Race/Ethnicity
Questions 381-390
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THE
QUESTION:
R390: I have a personal and professional goal of learning as
much as possible about ethnic diversity. I work in Human Resources in
a fairly diverse small company. I'm a white female and feel I need a
black "mentor" of sorts whom I can ask questions of. But I'm afraid
to approach one of my co-workers because I don't know if I'll be
understood. I guess I can never be an insider, but can I work on the
fringes of black culture in an effort to learn and help increase
understanding among the races and ethnic groups?
POSTED JULY 29, 1998
Barbara S.,
sudek@worldnet.att.net
ANSWER 1:
Black people understand white people far better than vice
versa. What you want to learn can only be learned in an authentic
context, through real black friends, and I think it's entirely
justified that you will have to prove yourself. The great gift of
being part of an outsider culture is that you know authenticity and
inauthenticity when you see them.
POSTED AUG. 7, 1998
Max H., whitish queer male, Oakland , CA
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R389: Why is it that one gender of an ethnicity will be
commonly considered more attractive by people of other ethnicities
than the other? For example, it's my impression that people of many
ethnicities find black men attractive but black women less so, and
that the opposite is true with Asians.
POSTED JULY 29, 1998
B. Douglas, white, Charleston, SC
ANSWER 1:
White-European stereotypes ascribe gender-appropriateness
to perceived racial/cultural characteristics, no matter how cliched
and stereotypical those perceptions are. In our stereotypic
nomenclature, demure behavior, small stature, fine features and
smooth bodies are viewed as feminine ideals, and Asian people are
stereotypically seen as conforming to that ideal. Similarly, black
people are seen as big, strong, aggressive - the male stereotypes. I
think these stereotypes suck, but I think you're right, they are
commonly believed.
POSTED AUG. 7, 1998
Max H., pan-racial queer, Oakland, CA
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R388: It seems to me that many black people, despite the fact
that they are intelligent, believe in irrational conspiracy theories.
Why is this?
POSTED JULY 29, 1998
B. Douglas, white, Charleston, SC
ANSWER 1:
The experience of black people (and gay people) is that we
are indeed conspired against, and when we speak out, we are called
irrational. This is not the experience of most white people.
POSTED AUG. 7, 1998
Max H., queer irrational conspiracy victim, Oakland, CA
FURTHER NOTICE:
I believe you're correct when you observe that blacks tend
to subscribe to numerous conspiracy theories. As to the rationality
(or lack thereof) of these theories, please recall that the white
power structure has done some fairly bizarre things to black people
over the years. As an example, white America was only recently made
aware that poor, Southern blacks were used as guinea pigs in the
1930s to see the effects of syphilis on the human body. Also recall
that until very recently what the Bill of Rights and the U.S.
Constitution said were in direct disharmony with the reality of black
existence in this country. Therefore, when you consider that blacks,
like any other intelligent beings, learn from history, it stands to
reason we would often doubt the "official" version of events.
POSTED AUG. 24, 1998
Sanford F., 51, Afro American
<sfinley@earthlink.net>,
Naperville, IL
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Here are some thoughts: Black people have been suppressed
for many centuries. We were preparing to put a man on the moon in
1968, and many Jim Crow laws still existed. Segregation was legalized
by federal and state goverments just 30 years ago. The Constitution
stated that blacks were three-fifths of a man for hundreds of years.
Black people have only recently been given the opportunity to have an
equal playing field. The National Guard escorted children to school
to protect them from violent "citizen groups" in the 1960s. Black
athletes were not at white colleges in the 1950s. The federal, state
and local goverment allowed this atmosphere to exist. Operation
COINTEL-PRO. Hoover said, "Black nationalists are the biggest threat
to American security" with a straight face. Crack's emergence in
America's urban areas, although most ghettoites don't have a Cadillac
for transportation. Gary Web. Military personnel acknowledge that
drugs were transported via airbases. Although satellites can read
your address, drugs are imported yearly. I don't believe in a master
conspiracy, but the facts remain constant.
POSTED FEB. 1, 1999
SouthCentraLa, 29, black male
<SouthLaCa@aol.com>,
Quartz Hill, Ca
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R387: Are Colin Powell and Clarence Thomas generally accepted
as leaders/spokesmen for the African-American community? If not, why
not?
