Colorblind society

Topic

The aspirational goal of a society where race and other group identities are not factors in how individuals are treated or in determining opportunities, contrasted with DEI's focus on group identity.


First Mentioned

1/5/2026, 5:25:56 AM

Last Updated

1/5/2026, 5:28:42 AM

Research Retrieved

1/5/2026, 5:28:42 AM

Summary

A colorblind society is a sociological and political concept where racial classification does not influence an individual's legal or social opportunities. In contemporary discourse, it is often framed as an aspirational goal of meritocracy, serving as a counter-narrative to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This was highlighted in a 2024 discussion by tech investors Jason Calacanis, Chamath Palihapitiya, and David Sacks, who critiqued DEI's influence in Hollywood as undermining merit. While proponents argue for race-neutrality based on the 14th Amendment, critics like sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva suggest the ideology can be used to avoid addressing systemic racism and historical disparities. The term also medically refers to color vision deficiency, a condition of diminished color vision.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Legal Standard

    The 'Colorblind Constitution' interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

  • Medical Definition

    Color vision deficiency, characterized by a reduced ability to distinguish colors.

  • Primary Alternative

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) frameworks.

  • Sociological Definition

    A society where racial classification does not affect socially created opportunities.

Timeline
  • Ratification of the 14th Amendment, providing the legal basis for equal protection and colorblind legal arguments. (Source: Wikipedia)

    1868-07-09

  • Martin Luther King Jr. delivers the 'I Have a Dream' speech, popularizing the aspirational vision of a colorblind society. (Source: Wikipedia)

    1963-08-28

  • The U.S. Supreme Court issues rulings in Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger regarding race-neutrality in admissions. (Source: Wikipedia)

    2003-06-23

  • The All-In Podcast episode 161 features a debate on the merits of a colorblind society versus DEI initiatives in the tech and entertainment industries. (Source: All-In Podcast E161)

    2024-01-12

Color blind (disambiguation)

Color blindness, also known as color vision deficiency, is a symptom that concerns diminished color vision and the decreased ability to see or distinguish colors. The term may also refer to:

Web Search Results
  • Racial color blindness - Wikipedia

    A color-blind society, in sociology, is one in which racial classification does not affect a person's socially created opportunities. A racially color blind society is or would be free from differential legal or social treatment based on race "Race (human categorization)") or color. A color-blind society would have race-neutral governmental policies and would reject all racial discrimination. [...] Sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva writes that majority groups use color-blindness to avoid discussing racism and discrimination. This is supported by sociologist Jason Rodriquez who writes that color-blindness is a way to disconnect race from discussions of inequality in society. Within a color-blind society, majority groups also tend to disconnect from their own race as a way of absolving blame of harm caused by their place in a hierarchy. Color-blindness can be seen as a way to undermine [...] exist, as he believes people should not be treated differently based on the color of their skin. However, not all agreed with this interpretation. American author Michael Eric Dyson felt that Dr. King only believed in the possibility of a color-blind society under the condition that racism and oppression were ultimately destroyed.

  • Anti-racism Resources: What Does Racism Look Like? Colorblindness

    In a colorblind society, White people, who are unlikely to experience disadvantages due to race, can effectively ignore racism in American life, justify the current social order, and feel more comfortable with their relatively privileged standing in society. [...] The word "blind" means not being able to see. This means that in terms of racial colorblindness, a person is also choosing to not just see race or skin color, but also the racial disparities, inequities, history of violence and current trauma perpetuated within a racist society [...] ## Racial Colorblindness Colorblindness is the racial ideology that posits the best way to end discrimination is by treating individuals as equally as possible, without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity (Williams, 2011).

  • [PDF] Racial Color Blindness: Emergence, Practice, and Implications

    Societal Color Blindness The emergence of color blindness as an ideology of diversity has also altered the broader cultural discourse on race and equality by transforming the conversation on how best to improve intergroup relations (Markus, Steele, & Steele, 2000; Pearson, Dovidio, & Gaertner, 2009; Plaut, 2002). To many individuals, an ethos of color blindness epitomizes the dawn of a “post-racial” society, but recent research has demonstrated that color blindness may actually perpetuate [...] Alternative Approaches and Conclusions The allure of color blindness is that it seems to offer a rela-tively simple framework for managing issues of race in con-temporary society: If people do not notice race, then race will no longer matter. Yet as the research reviewed in this article shows, color blindness is far from a panacea, sometimes repre-senting more of an obstacle than an asset to facilitating con-structive race relations and equitable race-related policies. [...] Racial Color Blindness 207 Legal Color Blindness Color blindness was ushered to the forefront of legal discus-sions about race by way of decisive legislation passed during the civil rights movement. More recently, however, color blindness has come to represent the legal standard against which acts of bias are judged—exemplified by the view that no form of race-based consideration is acceptable in a lawfully egalitarian society (e.g., Gratz v. Bollinger, 2003; Grutter v. Bollinger, 2003).

  • " Colorblind " Constitution - (AP US Government) - Vocab, Definition ...

    'Colorblind' Constitution refers to an interpretation of the U.S. Constitution that advocates for treating all individuals equally under the law, without regard to race or ethnicity. This approach often opposes affirmative action policies, arguing that they reinforce racial distinctions rather than eliminate them. Proponents believe that a 'colorblind' perspective promotes true equality, while critics argue that it ignores historical injustices and systemic inequalities that affect marginalized [...] Systemic Racism: The complex interactions of institutions, policies, and practices that create and perpetuate racial inequality in society, affecting various aspects of life including education, employment, and criminal justice. ## ""Colorblind" Constitution" also found in: ### Guided Practice Fiveable ###### Study Content & Tools ###### Company ###### Resources #### every AP exam is fiveable ###### history ###### social science ###### english & capstone ###### arts ###### science [...] ## 5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test ## Review Questions ## Related terms Policies that aim to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups, particularly in education and employment, often through targeted outreach and support. A provision in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all individuals, which has been central to civil rights cases.

  • Is Racial Colorblindness a Good or Bad Thing? - Psychology Today

    In the latest round of this debate, Charles Collins and Camille Walsh took the latter position in a blog post titled “Unveiling White Privilege” (May 22, 2024), based on their 2024 study in the Journal of Social Issues. The authors wrote that in a colorblind view, White people overlook the “systemic barriers that marginalized groups face” and attribute racial inequalities to characteristics internal to the racial groups. For example, to explain the racial wealth gap, one could argue that “White [...] ### Key points Smuldur/Pixabay There are disagreements among social scientists about what it means to be racially “colorblind” and whether it’s a good or bad thing (Selterman, 2023; Whitley et al., 2023; Wingfield, 2015). Some define it as an aspiration to treat people equally regardless of their race, whereas others regard it as a form of prejudice in which White people deny the existence of racism and downplay racial inequalities. [...] Collins and Walsh measured “colorblind” attitudes in White adults by using a “denying institutional discrimination” scale attributed to Neville and colleagues (2000), who actually called it “unawareness of institutional discrimination.” Participants were rated as more colorblind the more they agreed (or less they disagreed) that it’s White people who are discriminated against, that racial and ethnic minorities have advantages, and that immigrants need to fit into U.S. culture.