[Berto]

I think this is far more complicated than many people will admit. I’m black and will concede that it’s probably OK to identify someone by his race if it’s done in a non-prejudicial manner. But I can tell you, even in California, most likely the most ethnically diverse state in the US, it is much less often white people who are identified by their race – and they comprise LESS than 50% of the population here! Is this direct racism? I don’t think so. But, in our (US) culture, I think whiteness is the template against which the other ‘races’ are judged or measured. Why? Because despite our growing ethnic diversity, our society is still mostly white. So, when we see a black, Asian, or Arab individual, his or ‘blackness’ or ‘Asian-ness’ or ‘Arab-ness’ is likely the first and most defining characteristic. Conversely, a white person is characterized first as blond, or fat, or ugly, or pretty, or smart or whatever. His or her whiteness is assumed or given unless proven otherwise. Do I like this? No. For much of my life, it has made me feel ‘exoticized’ and not in a good way. But, it’s probably unavoidable. When I look in the mirror, my blackness is incidental not defining. Am I ‘sensitive’ to this? Maybe. But I’m hardly the only one in this situation who feels this way. However, I have to admit, this is not the biggest deal in the world even as it is truly annoying to me. When the proportion of races is more equal or when the ethnic and racial diversity increases even more, whites will be increasingly defined by their own whiteness, too.

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Name : Berto, Gender : M, Religion : Secular Humanist, Age : 34, City : Central Valley, State : CA, Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

[Berto]

Brutally honest? I think most gay/bisexual people find black people least attractive in the same-sex hierarchy. It sucks. You just gotta suck it up, I guess. Happy hunting.

User Detail :  

Name : Berto, Gender : M, Religion : Secular Humanist, Age : 34, City : Central Valley, State : CA, Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

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