POSTED JULY 28, 1998
R. Brining, 45, European-American, Wenonah, NJ
ANSWER 1:
They generally are not because they are Republican, and blacks
historically have been Democrats. As a black American, I like them
because of their achievements. Politics doesn't interest me.
POSTED JAN. 20, 1999
A.A.W., 42, black female
<ANABWI@aol.com>,
Plantation , FL
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R386: Why do many black males like to lay back in their seats
while driving? It seems to me that driving this way would be
dangerous.
POSTED JULY 28, 1998
Joshua H., 21, white male, Charlotte, NC
ANSWER 1:
Here in California, you see people of all races and both
genders leaning back in their seats while driving. Perhaps they have
longer legs than ours; perhaps they are tired and just want to
stretch out?
POSTED SEPT. 4, 1998
Mimi, 37, female, Sunnyvale, CA
FURTHER NOTICE:
Because they think it's cool.
POSTED JAN. 20, 1999
A.A.W., 42, black female
<ANABWI@aol.com>,
Plantation, FL
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R385: I am curious about why fewer African-American women than
white women shave their legs and armpits.
POSTED JULY 27, 1998
Yupert M.
<ymagalakatty@aol.com>,
Detroit, MI
ANSWER 1:
In Africa, women with hairy legs and small facial hair are
considered very beautiful and exotic.
POSTED JAN. 6, 1999
Ify, black
<ifebigh77@hotmail.com>,
Miami, FL
FURTHER NOTICE:
I was not aware that fewer of us shaved our legs and
armpits. All women where I'm from (about age 13 or 14 on up) shave
their legs and armpits. I think you may have seen a couple of black
women with unshaved legs and armpits and this made you concentrate on
trying to see if this was like a "black" thing. If I see something
about a people (ethnicities, age groups, creed, religion, etc.) that
intrigues me, I go out of my way to see if it's the habit of just a
few or the whole. Example: Why do older men tend to wear their pants
so high on their waists? Is it just a few, or does it seem to be the
whole group?
POSTED JAN. 6, 1999
Whitney T., 18, black female
<wkthomps@olemiss.edu>,
Oxford, MS
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I have lived in many very racially diverse regions. I have
never found the situation behind your question to be true. I have met
just as many (if not more) white women who have hair on their legs
and under their arms. Many of these women say this is a reflection of
their acceptance of and continuing efforts in the women's movement.
In my experience, I find that it is not a racial issue, but more of a
feminist one.
POSTED JAN. 18, 1999
Krystal R., 18, white, female
<rubytuesday_2@hotmail.com>,
Surfside Beach, SC
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
It's a cultural thing. Hair tends not to show much on
darker skin, so we didn't cut it, at least that's what my mom told
me. I shave occasionally, but don't think it's a priority. But I do
shave the armpits; I seem to perspire less when I do.
POSTED JAN. 20, 1999
A.A.W., 42, black female
<ANABWI@aol.com>,
Plantation , FL
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
I can't speak for every black woman, but I shave my legs
and armpits. I don't know who you are around everyday, but the people
I'm with shave. I think hairy arms and legs on women, especially
black women, is unattractive because hair on us is more visible than
on most white women.
POSTED JAN. 21, 1999
S.G.M., 26, black female
<smickles@hotmail.com>,
Birmingham, AL
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
I shave, and I was taught by a black woman (my mom) to do
so. This is a generalization. Until someone has looked at the armpits
of all black and white women, I will not believe white women shave
more than black women.
POSTED FEB. 1, 1999
Wanda, black female
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R384: Why do some African-American fraternities "brand" their
members? As a white female, a brand reminds me of slavery.
POSTED JULY 27, 1998
Monica W., 31, white, Greensboro, NC
ANSWER 1:
This "branding" is nothing more than a form of tattooing,
which has been an extremely popular practice in many, many cultures
for centuries. It asserts the strength of one's volitional
committment and allegiance to a particular body, set of concepts or
ideology. The demeaning branding in slavery had no such lofty
intents, but, like branding of animals, was a forced stamp signifying
that an indiividual was not his own person but the property of
another individual. The number of black males with fraternity tattoos
dims in comparison to the thousands of white American males (and a
large and growing number of white females) who have been tattooed for
almost every conceivable reason.
