Race/Ethnicity Questions 491-500

THE QUESTION:
R500: Why don’t immigrants share the same interest in learning English and American customs as their fellow countrymen did when immigrating to the United States years ago? Becoming “American” doesn’t mean forgetting about your heritage, but shouldn’t it mean learning and participating in our culture, learning our language and learning our value systems? Or do many people now come here simply to work, with no intention of “becoming American?”
POSTED OCT. 26, 1998
Robert A., gay male, Swedish ancestry, Houston, TX

ANSWER 1:
What do you mean by “American customs?” When was English declared the official language of the United States? I do know that in some parts of America (Puerto Rico), Spanish is the official language, with English also taught. I am in the military, and having lived all over the United States, I still wonder what U.S. customs are. From New York to L.A. the language (slang) changes, along with other behaviors. I was just an American while living overseas. When I returned to the United States (to serve in the military), I was told I was now a Puerto Rican. This by virtue of the fact that that was where my grandfather was born! The only American custom I can see is one of “Everyone must confrom to my belief system and talk to me in the language I know!” Many Americans take this attitude with them when they go to other countries. This I have seen firsthand. As a U.S. citizen and member of the nation’s armed forces, I have to say that America is no longer the “melting pot” people once fantasized about. We are a salad bowl, and with each unique part we grow better. No one has to lose their identity to be a part of this nation. You state that you are gay. I have heard many people state that gays should change their “preference” to fit in. Can you change who you are just because others disagree with what you are?
POSTED OCT. 29, 1998
Frank, 31, white Anglo-Hispanic Pagan <gonzalez1@hauns.com>, Alamogordo, NM

FURTHER NOTICE:
When you say that previous immigrants were eager to learn to be American, you are making a very unfounded assumption.

Wisconsin had huge German-speaking communities well into this century – until the time of World War I, when they were compelled by increasing discrimination and federal interference to become “Real Americans.” (The government threatened to withdraw all funding from any school that taught in German – sound familiar?)

This country was always divided into communities of Polish, Italians, Belgians, Chinese, etc., who lived near each other to be in a linguistically and culturally familiar area – until vandalism, violence and threats from “Real Americans” forced them to conform. In the past, as in the present, people like the Cajuns and Native Americans have been attacked, beaten, regulated and even killed for not speaking English or not being “Real Americans.” In my opinion, it’s a holdover from the English heritage of our early government – the reason Gaelic is a dead language is that when the English took over Ireland, they forced the Irish to speak English only.

The only immigrants I’ve met or heard of who were actually enthusiastic about becoming more “American” are children (who want to be like their peers more than anything else) and refugees from oppressive regimes, who lived in enough insecurity, poverty, and danger that America really seems like a land of freedom and plenty.
POSTED OCT. 29, 1998
Colette <inkwolf@earthlink.net>, Seymour, WI

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I think all immigrants try to learn English. Many, like my Filipina wife, knew English before coming here and speak it better, without any slang, than most Americans. In fact, the challenge is to try to hold onto the language in the face of great pressure to abandon it by many who consider it “un-American.” If you look in the past, the pressure to make immigrants lose their language was suspiscion of the “foreignness” of Eastern and Southern Europeans. The Pledge of Allegiance was invented around 1900 to instill loyalty in immigrant schoolchildren. Some of the same hostility is still around today. We intend to teach our children Tagalog and Spanish as well as English. The trick is to have each parent speak in only one language to the child until they are 5 or 6 years old. My parents will speak to their grandchildren only in Spanish. I urge other parents to do the same and hold onto their heritage in the face of pressure to “Americanize.”
POSTED OCT. 30, 1998
A.C.C., Mexican and American Indian, San Antonio, TX
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THE QUESTION:
R499: In a recent Philadelphia case, a white woman was sentenced to five years in jail for “alerting” her white neighbors that a black family was moving in. She did not participate in vandalism or violence against them, yet she received a more severe sentence than some of those who did. Do you agree with the judge? Why or why not?
POSTED OCT. 23, 1998
Linda F., 47, white female, Bristol PA

