Ian Rosenblatt, a prominent Labour donor who supported Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership campaign, was sued by a Black lawyer who claimed to be a victim of racial discrimination after being greeted with a fist bump. Noel Deans, of Afro-Caribbean descent and a former employment law partner at RBG Holdings, alleged that Rosenblatt racially harassed him by greeting him with a fist bump on his first day of work rather than with a professional handshake. He also claimed that Mr. Rosenblatt spoke at greater length with white colleagues, which he wasn’t happy about. The tribunal ruled that Mr Rosenblatt, senior partner of the business law firm Rosenblatt Group plc, did not intend to cause offence, and the case against him was dismissed.
Some may look at this case and think it perfectly exemplifies how far we’ve strayed into absurdity in race relations, where well-intentioned – and very normal – gestures can be misinterpreted as racial harassment. And I agree. But I don’t just see absurdity here. I actually see progress. If this is the “racism” we’re dealing with today, we’ve clearly come a long way, and perhaps it’s time for DEI consultants and race activists to start looking for new careers.
We are living in a time where the demand for racism far exceeds the supply. Noel Deans assumed that the reason he was greeted with a fist bump was solely because he is a black man. However, a fist bump is a gesture widely recognised across all cultures. It is used by people of all races and backgrounds; it is not exclusively a “Black thing”.
While the employment tribunal acknowledged the fist bump’s strong association with Black culture and its frequent use in “dap” greetings, this does not mean the gesture is limited to, owned by, or exclusively associated with any one group. A similar argument often arises in discussions about who can wear certain hairstyles, like braids. When a white person is seen wearing braids, social media often erupts with accusations of cultural appropriation, with many Black people arguing that it disrespects the unique history of “Black hair” and the discrimination Black people have faced because of their hairstyles.
But facing prejudice for a particular thing doesn’t automatically grant exclusive ownership of it. Also, braiding hair is not a practice that originated solely with Black people, and even if it were, living in free, liberal societies means that people today, regardless of race, should have the right to style their own hair as they choose.
The Deans-Rosenblatt case not only wasted valuable time and resources that could have been directed towards more important matters, but it’s also a sign of regression in modern race politics. Situations like these cause more harm to minorities than good. Such trivial and baseless complaints create a culture where colleagues feel they must walk on eggshells, hesitant to engage in normal social interactions for fear of unintentionally committing a social faux pas.
It is contradictory for minorities to claim they are constantly being “othered” by “White society” while simultaneously creating new ways to allege harassment. Is it really surprising that such actions lead to more isolation and exclusion? No one wants to be around people who make them second-guess and overanalyse every word and action.
The hypersensitivity and overeagerness to find and see racism where none exists only results in minorities being treated, approached, and handled differently – an outcome that seems to contradict the very goals of inclusion.
The battle for equality used to revolve around economic and professional opportunities, but in our contemporary society, that’s not enough. As Francis Fukuyama points out in his book, we’ve entered an era of identity politics where people have become obsessed with recognition and validation. This shift to what he calls the “politics of dignity” is all about being seen and acknowledged – a craving Fukuyama attributes to “thymos,” the part of our psyche that hungers for respect.
Noel Deans, by virtue of his position, likely out-earns a vast majority of the UK population and is likely economically better off than most, regardless of race. And yet somehow this becomes overshadowed because he was unhappy that someone didn’t speak to him as much as they spoke to other people. If this mentality seems juvenile, it’s because it is.
This is not to say that he is necessarily wrong for being offended – he isn’t. Offence is subjective, and everyone is entitled to their own reactions.
But by escalating this into a legal battle, he chose to go beyond mere offence and weaponise his identity, possibly for monetary gain. This is the greatest flaw in identity politics and the establishment of protected groups and characteristics: people exploit those same identities to manipulate others and situations. These opportunists often rely on racial grievances as a crutch or a means to capitalise both financially and socially. And since victimhood remains a strong source of social currency, it’s unlikely we’ll see less of these behaviours any time soon.
Ada Akpala is the senior content officer of The Equiano Project.
