bite me - or don't
seriously, y'all
So I get that this tweet - and the hashtag in general - was intended as a Twitter zing to online feminist memes following the Solange/Jay-Z incident, but…
Goddamn it, this one hits on a pet peeve of mine.
A little musclecub hit on me online last night.
Once I was through being stunned, a reasonably intelligent conversation ensued, but somewhere around the midpoint, he threw out the “big chocolate bear” bit. While I didn't end the conversation at that point - which was my first impulse - things petered out quickly when we started talking about medical issues and turned to my Type 2 diabetes (which naturally led to issues of weight).
I never thought it would be that specific thing that would bail me out of willfully taking a conversation to a painfully uncomfortable place.
So…
I realize that there are some “darkskin brothers” out there who have bravado such that calling them “sexual chocolate” is not just a compliment, it's de rigueur to get one's attention. I would advise, however, that in approaching an unfamiliar black man, perhaps prudence would dictate erring on the side of caution. At the very least, it might avoid the social awkwardness associated with being labeled a racist (at the polite end of the spectrum).
Objectification can be a minefield. It makes me mindful of all manner of privilege, including my own.