ANSWER 1:
I’d like to know more about the facts of the case. Did she incite or encourage others to do this vandalism or violence? If so, she’s criminally liable. Charles Manson never lifted a finger against the people he was convicted of killing, but he gave the order.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
Andrew, 34, white <ziptron@xoommail>, Huntington, NY

FURTHER NOTICE:
Without knowing more of the details of the case, it’s hard to say. If she “alerted” her neighbors so that they could plan how to get them out, harrass or threaten, or even “keep an eye on them,” she is guilty of conspiring to commit hate crimes. If she was just complaining in a bigoted way, she is an immoral racist, but she should not go to jail.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
A.C.C., Mexican and American Indian, San Antonio, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I’m certain this same white woman wouldn’t feel the need to “alert” her neighbors when a white family was moving in the building. Other than being a racist, why would anyone feel the need to do such a thing? So yes, I agree with the judge wholeheartedly because racism has to stop and somebody has to be made an example.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
Janet, African-American female, 33 <jbutler@commoncause.com>, Capitol Heights, Md

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
No, I do not agree with the sentence. The First Amendment of our Constitution protects our right to free speech. If all the woman did was mention to her neighbors that the new people moving in were of a different race, that seems pretty harmless to me. Just about anyone (of any race) would have mentioned this in casual conversation if the subject came up. Even if her intentions were not innocent, I do not think the penalty for her actions should have been more harsh than for someone who vandalized or physically injured someone. The prisons are already crowded enough with hardened criminals. I worked in a prison, so I know.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
Michell, 31, Panama City, FL

FURTHER NOTICE 4:
Unless one knew all the facts, it would be foolish to voice an opinion on the judge’s ruling. However, language is a funny thing, and what you call “alerting” might be termed “inciting to riot” by someone with a different point of view. Personally, after having moved into an all-white neighborhood and experiencing the hatred my children had to endure from some of our bigoted neighbors, I find it hard to sympathize with vandals, “alerters” or racists of any stripe.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
S.F., black male <sfinley@wans.net>, Naperville, IL

FURTHER NOTICE 5:
I guess I’d have to know a little more about the case, but from what you’ve said I would definitely appeal the case. As far as I know, the First Amendment still protects free speech, and if it can be used to defend the KKK and the Nation of Islam, then I don’t see why it wouldn’t apply here. I would guess this was a case in whichi justice was swayed by political action groups. Either way, five years is a long time for that when a lot of murderers get only 15 to 20.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
B., 23, straight white male, Kokomo, IN

FURTHER NOTICE 6:
No, I do not agree. You cannot punish somebody for their personal feelings or prejudices. However, once those feelings lead to actions, then there is a basis for punishment. If the woman did nothing more than speak her mind, then how can she be punished for it? From your description, she did not provoke violence, so I would have to assume she did not incite a riot. If the community did not agree with her words (and I would hope that they would not agree), then they could have easily ignored them.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
John K., straight Irish-American male, 25 <the-macs@geocities.com>, Cranford, NJ

FURTHER NOTICE 7:
I agree with the judge, because she fueled the hysteria.
POSTED OCT. 26 1998
A.A.W., 42, black female <ANABWI@aol.com>, Plantation, FL

FURTHER NOTICE 8:
A hundred bucks says there is more to the story. A lot more. It’s been my experience that rumors, scare-stories and the like generally use certain facts about a story but conveniently omit other pertinent facts in order to support a viewpoint. In this instance the viewpoint that “whites” are somehow being “bound and gagged” by the court system, somehow allowing “minorities” to “take over.” An interview with some of the participants in the trial, or more careful reading of the reports in the media about the trial should reveal some interesting “additional” facts explaining the outcome.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
Herb W. 45, white male <HWMPG@aol.com>, Seattle, Wa
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THE QUESTION:
R498: I have read several anthropological references to people of East Indian descent being considered “white” and even “Aryan.” I’m curious about this because my wife is Madras Indian and is not fair-skinned. What are the real roots of “Aryan” people, who we always thought were fair-skinned and blonde and of Germanic or Scandanavian descent?
POSTED OCT. 23, 1998
Steve S., 48, white <shepard@earthling.net>, Seattle, WA