POSTED SEPT. 19, 1998
F.L.W.
<110555.2423@compuserve.com>,
Columbia, MD
FURTHER NOTICE:
I am a member of the first black fraternity - Alpha Phi
Alpha. There are four major national fraternities, and none of them
require that members receive a branding; however, brothers may
receive a branding on their own if they desire. The practice of
branding was popular durng the early days of black frats. My
fraternity was founded in 1906, and during that time lynchings and
other atrocities against black people were common. Branding was a
symbolic way of empowerment for those few black men fortunate enough
to attend college. It was a sign of strength (how many people would
"choose" to put themselves through such pain) and brotherhood. Today,
branding has become a symbol of masculinity. It's sort of a badge of
honor in the black Greek world. The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity has the
reputation of being the "macho" or masculine frat, and many of its
members are branded. Again, it's not a requirement of membership and
in some chapters it's discouraged.
POSTED JAN. 6, 1999
Tony W., black male, San Francisco, CA
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I'm responding on behalf of my husband, who has one of
those stupid brands. At the time, he thought it was cool and gave hmi
a sense of belonging; hence, "fraternity." But now that he's older
and wiser, he knows those thoughts didn't and don't put bread on our
table. Young foolishness!
POSTED JAN. 20, 1999
A.A.W., 42 black female
<ANABWI@aol.com>,
Plantation, FL
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R383: Why are long, elaborate fake nails so popular among
urban black women? Don't these interfere with daily tasks? Do black
men find these nails attractive?
POSTED JULY 27, 1998
J.A.B, 25, white, Pikesville, MD
ANSWER 1:
I have artificial nails and get a lot of compliments. Most
of the girls I know get them because they look good continually, the
polish stays on longer than your real nails and they help stop
annoying habits like biting your nails. A lot of black men love them,
I don't know why exactly, and are willing to pay for their women to
have them done. Long nails are really impractical. I keep mine fairly
short (they're still kind of long) during the school year so I can
type and play the piano. You just adjust to them.
POSTED SEPT. 28, 1998
Kaleah, 18, black high school student, Houston, Texas
FURTHER NOTICE:
As part of our African heritage, we love to decorate our
bodies with elaborate braids, beads in our hair and jewelry on our
ears, hands, arms, fingers, necks and toes. Fingernails are no
exception. And we really love vivid colors, probably because of
African wildlife, especially birds and fish. Imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery, and I notice more and more white people
are copying what we have always done in this area. I remember in the
1960s when white men only wore black, navy, brown or gray suits, and
white women's earrings were no bigger than a green pea. Today, they
have joined the brothers and sisters and are also wearing vivid
colors and large earrings, sometimes multiple earrings!
POSTED NOV. 9, 1998
Jaye, 63, black female, Detroit, MI
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I think it's a trend. Long nails are in. I don't believe
black men find us more attractive with long nails. I have an aunt who
lives in California, and in the area in which she lives, it seems
every woman who has nails has like 3- or 4-inch long nails. It's just
style. The nails may slow them down, but only a little. My aunt does
everything I do, only with her knuckles!
Whitney T., 18, black female, natural nails
<wkthomps@olemiss.edu>,
Oxford, MS
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
I find long fake nails repulsive. I only allow my wife to
have manicured, painted, natural nails. Although it is wrong to
generalize, many people from the same areas (urban inner-city,
rural-country, or professional-city) tend to follow the same
trends.
POSTED FEB. 1, 1999
SouthCentraLa, 29, black male
<SouthLaCa@aol.com>,
Quartz Hill, Ca
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R382: Why is it that many Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics
speak so loudly when in groups?
POSTED JULY 26, 1998
Sage
<mcsage@bigfoot.com,>,
Brooklyn , NY
ANSWER 1:
I lived in Venezuela for seven weeks when I was in high
school, so hopefully I can somewhat explain. Hopefully without coming
off as stereotyping, this is the way I see it: Northern European,
Middle Eastern and Asian cultures are very inhibited as far as
talking and touching in public go. So folks from those regions tend
to be more reserved in public. Southern European (i.e.: Spain,
Portugal, Italy, Greece), Latin American and at least some African
cultures are less inhibited about talking and touching in public.
