Race and Gender
I've been thinking about race lately. For two reasons. One was that while I was in Michigan, I caught the second half of this episode of the Larry Elder Show. The second was a woman I met in Michigan.The Larry Elders episode was all about segregation by choice. The first segment (that I caught) was a discussion about possible plans to develop "African Town", a section of Detroit dedicated to African American-geared businesses owned by African Americans. It was very interesting. The debate focused on the differences between "Greektown" which consists of a lot (although not exclusively) Greek-owned businesses. Greektown, from what I can gather, has been around for generations and developed somewhat informally as people immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Detroit. Which is slightly, yet distinctly different than a government appointed section of town dedicated to African Americans, using at least some government money.
The section section of the show I saw was about Wells College, a women's college which is set to go co-ed next fall. The current students are outraged, but Larry Elders presented this as yet another form of segregation by choice--although he was quick to point out that the current students signed up for the experience of an all-women's college and should be given that. It got me to thinking about women's colleges, and thinking about particularly my friend Michelle. I don't doubt all the positives of going to an all women's college. I went an all girls' high school and LOVED it. But when I think of the male equivalent, an all-male college, the thought makes me cringe. How can we have women's colleges if we can't have men's colleges? I know there's a bunch of research out on this stuff and I'll be the first to admit that I haven't kept up on my higher ed reading. I'm just thinking....
The second thing that had me thinking of race, as I mentioned, was a woman in Michigan. She was the front desk attending at the hotel I stayed at. We got to talking about names somehow and she mentioned that so many people commented about how "strange" it was for her German last name, when she was obviously Black. Apparently a lot of her Black friends ask how she could possibly have a German last name, to which her usual retort is, "You'd have to ask my mother about that." She and I had a pleasant conversation and I got to thinking. Lots of my friends are mixed nationalities. If you fall under the "Caucasian" category, that's the norm. When people ask "what I am" I usually say, "mostly Irish." Truth is I'm a mix of Irish, Norwegian and English. But my mother is half-Irish and my father is almost entirely Irish, so that what I go with. But I'm a European mutt. The only time I ever think of myself as "white" or Caucasian is if I'm in the middle of a conversation about race or if I'm checking off a box on a form. I don't think of myself in terms of my whiteness. I don't "embrace" my whiteness or feel "empowered" by it (shutter). Can you even imagine saying such a thing?
But this woman I was speaking to felt that Blacks don't often think in terms of nationality. While some distinctions are made (i.e. African-American, Haitian-American), she felt that Blacks think of themselves in terms of race instead of nationality. Her friends find it totally weird that she's Black AND German, while most Caucasians think nothing of being more than one nationality. I know a woman who recently returned from a safari in African and says that the Kenyans she met were outraged that Blacks in the United States refer to themselves as African Americans, when most had not ever even been to Africa.
Again, just some passing thoughts I had while away. I'm not saying one way of thinking or labeling oneself is better than another.
I thought of my maternal grandfather, the second son of Norwegian immigrants. He would argue that I am not Irish nor English nor Norwegian. He would say I was American, plain and simple.
posted by DJ Heavy D @ 7:00 AM
2 Comments:
I tend to think of myself as American because it is a mouthful to explain my background.
My mother is almost exclusively Irish. The way I've heard it, my grandfather had a touch of Pennsylvania Dutch in him. I think it's telling that he uses that term and not German. Makes sense since he's of the WWII generation.
My dad is Puerto Rican (half), Italian (one quarter) and Polish (one quarter).
I have always said that we would identify much more as hispanic if my grandfather was alive. He died two weeks before my parents met so we never got that heritage from him. He also would not allow his kids to learn spanish because he did not want them to speak with an accent- he thought it would hold them back.
I never want to deny that I am hispanic. But statistically, I've heard that claiming a race requires two grandparents from that origin. That at least gave me a guideline. When it's an option, I check "other" just on principle.
Onto the term African American. There is a woman in my office from Africa who told another staff member that she didn't think Black Americans should call themselves African Americans. The other African-Americans in the office were quite insulted.
With respect to women's colleges, I am obviously an advocate. I see the argument about men's college's making you cringe, me too. But I suppose until we live in a society that values men and women equally, and treats men and women equally I will always advocate women's education. Christy made a great point the other night, women's colleges are great for very smart girls, shy girls, and girls who need or want to be empowered. I do think that women can get those things at co-ed schools, but there is something special about the environment of an all women's college. Dare I say there is something magical about it? Maybe that is just me.
I think the self-segregation idea is interesting, though the baggage that comes along with the term segregation is troubling. I love the idea of Greektown, just like I love Little Italy or the Italian Market, or African American pride or gay pride. When you are part of a minority it feels empowering and positive to share in something with others in the community. There was an interesting article in the Advocate a few weeks ago written by a lesbian. She and her partner and their children are very "assimilated" into there New England community, there are 3 of 19 kids in the preschool class that have two moms. As good as that may sound, as good as being "normal" and included is, she felt the need for her queer identity. Some people struggle for so long to assimilate to feel normal, but when it comes down to it we are different and that is not a bad thing. Black men and women share something that we as white women cannot understand, just as my lesbianism ties me to a community that my straight friends, no matter how accepting and allied they are, cannot quite understand. There is power in a shared experience, a shared facet of ourselves. I think self segregation is natural. Like is drawn to like and often that can be a powerful and wonderful thing, as long as it is not exclusive. When the self segregation turns into an imposed exclusion of others it is trouble.
That is my two cents.
M
Post a Comment
<< Home