Blonde Privilege
Posted by admin in Building Bridges, How to talk about race, Interracial relationships, Media, Stereotypes on March 2nd, 2010
Blonde privilege has not yet made the Urban Dictionary but some friends have defined it for me. “Blonde privilege is a special identity for women with fair skin and long hair, (usually blond but can also apply to brunettes). These women get what they want without even asking and men fall over themselves to cater to their every need.
Not to be confused with White Privilege which is usually economically motivated (get jobs, houses, bank loans), Blonde Privilege is more socially and sexually motivated (get dates, seats at restaurants, men to drool)”
Shorty walked into that crowded restaurant and was seated right away, must be nice to have Blonde Privilege.
I’m so hungry, wish I had Blonde Privilege so I didn’t have to wait so long for a table.
Another characteristic of most women with Blonde Privilege — other women hate her. But I’m not mad at the blondes, I’m upset with a society that says blonde hair and white skin is prettier, more desirable and more beautiful than, well than me.
I know modeling agencies have made great strides in trying to include different concepts of beauty, but let’s face it, Blonde Privilege is a reality in America and I would guess many other areas of the world. Our concepts of beauty haven’t changed. Little black girls still want Barbie’s hair. Heck, many old black women want that hair. That good hair. That status. For men to look at us that way.
I’m guessing a blonde somewhere is reading this and wants to lament about the burdens of others presuming she is ignorant, uneducated or promiscuous. I’m not denying that stereotyping exits and I’m sorry that’s part of the preconceived notions about you.
But until you’ve had someone look you in your face and say, “You’re ugly…your skin is too black…your hair’s too nappy…” Blondes, you can prove to them that you’re not ignorant, but you can’t make somebody think you’re beautiful. I’m sad about that.
To ponder: does Blonde Privilege exist? Have you witnessed it? What can we do to move beyond this? What are your experiences with hair and skin shades? Let’s talk…
Fwd: PROUD TO BE WHITE…no matter what race. 5%
Posted by admin in Have we overcome?, How to talk about race, Racism/Discrimination on February 22nd, 2010
This is an email correspondence between me and a friend. I took the friend’s name out.
“Angela, someone sent this to me and I automatically thought of you and your work on diversity. Not sure what, if anything you want to do with this, just thought it might be input for your studies. I am going to keep this for my Psych class for when we cover our diversity chapter. (P.S. I am proud to be an American, which is how I was raised by my family. Look at the good, not the color. Look inside, not out. Take care.
PROUD TO BE WHITE…no matter what race. [by the way this entire text was in 36 point]
This is great. I have been wondering about why Whites are racists, and no other race is……[assuming this comments was added by the person who forwarded it to my friend]
Proud to be White
Michael Richards makes his point……………..
Michael Richards better known as Kramer from TVs Seinfeld does make a good point.
This was his defense speech in court after making racial comments in his comedy act. He makes some very interesting points…
Someone finally said it. How many are actually paying attention to this? There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc.
And then there are just Americans. You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me ‘White boy,’ ‘Cracker,’ ‘Honkey,’ ‘Whitey,’ ‘Caveman’… and that’s OK..
But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink .. You call me a racist.
You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you…. so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?
You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day.
You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day.
You have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma’uled Al-Nabi.
You have the NAACP. You have BET…. If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we’d be racists. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists.
If we had White History Month, we’d be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites to ‘advance’ OUR lives, we’d be racists.
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce.. Wonder who pays for that??
A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, but any color can be in the Miss America pageant.
If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships… You know we’d be racists.
There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US .. Yet if there were ‘White colleges’, that would be a racist college.
In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.
You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you’re not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.
You rob us, car jack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist..
I am proud……. But you call me a racist.
Why is it that only whites can be racists??
There is nothing improper about this e-mail.. Let’s see which of you are proud enough to send it on. I sadly don’t think many will. That’s why we have LOST most of OUR RIGHTS in this country. We won’t stand up for ourselves!
BE PROUD TO BE WHITE!
It’s not a crime YET…. but getting very close!
It is estimated that ONLY 5% of those reaching this point in this e-mail, will pass it on.”
I answered, “Do you know who generated this? I’d like to repost on my blog and ask for opinions. I won’t use any names unless they don’t mind being identified.”
She responded, “Angela, sorry, I had about 900 e-mails that I was going through, deleted and forwarded then deleted those (figured if I got a reply back on any of them the original would show up. I had forwarded quite a few e-mails to myself from ones I got last year and just didn’t have time to read then. A friend told me to take out all the previous senders to help speed up the transmissions on e-mails so I don’t know who sent it. Feel free to post it, I think that was what the comment on the bottom was about (5%) to see if I was going to be in the 5%. I would be curious to see other opinions.”
To ponder: Did anyone else receive this email? Forward it? What are you thoughts? Is this racist? What do you think of the challenge that only five percent will forward this? In an earlier post I asked if pro–black meant anti-white. Now I’ll ask does pro-white means anti-everyone else? Like my friend, I’m curious to see other opinions. Let’s talk…
Comcast Interview Video
Posted by admin in Building Bridges, How to talk about race, Interracial relationships, Media on February 11th, 2010
The Diagnosis
Posted by admin in Current Events, Demographics and Statistics on February 8th, 2010
Last week I became another statistic in the African American community. On Saturday I started taking prescribed medications for high blood pressure. A routine check up last December revealed a 150/101 blood pressure (normal is 120/70). My doctor had me lie down on the table and relax a few minutes before taking it again. 150/90. Still too high.
