I think you will find it is YOU who are racism!
Where's that meme from, anyway? I should check, but...meeeeeeeeeeh.
S'anyway. Jill Scott (I have no idea who she is and I feel like I should) said a thing about interracial dating/marriage. Not about how it's bad, just about that 'wince' some of us feel on occasion when seeing a black man dating/marrying a white woman. And then there was a Tangency thing about how she's racist and all. And I was like, here we go.
I can understand how that initially sounds like racism. Still, for what I would think would be a majority of black women, it's not an aversion to interracial dating or marriage, but a reaction to years and years of historical tension between the races that hasn't quite let us lower our guard completely. Hate to say it, but I even felt that a little bit at the wedding last weekend, for several reasons that may or may not be exclusive to me. For the sake of I-need-to-analyze-my-thoughts and so on, a list.
(In truth, it's more about my thoughts about the bride's family, so this is probably going off in a totally different direction. Extra note for anyone who isn't me: the bride, Brandi, is white, and has three interracial daughters from a previous relationship who are adorable as heck. Jonathon, the groom, is my oldest cousin on my father's side, and is black.)
Thought #1: I wonder what they think about our family. We're a close-knit group, and we love to get together and just let our hair down, as it were. Especially at the reception, when a tipsy Aunt Bea commandeered the microphone and proceeded to be absolutely hilarious. But what if they were expecting something more low-key or reserved and now think Brandi's made a huge mistake marrying into this crazy ghetto family?
Thought #2: Hm, we're all kind of separated into our little family groups. Wonder if they feel uncomfortable around us?
Thought #3: I'm probably overthinking things. Again.
Thought #4: (while trying to simultaneously be a responsible adult for the kids in the group that always seems to follow me, and to get out of playing volleyball by playing dead) Oh shit there's a volleyball coming at me RUN!
Apparently, I haven't gotten over high school gym class yet.
Anyway, historical contexts and current racial tensions are important to take note of. Nothing occurs in a vacuum, and what seems like history to some people is actually quite relevant to some of us in the present day, much as I personally have tried to ignore that in the past.
S'anyway. Jill Scott (I have no idea who she is and I feel like I should) said a thing about interracial dating/marriage. Not about how it's bad, just about that 'wince' some of us feel on occasion when seeing a black man dating/marrying a white woman. And then there was a Tangency thing about how she's racist and all. And I was like, here we go.
I can understand how that initially sounds like racism. Still, for what I would think would be a majority of black women, it's not an aversion to interracial dating or marriage, but a reaction to years and years of historical tension between the races that hasn't quite let us lower our guard completely. Hate to say it, but I even felt that a little bit at the wedding last weekend, for several reasons that may or may not be exclusive to me. For the sake of I-need-to-analyze-my-thoughts and so on, a list.
(In truth, it's more about my thoughts about the bride's family, so this is probably going off in a totally different direction. Extra note for anyone who isn't me: the bride, Brandi, is white, and has three interracial daughters from a previous relationship who are adorable as heck. Jonathon, the groom, is my oldest cousin on my father's side, and is black.)
Thought #1: I wonder what they think about our family. We're a close-knit group, and we love to get together and just let our hair down, as it were. Especially at the reception, when a tipsy Aunt Bea commandeered the microphone and proceeded to be absolutely hilarious. But what if they were expecting something more low-key or reserved and now think Brandi's made a huge mistake marrying into this crazy ghetto family?
Thought #2: Hm, we're all kind of separated into our little family groups. Wonder if they feel uncomfortable around us?
Thought #3: I'm probably overthinking things. Again.
Thought #4: (while trying to simultaneously be a responsible adult for the kids in the group that always seems to follow me, and to get out of playing volleyball by playing dead) Oh shit there's a volleyball coming at me RUN!
Apparently, I haven't gotten over high school gym class yet.
Anyway, historical contexts and current racial tensions are important to take note of. Nothing occurs in a vacuum, and what seems like history to some people is actually quite relevant to some of us in the present day, much as I personally have tried to ignore that in the past.