I'm an average American girl. I go to an average public high school. I have friends. I watch television. I do homework. I am just like every other teenager. Oh, I forgot to mention I am white.
My high school has an estimated 150:200 ration of African Americans to Caucasians. We try to get along. Nobody tries to make waves, even though sometimes it does happen.
My Honors Chemistry class last year was predominantly white, which is odd for a class at this school. One day, we were getting ready for a lab, a white boy (let’s just call him Bob) yelled across the room to one of his African American friends (his alias will be Fred). He yelled "Hey Midnight!" Other African American boys called Fred by that nickname, and I guess Bob thought it was okay too. Fred got really angry really fast. He started calling Bob racist, and he even threw a chair. Bob started fighting back too. Both boys got suspended, and for a few weeks communication between the races basically ceased to exist. It was terrible.
However, I’m called “that skinny white girl,” all the time. I get it in hallways, in the cafeteria, in gym class. I mean, not only is there more than one “skinny white girl,” but it takes away part of our identity. Instead of being individuals, we are all demoted to being “skinny white girls.” I mean, I’m sure that some of the people that call me a “skinny white girl” don’t know my name, but that isn’t really an excuse. They could learn my name. We could become friends.
Another thing, I never call anyone “skinny black girl.” If I did, I could face criticism for categorizing someone based on their skin color. If I did, I would quite possible be called racist. It would be the Fred-Bob thing all over again, or at least that is how I see it happening.
Frankly, I’m tired of being a “skinny white girl.” I don’t understand why it’s acceptable to call me that. I don’t understand why this issue has not been addressed before. Racism goes both ways.
I've been called "Skinny White Girl" too many times
By sailorgrrl09 - Posted on March 23rd, 2008
This issue has been addresed many times before but how do you stop it without sounding like a racist?
This has been addressed before, many times. Next time they call you that, just tell them in a nice way what your name is and they might take it, or throw it in your face. You might as well try to do something about it though if it bothers you so much.
Next time it happens, say, "My name isn't skinny white girl, it's [insert name]". I doubt people would call you racist for telling them not to address you that way.
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
I think we should regress to the beginning
What I don't understand about this whole situation is why Fred became so enraged with Bob if they were friends. It seems like those "racial faux-pas" would be tolerated or overlooked more frequently if they occurred between friends. Maybe Fred was just sick of everyone calling him Midnight. In my personal experience, it appears as though minority groups often use more derogatory monikers when talking to their friends within the same race. So maybe Fred was tired of hearing "Hey Midnight" all the time and suddenly snapped at Bob or maybe he felt his actions would be more jusitified if he acted out against a white person.
It's called "White Privilege," edited by Paula S Rothenberg. It addresses many of the concerns you bring up in this blog, and it is a really interesting read. It is a book of essays, so it gives many different perspectives and it is one of those things you can read little by little as time permits.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
young people basically do what older people teach them to do. I can attest to my upbringing as a young black man, that my older family members would tell me to never let a person not of your race make any comment that refers to your race.
Simeltaneously, they would not realize that when they refered to caucasian people all they would say was "white boy" this, and "white girl" that. Its hypocracy.
And it teaches young people to be hostile to others. Its a defense mechanism.
Just look past it. Understand that it takes a certain level of maturity to step back and address your behaviors in the third person. So, if you can do it, then you have to also understand that others are not quite on your level. Maturity wise.
"my first name must be, "He aint sh@t", cause everytime I come through, yall be like "He aint sh@t"!....I'll be dat" --Redman
"Anything that can go wrong, Will go wrong"----Murphy's Law
Understand that it takes a certain level of maturity to step back and address your behaviors in the third person.
perfectly said. One of the marks of true maturity is to be able to ascess a situation from an outside perspective, not letting your emotions concerning the subject to cloud your judgment.