Folks from these regions are often more vociferous and gregarious.
There are exceptions of course, and I am only describing broad
cultural patterns, not written-in-stone deterministic traits. It's
hard to explain why these patterns exist, though I think religion
plays a factor (ex.: Protestantism in Northern Europe and Islam in
the Middle East and parts of Asia). It's critical to understand these
culutural backgrounds, so that when you ask someone to quiet down,
you do so in a polite and non-judgmental way and don't offend others
by appearing to be prejudiced.
POSTED NOV. 21, 1998
Mihir, Indian-American male, 25
<mishah@vt.edu>, Skokie,
IL
FURTHER NOTICE:
It's an absolutely true cultural thing. There are many
kinds of Hispanics, and the social and educational level has to do
with their conduct, but in general, we tend to be louder and more
visible than many other discreet and serious people. I don't really
want to say it in everyone's face, but the reason we act like we do
is that we don't care about who or what's around us when it comes to
having a good time and enjoying life with our friends (or having an
argument). Our sense of privacy is not so strict, so if you hear our
conversation or what we're joking about, fine, laugh with us and join
the fun. Being happy, dancing, messing around and laughing out loud
is sort of in our blood. We are a mixed breed of native indigenous,
white European and black; we picked up this particular trait
somewhere in the mix.
POSTED JAN. 22, 1999
Nelson A., 29, white, Hispanic
<nelsoneas@hotmail.com>,
Caracas, Venezuela
To respond
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THE QUESTION:
R381: I am white and work at a university where you have to
show an ID to get in the building. The security guards are all -
without exception - African American. Usually they don't ask to see
my ID, even if they've never seen me before. But they do ask blacks
and Hispanics for their IDs. Why is this? Do they not see me as a
security risk, and if so, why?
POSTED JULY 22, 1998
Tim, 33, white
<tcran@hotmail.com>, NY,
NY
ANSWER 1:
With the setting being a university, which has a lot of
professional staff, the guards might assume that because you are
white, you have a business to be there. In contrast, those who are of
other races may not be seen as likely to be employees or students
(you did not state whether the environment you work in is
predominantly white or black), and are perceived to be outsiders and
thus would likely get stopped. Also, consider the possibility that
they may have been instructed by supervisors to do exactly as you
stated in the scenario: Not to stop white patrons unless they
obviously look suspicious, for fear of offending certain employees or
being accused of harassment.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Sudana, 27
<Ebonique@msn.com>, New
York , NY
FURTHER NOTICE:
In the military, security people are trained to check
everyone's ID. This is because, even if the person is known, they may
have been identified as a security risk yesterday and had their
access privilege removed. It is just good practice to check all
equally. The security people are also trained, particularly in
sensitive areas, to look for particular profiles of characteristics
that can be indicators of trouble. I refer to the military because it
is one of the organizations in the United States that takes this very
seriously and probably does the best job at it. In the military and
everywhere else, security people are sometimes improperly trained, or
they forget their training, or they simply don't want to confront
other people, or they just get tired and bored, and they are
inadequately managed, so they get away with it. I suspect the
behavior you are seeing is a combination of these. Surely there is
some prejudice involved. Also, it is possible that the blacks and
Hispanics complain less about it. I suggest you provide your concern
to the school administration (either anonymously or with your name).
They probably do not know this is going on.
POSTED DEC. 15, 1998
Steve T., 49, mobile worker, Rochester, MN
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I think you are correct. They do not see you as a threat.
Due to fears and stereotypes, we as blacks and Hispanics are judged
harshly when it comes to things like security. I am a professional,
college-educated black woman, and some people still see me as a
threat. It's difficult to change the way some people feel without
exploring why they feel the way they do. It's probably due to a
negetive experience they've had with a black or Hispanic person in
the past. We tend to base a lot on past experiences. It's more
important that you do not feel that way. Then we can begin tearing
apart those fears and stereotypes one person at a time. Until we can
get past these fears, people like myself will continue to be judged
unfairly.
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
Kenya, black female
<kenyaa@earthlink.net>,
Long Beach , CA
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