ANSWER 1:
I’m not sure about the correct time frame here, but a pretty long time ago (on the order of 100,000 years), a people then living in the north of India and in parts of today’s Iran migrated to Europe. There they mingled with the locals to form today’s Caucasian/”white race.” Since then there have been so many different groups of people and ethnicities moving all over Europe that it is kind of ridiculous to consider it a race, anyway. All that really is left of the Aryan people is the name, which in recent history has been most prominently abused and still is abused by nationalists, so-called patriots and racists as meaning of Germanic/Anglo-Saxon descent (whatever that is), etc.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
Rob, 28, German, gay <rob_ma@hotmail.com>, Austin, TX

FURTHER NOTICE:
I have to disagree with Rob about the nature of migration to/from India. First, the term “Aryan” has been in use in India even before it was coined in Europe by the Nazis in the 1930s (e.g.Arya Samaj, an organization for popularizing Vedic teachings, was established in the mid-Nineteenth Century). The Nazis also had no clear-cut definition for the term “Aryan” as an ethnic group. For example, the Persians were considered Aryans though they have little of the Germanic features the Nazis idealized.

In the Indian context, it is believed that the white nomadic races from the Caucus mountains and Caspian sea areas migrated to India, starting around 5000 B.C. They entered India through the mountain passes in the Northwestern Himalayas. These people were herders and found the fertile plain between Indus and the Ganges rivers suitable to make a living and settled in that area. These migrants are considered the original “Aryans” by Indians. By the time the Hindu Vedas were composed between 1500 – 1000 B.C., these migrants became “natives” of India. They mixed with the non-white inhabitants to produce the present Indians with brown skin color. The Hindu religious beliefs and the Sanskrit language were thought to be contributions of the Aryan race.

The original inhabitants of India are believed to be Dravidians, though you will be hard-pressed to find a “pure” Aryan or Dravidian in present-day India. With the Aryan invasion from the north and subsequent mixing with the local inhabitants, a gradation in the nature of mixing can be seen with geography. People in northern India have more Aryan features (tall, angular features, light skin, straight hair) and those in the south have more Dravidian features (dark skin, curly hair, shorter stature). Thus, the population in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have more Dravidian features than people from the northern states. In rural Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh, you can find people whose skin color is as black as those from Congo or west Africa. The hill tribes of southern India, who might have been isolated from the rest of the population and thus had minimal mixing with other races, can be considered more Dravidian than other Indians. These people resemble the aborigines of Australia.

The Aryans are thought to have introduced the caste system in India with which they hoped to retain the privileges of those who had white (or whiter) skin color. The most fair-skinned people were Brahmins and designated themselves the uppermost caste. They were also at the top of the social pecking order (priests). At the bottom were people with black skin, who became the serfs. They were considered untouchables. This designation might be an attempt to preserve the whiteness of the upper castes. However, there was mixing of races to produce people with intermediate skin color, who became farmers and soldiers.