He sent me to the lab for some tests. They showed that in every other category I was healthy – cholesterol great, liver and kidney functions no problems, hormones normal, etc. He gave me a month to try to get it down, to relax.
I went back last week and my initial reading was 190/90. Lie-down-and-relax reading was 180/90. I walked out with two prescriptions, one for a diuretic and the other a “low dose” blood pressure pill. How long do I have to take them? Probably forever.
I’m a 45 year old, African American woman and heart disease is the leading cause of death for me. Two in five African Americans have high blood pressure, one in five Hispanics and one in six Asians (CDC statistics).
My mother, most of my aunts and both of my grandmothers all received a high blood pressure diagnosis at some point in their lives. Obesity, diabetes, high salt/fat diets, smoking and lack of exercise also run in my family. There is a hereditary factor and a race component to heart disease and high blood pressure but somehow I thought I had broken the generational curse.
It doesn’t seem fair. I quit smoking about ten years ago, I exercise five days a week. I eat a whole wheat, low sugar diet. Yet here I am, among the statistics, taking the medications and suffering the consequences. Okay, so it’s not completely my relatives fault. I could lose a few pounds. I could lower the stress in my life by getting eight hours every night. I could go salt free. But still, it doesn’t seem fair.
Wear red in February
I’m not sure how I feel about all of this. Angry. Frustrated. Helpless. Frightened. All of the above and more. Thank you for allowing me to vent. Now on to something constructive.
A reminder: February is American Heart Month. The purpose is to raise funds and awareness about heart disease — which is the number one killer in America. Check out the American Heart Assciation for information on how you can help and learn more about heart health.
Do you know your blood pressure? Does heart disease run in your family? Why do you think heart disease is so prevalent in the African American community? Any suggestions for me as I struggle to accept my new diagnosis? Let’s talk…
Talking about Race: A Marathon, not a Sprint
Posted by admin in Building Bridges, How to talk about race on February 4th, 2010
Cross posting this week with the Kirwan Institute on Race and Ethnicity. See the Race-Talk post here http://www.race-talk.org/?p=2552
Roots Revisited
Posted by admin in Have we overcome?, History, Media, Racism/Discrimination, Videos on February 2nd, 2010
January 23 – January 30, 1977. I was twelve years old and sat on the floor in our living room for eight consecutive evenings to watch Roots. My family watched in silence at the history of our people. I kept asking, “This isn’t real, is it?” My father assured me that it was an accurate account. I went to bed shaken by the horrifying images.
Roots was the most-watched television show in US history at the time. On average, 130 million - almost half the country at the time - saw all or part of the series.
Based on Alex Haley’s book about his African ancestors, the show won nine Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. Today history teachers still use it as a representation of slavery in the United States.
Roots began with Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton), a West African youth captured by slave raiders and shipped to America in the 1700s. The family’s saga continues to the Civil War where Kunte Kinte’s grandson gained emancipation.
I’m going to add Roots to my Netflix queue. I want to watch it again when my son comes home for spring break. I don’t think as a family we’ve watched and talked about the entire series together. Is this a good idea? Some people think these images breed hate and unforgiveness and we should forget the past - or at least not revisit it so brutally. What do you think?
When (if ever) did you see Roots? What emotions did the show evoke for you? Have you shared this movie with your kids? Why or why not? Let’s talk…
In the News!
Posted by admin in Current Events, Demographics and Statistics, How to talk about race, Interracial relationships, Media on January 29th, 2010
This week I’ve been quoted in a couple of articles about race relations in America. Would love your thoughts on both topics. Let’s talk…
Article from the Maryland Indendent about the Diversity Forum http://www.somdnews.com/stories/01272010/indytop171706_32230.shtml
Negro - the other “N” word?
Posted by admin in Current Events, Have we overcome?, History, Media on January 25th, 2010
US Census officials say they added “Negro” to the 2010 US Census because many older black Americans were confused by the options of African-Am./Black and wrote in “Negro.”
Question number nine now provides the following answer choice: “Black, African Am., or Negro.” Many are offended by the inclusion of this word on the Census.
In another story the book Game Change by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann reports on comments made my Harry Reid. “He (Reid) was wowed by Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama – a ‘light-skinned’ African American ‘with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.’ Though Reid apologized and President Obama later forgave his comments, Reid got a lot of criticism for his choice of words.
“Negro” is getting a lot of attention lately.
Last week I listened to Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech.” He used the word Negro repeatedly to describe Black Americans. His message overrode any uncomfortableness with the word and he was such an elegant speaker that I found nothing derogatory about anything he said.
Usually though when I think of the “Negro, images of fire hoses, lynchings, Klan sheets, cross burnings and “Negro Only” signs come to mind. We all know how powerful words are when we attach them to experiences, symbols and images.
What images come to mind when you hear the word Negro? Do you consider it as bad as the “N” word? What do you think of the US Census adding the word? Let’s talk…
Watch “I Have a Dream” Speech
Posted by admin in Building Bridges, History, Videos on January 18th, 2010
Today we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Dr. King was born on January 15th and his legacy certainly lives on in the hearts and minds of many Americans. Take 17 minutes today to listen to his most famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” which he gave on August 28, 1963 in Washington D.C. What thoughts and feelings does this speech evoke in you today? Let’s talk…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk
