Race/Ethnicity
Questions 251-260
Feel free to browse the following questions, some of which may
still await answers. You can then post an answer or counter an answer
that has already been posted. Please read the
guidelines for answering questions
before making a posting.
Previous 10 this topic
area 
Next
10 this topic area
THE
QUESTION:
R260: Do black people tan and/or get sunburned?
POSTED MAY 11, 1998
CyberMaMa
<cybermama@mailcity.com>,
FL
ANSWER 1:
My children (half black, half white) tan and get burned,
though it takes them longer to burn than it does me. My wife is
black, and it takes even longer for her to cook, but it will
happen.
POSTED MAY 14, 1998
Alex, 39, white
<aleavens@mindspring.com>,
Lawrenceville, GA
FURTHER NOTICE:
Yes, we tan and burn and wear sunscreen. Darker skin does
give a little more protection from the sun than lighter skin. I
usually get sunburned on top of my shoulders if I am not careful.
POSTED MAY 15, 1998
Jas, black
<themoas@aol.com>,
Pensacola, FL
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I've worked outside in the summer and have also swam
outside, and afterwards I would have tan lines and marks that would
not leave until some months later.
POSTED MAY 15, 1998
Cheryl B., 22, African-American
<CherylB4U@aol.com>,
Memphis, TN
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
African-American people come in about 50 different skin
tones, so when we tan (yes we do), it is bound to be more noticed on
some of us than others. Being of a light-to-medium complexion, I
definitely tan, and sometimes even sunburn.
POSTED MAY 17, 1998
Kara, African American, Japan
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
I remember once driving from California to Memphis during
a particularly hot summer. A friend and I were driving through
Arizona and New Mexico during daylight hours. He was a little darker
than I am. I got a little tan, but otherwise the sun didn't bother
me, but my friend got severe sunburn and physically sick from it. I
have literally worked outside from dawn to dusk and never suffered
from exposure to the sun.
POSTED JUNE 5, 1998
Paul, pb63@bellsouth.net, Memphis, TN
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
Yes, they definitely do. When I met my fiance, he was a
very dark man. I met him at the end of the summer. I don't
particularly like really dark men, but he was an exception. He took
his watch off one day and revealed his true color, and it was such a
drastic change. He's got a beautiful skin tone.
POSTED OCT. 7, 1998
A.B., 20, white female,
<abolser@hotmail.com.>,
Indianapolis, IN
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R259: Often, when I wear something that looks good on me,
black girls who see me have something smart or funny to say about it.
Why is this?
POSTED MAY 11, 1998
Lucky, 19, white female
<Jellowe@usa.net>,
Jacksonville, FL
ANSWER 1:
I think that depends on what you are wearing and where you
are when you have it on. What exactly is the item, and what is your
intention when you wear it? Is it possible they feel you are trying
to copy their style? The flipside may be that they, as individuals,
not as colors, have some issue with you. Why don't you ask them? They
are really the only ones who have the answer to your question. I bet
they will tell you if you ask them. Good luck and don't sweat this
stuff. If you think you look good, then you do.
POSTED MAY 23, 1998
Carmela, 29, black
<pecola@hotmail.com>,
Atlanta, Ga
FURTHER NOTICE:
Are you sure they are not just young and rude? It has been
my experience that teenage women of any race need positive
affirmation of their tastes in fashion, men, etc. They will do any
thing to "not look different." This may extend to the ridicule of
someone else, in order to be seen as an arbiter of taste. Again, I
don't see it necessarily as a racial thing. I have been the butt of
such comments, also, for daring to emerge from my house with a
hairstyle that was counter to the prevailing "hip" styles.
POSTED MAY 23, 1998
Margie, African American
<Nayvay@aol.com>, MI
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R258: It doesn't seem that we see many Native Americans in our
society, as though they have been forgotten. Why is this?
POSTED MAY 9, 1998
B.C., white male, Atlanta, GA
ANSWER 1:
I believe one sees Native Americans all the time, whether
one realizes it or not. In my part of the country, Southwestern
Virginia, we have many descendants of tribes that were once
indigenous to this region but who were never classified as "Indian"
because they never went to a reservation and became officially
registered as Native. Take a person of aboriginal descent, cut off
the hair and put them in a sports cap and T-shirt, and they pretty
much blend in. My dad, who has enough Cherokee in him to look
different, was always considered to be of Spanish American descent
when he was growing up. Friends used to kid my red-headed mother
about dating a Puerto Rican, I suppose because I Love Lucy was
such a popular show at the time. Even those Natives who choose
reservation life do not always dress or wear their hair
traditionally. We don't expect to see Japanese people walking down
the street in kimonos; why should we expect Natives to be in war
bonnets and beads?
POSTED MAY 12, 1998
Robert B., 39, white male
<bobbess@rev.net>,
Roanoke, VA
FURTHER NOTICE:
Perhaps you don't live near any reservations. I live
rather close to the Oneida and Menominee reservations. There are also
many Native Americans of other tribes living in the area, and they
seem to prefer to live near to centers of Native American culture,
even if they are not from the same tribe. Tribal news is often
reported in the local newspapers, especially news that affects
everybody. Wisconsin's new mining law, and the local protest against
the proposed Crandon sulfide mine which led to its inception, were
started by the Menominees. Political infighting in the Oneida
reservation is front-page news in Green Bay lately. There is
certainly no sign of Indians disappearing from society around
here!
POSTED MAY 27, 1998
Colette, white
<inkwolf@earthlink.net>,
Seymour, WI
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R257: I'm part of a group of people building our own
neighborhood. Although we espouse no particular life philosophy
(we're not a commune), have moderate home prices and have a goal of
age, race and ethnic diversity, we have sold 15 of our 22 lots and
not yet had an offer from an African- or Asian-American family.
Durham has a large middle-class African-American population. We've
been told several times by prospective members of other races that
they want to live in just such a neighborhood, but don't want to be
the first (fill in the blank) on the block. Why not?
POSTED MAY 9, 1998
Jessie H. K. white, various ethnicities
<dahako@aol.com>, Durham,
N.C.
ANSWER 1:
One reason African Americans might be reluctant to be the
first minority is that they might fear their property might be
vandalized. Even though the vast majority of the people living there
are probably fine people, it takes only a knucklehead or two enhanced
with some liquid courage to ruin your investment and peace of mind.
Just last month in my neck of the woods, a black family building a
new house in one of our tonier suburbs were hit by arsonists,
twice.
POSTED MAY 12, 1998
Jay B., black male
<jayboyd@ameritech.net>,
Detroit, MI
FURTHER NOTICE:
Many blacks like to live around other blacks because then
they are not minorities. When you are one out of 20, you are in the
minority. This also could increase the chance for ostracism. If there
were already five people out of 20 who were black, you would have no
problem getting three or four more in a short time.
POSTED MAY 12, 1998
Marc R., black
<romarti@yahoo.com>,
Westbury, NY
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R256: Director's Paraphrase: Coco of Ohio has asked a question
related to the state of his parents' old neighborhood. When his
parents were young, he states, the neighborhood was safe and clean.
But later, after it became more populated with African Americans, it
became what he terms "dangerous" and was not kept up as well, and his
parents felt the need to move to the suburbs. He would like to know
any possible reasons there might be for why the neighborhood
underwent the change.
POSTED MAY 9, 1998
ANSWER 1:
It sounds like your family may be victims of
"blockbusting." In blockbusting, landlords and real estate agents
scare white families into selling their property by telling them
blacks are moving in and their property values will decrease. The
white families sell and move away. However, the property values
actually increase, because black people are more often than not
charged higher rents and have to pay higher mortgages. Therefore, the
landlords and agents make a killing. And honestly, this happens when
members of any group move into an established neighborhood. I want to
know: Did the neighborhood actually experience a rise in crime and an
obvious increase in garbage? Do you think you could have been
responding to stereotypes and "perceived" these differences in the
neighborhood? Also, what class of black people moved in? Were they
poor, middle-class or rich? It sometimes makes a difference.
POSTED MAY 12, 1998
Denise, 26, black, Bronx, NY
FURTHER NOTICE:
I disagree with the "blockbusting" theory, although it may
be true in certain areas. I work as a redevelopment planner in an
urban area in California. Older neighborhoods experience decline due
to suburban sprawl or general economic decline in an area. People
want to buy homes in new developments where there is more
accessibility to shopping, better schools, etc. What happens to many
of the older neighborhoods is that they become renter-occupied, and
renters do not often have the same amount of pride in their property
that owners do. This gets worse when the owners live out of the area
and do not take care of the buildings or screen the behavior of their
tenants.
The same type of thing happens with neighborhood businesses.
Better malls, grocery stores and parking is available in the suburbs,
so good businesses relocate. Once this starts happening in a
neighborhood, it is difficult for the city, police or private
industry to stop it or turn it around. If people are angry or worried
about what's happening to the neighborhoods they grew up in, they
should get involved with their local governments (such as the
redevelopment agency) and work with other residents and businesses to
improve the area.
POSTED JUNE 11, 1998
A.M., white female, Sacramento, CA
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R255: People ask and debate about reparations and public
apologies for the enslavement of blacks. Has there ever been a formal
apology for the Jim Crow/segregational period? If so, when was it
made? If not, why not?
POSTED MAY 9, 1998
Kara, Japan
ANSWER 1:
There has never been an apology for the Jim Crow era. I
think this is because the United States does not want to openly admit
wrongs done against blacks with slavery and Jim Crow laws.
POSTED MAY 21, 1998
T Spen, 26, African American
<auset2be@aol.com>,
Largo, MD
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R254: Why do Asian women seem to have a stronger preference
for dating and marrying white men rather than black or Latino
men?
POSTED MAY 9, 1998
Jim B., 40, African-American, Boston, MA
ANSWER 1:
I date white guys because I live in a small town and have
not had much exposure to other Asians, blacks or latinos. I'm not
saying I wouldn't date a non-white; I just haven't met any.
POSTED MAY 17, 1998
Melissa, 16, Asian female
<voodoochild98@hotmail.com>,
MI
FURTHER NOTICE:
To Melissa: In your case, it may be true that you have no
choice. In the real world, perceptions/stereotypes play a huge role
in our lives. The United States is still a white man's world. As
such, white men are advertised as hip, clean, healthy and desirable.
And so they are seen as better than other alternatives. As for Asian
men, I am a Chinese man, and we are stereotyped as brainy and
therefore nerdy. And nerdy is not desirable in America, is it? We are
also portrayed as weak, pushovers and generally best in supporting
roles, even though Asian men have made great strides in the research
and development field, high-tech or not. By the way, you don't have
to believe me, just watch some TV shows and movies. Perhaps this is
the main reason for the lop-sidedness in Asian women marrying white
men in comparison to Asian men marrying white women. And if you still
think your situation is not unique, come to Standford, Calif., and
sit in one of those sidewalk cafes. You will see 99 percent of the
Asian/white couples are exclusively Asian women and white men, where
Asian men are not hard to find. The best thing you can do is when you
see one of those TV shows, try to feel the pain of your father trying
to make a living in the white world.
POSTED JUNE 28, 1998
Joe C., Fremont, CA
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R253: Why is it that most African Americans don't appear to
recognize the late Jimi Hendrix as one of their own? He was a great
guitarist.
POSTED MAY 9, 1998
Jroc, Pontiac, MI
ANSWER 1:
Even when Jimi Hendrix was alive, he was not very popular
with most African Americans because the music he played was not what
we were listening to. That is not to say that none of us listened to
him. My husband is quite a fan.
POSTED MAY 12, 1998
Rain, Dallas, TX
FURTHER NOTICE:
Rock n' roll is strongly rooted in black American music
(the blues), and by the time Jimi Hendrix came onto the scene in the
late 60s, there was a racial schism in popular music. The bulk of
black pop music fans were listening to "rhythm & blues," where
the emphasis is placed on vocalists rather than instrumentalists. By
that time, rock n' roll was considered "white" music, and radio
stations that catered to black audiences didn't play much of it
during peak listening hours. So the short answer is that most blacks
just aren't regular listeners to rock n' roll; so they aren't as
familiar with Jimi Hendrix as a white person who listens to rock
would be.
POSTED MAY 12, 1998
Jay B., black male
<jayboyd@ameritech.net>,
Detroit, MI
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R252: Why does it seem that Caucasians, moreso than other
races, enjoy flirting with death by engaging in such activities as
skydiving, bungie-jumping, mountain climbing and car and speedboat
racing?
POSTED MAY 9, 1998
Charles W.
<cwatford@haleybp.com>,
Arlington, VA
ANSWER 1:
Good question. One reason might be that they have the cash
to pursue expensive hobbies. But I see what you are getting at.
POSTED MAY 12, 1998
Joseph
<joseph.moosman@mailexcite.com>,
Karlsborg, Sweden
FURTHER NOTICE:
Perhaps white people engage more often in high-risk
entertainment because we feel less danger and conflict within our
everyday environment. I do not mean simply within a home environment,
but also at work and school. A number of my black friends have
expressed dismay over constantly having to be conscious of how they
are perceived in their respective offices, ranging from their
appearance to speech. These are not concerns I worry about. This
could be at the heart of your question. As a white person, however, I
can assure you I have absolutely no interest in flinging myself out
of a plane.
