Race/Ethnicity Questions 381-390

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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