With strong opinions on both sides of The Voice debate, you may find yourself disagreeing with some of the people you care about.
We don’t always share the same beliefs as our friends and family members, and that’s OK. But when it comes to the topics we feel passionately about, it can be upsetting and uncomfortable when we don’t see eye to eye with the people we love.
We hope this advice helps you communicate effectively and maintain respectful relationships if you disagree with loved ones over The Voice.
Have patience and understanding
While The Voice referendum debate is an important one, this topic and related conversations may be distressing for First Nations Peoples and their non-Indigenous family members, friends, and allies.
This is a triggering topic for many people, and we’re all being exposed to differing public opinions throughout the media and in our social circles.
Let’s remember this topic is an emotionally charged one, so we all need to have some extra patience, understanding, and empathy for each other – as long as we’re staying respectful, of course.
We offer some practical ways to consider the safety and respect of First Nations Peoples leading up to the referendum here.
Speak with kindness and respect
While you don’t have to agree, you do have to remain respectful and kind – even if you’re feeling frustrated.
Speak with kindness and respect by:
- Maintaining a calm tone and volume
- Relaxing your posture and body language
- Avoiding disrespectful words like swearing or name-calling
- Taking a deep breath and having a second to think before responding
- Respecting your loved one’s right to have their own opinion and feelings.
Validating their feelings is a great way to keep the conversation productive. You might say “I can see this is really important to you.” Even if you don’t agree with them, acknowledging their feelings can make them feel heard, respected, and more open to listening.
Put the topic on pause if you can’t discuss it respectfully
There are some topics we know to avoid around certain people if we want to keep the peace.
If The Voice referendum falls into that camp, there’s nothing wrong with creating a boundary and putting it on pause or taking it off the table entirely.
You might let your loved one know before the interaction that you don’t want to talk about it, or agree to disagree and change the subject to something lighter in the moment.
It may even be helpful to have some space from that person if you’re feeling yourself getting consistently upset or frustrated with them.
We offer advice to address discrimination in this blog post.
Seek help for effective communication
It’s not easy to talk about these big topics, especially when we find ourselves arguing with the people we really care about.
Counselling can be a great option for people who struggle to communicate or need support repairing a relationship. You may never come to agree on The Voice, but counselling can help you explore your feelings and find a solution to move on and maintain a healthy relationship.
You can learn more about our relationship counselling here, or call 1300 364 277 to make an appointment.
We offer advice on how to have a difficult conversation here.
Support Services
We understand this topic may raise difficult emotions for some people. Help is available.
RAQ offers culturally safe counselling and support services for First Nations Peoples. You can call 1300 364 277 to make an appointment or get help finding the right support for you.
For 24/7 crisis support, call 13YARN on 13 92 76 to talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.