Girls, an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls. Take advantage of their search engine that will help you find Black therapists in your area that focus on areas like racial battle fatigue to the day-to-day struggles of life.