POSTED MAY 14, 1998
J.C., white male
<dolemite_jr@hotmail.com>,
Atlanta, GA
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
One theory is that people have to have a certain level of
risk in their lives to truly feel alive. When life gets too
comfortable, people look for ways to add risk. That may explain why
it can be so hard to regulate people's behaviors, even when it's "for
their own good." If risk-taking is more prevalent in white society,
it's probably only a matter of time, as blacks gain economic status,
before you see it become more common. This has been a common theme in
literature (i.e. Albert Camus) and music (i.e. Prince). It's fairly
well-recognized but not necessarily scientifically quantified.
POSTED MAY 14, 1998
Peter P., white male
<PPROUT20@aol.com>,
Redford, MI
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
Many scientists believe the predisposition of an
individual to be a "risk-taker" is genetic. So being a so-called
"daredevil" may be directly related to the same forces that have
driven the white race to partake in acts of war and conquest, the
acquisition of culture and many other risk-natured endeavors.
POSTED MAY 14, 1998
Steven T., 24, white
<genious@mindless.com>,
St. Louis, MO
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
To Steven T.: You must be talking about white male
genes. I am an Anglo female who was afraid to participate in
gymnastics in school because of the risk of falling and breaking my
neck. To this day, I won't water ski, ice skate, cliff walk, drive
like a maniac or do anything that appears to involve a good
likelihood of causing bodily harm. And yet my ancestry is solidly
European.
POSTED MAY 21, 1998
Lynette
<lcbrimble@shellus.com>,
Houston, TX
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
I don't think there's a genetic component or racial
variable to this. People throughout Latin America as well as in such
countries as Japan, Spain, India and other areas defined by their
ethnicity also engage in these leisure activities or sports. I
believe it has more to do with economic power (save for
bungie-jumping, the others can be quite costly to pursue) than with
race, ethnicity or national origin.
POSTED MAY 26, 1998
PRow <PRnole@aol.com>,
Tallahassee, FL
FURTHER NOTICE 6:
People can become addicted to risk - actually, the
addiction is probably to the adrenaline rush associated with taking
risk. I am a librarian and teacher who has dealt with teaching high
schoolers about addiction. The list of addiction-education films that
touch on the idea of risk-addiction is extremely long.
POSTED JUNE 14, 1998
Jscott, white female
<jscott@cybertrails.com>,
Chinle, AZ
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R251: Please help me in a delicate situation: With Chinese
names, how does one know which is the surname and which is the given
name? I am in correspondence with a person and am not sure how to
address the letter. Also, I can't tell gender. I know I should just
ask, but feel awkward and embarrassed to do so.
POSTED MAY 6, 1998
Giah S. <Nayvay@aol.com>,
Detroit, MI
ANSWER 1:
I have lived in Asia for 10 years and am a fluent speaker
of Mandarin Chinese. The general rule is that Chinese people write
their last name first. For example, if the last name is "Chen" and
first name is "Mei Ling," then they will write "Chen Mei Ling."
However, it is possible that, in anticipation of a Western reader,
they may write the name "Western-style," such as "Mei Ling Chen."
Because there are a relatively small number of Chinese surnames, it
is generally possible for a Chinese speaker to determine which name
is the surname. But I am certain the person with whom you are
corresponding will understand your question and would not be offended
if you asked which name is the surname. The same goes for gender. I
have found that even Chinese people have difficulty determining the
gender simply by looking at the Chinese name, unless it is a commonly
used female or male name or unless the Chinese Characters are written
out and are unambiguously female or male in nature.
POSTED JUNE 16, 1998
B. Lee
<brooklee@hotmail.com>,
Hong Kong
FURTHER NOTICE:
Chinese and other Asian individuals have similar
difficulties with North American names. In addition to the very good
advice offered above, I would suggest you ask your correspondent
about the meaning and/or origin of his/her name, and provide some
information about your own. Most people are flattered and grateful
for the opportunity to discuss matters related to their own cultural
and family traditions.
POSTED JULY 20, 1998
Patricia M., white female, Regina , Saskatchewan, Canada
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I am studying Japanese and have many Japanese email pals I
"meet" on the Internet. I am often confused about whether they are
writing their names in "my" style or "their" style. And I often have
no idea of their gender based on their name. So I just ask, begging
their pardon for my ignorance. None of them have ever seemed
offended, and many reply, "Oh, I'm so glad you asked because I cannot
tell about your name or gender, either!"
POSTED OCT. 14, 1998
Midori, 38, white female
<midorichan1@juno.com>,
Orlando, FL
To respond
BACK TO TOP