The more recent history of South Africa in its race relations is a good example to compare for understanding the caste system in India. Due to historical discrimination, people belonging to the lower castes had less educational opportunities, and thus most of the recent professional emigrants from India are likely to come from upper castes. Madras (Chennai) is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and majority of Tamils take pride in their Dravidian roots. The Tamil language is the only modern Indian language that is not derived from Sanskrit. If your wife is not a Brahmin and her ancestors came from Tamil Nadu, she will be more of a Dravidian and less an Aryan. Obviously, this Aryan has only a very remote link (if any) to a Germanic Aryan that most people think of, when using the term “Aryan.”
POSTED JAN. 20, 1999
S.M., 37, Indian <palakkadan@hotmail.com>, Baltimore, MD
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THE QUESTION:
R497: I am from the Republic of Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean sea. We have very few blacks here; most come to play sports or work for the United Nations. I like America and want to study at a university there. I have a friend from Virginia who is originally from Cyprus. One summer when he was here and we met, I was wearing baggy shorts and a Nike T-shirt with Michael Jordan on it (showing only his face). He told me: “If you dress like that in America, people would say you are a whigger.” It didn’t bother me,because even my dad says I look like I’m black (big nose, extremely curly hair and with a room filled with black basketball players’ posters). My question is, Do people in America actually use this label “whigger,” and what are whites’ and blacks’ opinions of people who use it? Is there a label for everyone in America? I thought racism was almost non-existent there. I know now that it is not.
POSTED OCT. 22, 1998
Mike, 18, white male, Republic of Cyprus

ANSWER 1:
Yes, the word “whigger” is used a lot here in America. And to those who don’t know, it is a racist word. The word means “white nigger.” I know a lot of people who are not racist who say it just because they never thought about what it means. Blacks and whites use it. But I think the term people should use is “wanna-be-gangsta.”
POSTED OCT. 23, 1998
J. Bennett, 21, Jacksonville, FL

FURTHER NOTICE:
Sorry Mike, racism is alive and well in the good old U.S.A.. If whigger is the most offensive term you’ve heard so far, be prepared for an education in intolerance. Many of the foreigners I’ve met express amazement at the level of racism here, and your best bet is to not let it infect your thought process.
POSTED OCT. 23, 1998
S.F., black male <sfinley@wans.net>, Naperville, IL

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I have a daughter in high school (urban setting – very diverse student body), and the students of all racial backgrounds use the term “wigger” – usually, unfortunately, as an insult from all sides. There is an interesting article on the use and origins of this term in the current issue of Spin magazine (the band Korn is on the cover). The African-American students often use the term derisively to condemn a non-black student who they see as trying to act black, and many non-black kids also use it to condemn a white student who is trying to be black (i.e. in dress, style of music he/she likes, who they are dating, etc.).
POSTED OCT. 23, 1998
A mom, white female, WI
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THE QUESTION:
R496: When I lived in America from age 9 to 14, I was the only white girl in my class and, being exposed to African-American culture through my friends and teachers, I imitated them in speech and gestures. I moved at 14 to Japan, where there are few black people. Now that I’m 20 and in Vancouver, Canada, where I can interact with people of African descent, I really don’t know how to. Whenever I notice myself talking and acting like I learned to in America (i.e. African American), I feel embarrassed. I want to know if black people are offended if a white person speaks or acts as if part of African-American culture?
POSTED OCT. 22, 1998
A. Goode, 20, white female, deaf, <jgoode@ns.pic-internet.or.jp>, Vancouver, Canada
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THE QUESTION:
R495: Why is it that rich and popular black men often date and marry lower- or middle-class white women, but you never see rich white men with lower- or middle-class black women?
POSTED OCT. 20, 1998
Jerry, 29, African-American male, Jacksonville, FL

ANSWER 1:
The statement made in the above question seems to be true in most of cases, but not always. I am from India, considered to be a land of black people, and in many ways I had to experience such color discrimination. It is a fact that white people with their advanced science and technology dominated the world (or at least a large part of it), and in the process, the lands of black people, in the past. The black community, in a sense, has become the symbol of tortured and looked-down-upon people. A common tendency in humans is not to be dominated, or more appropriately, to be the master. This world is still a male-dominated place, irrespective of the masks of gender equality that we use. So in a sense, marrying a white girl means mastering over a member from the “superior” community, however childish that sounds. It does not help eliminate color discrimination but adds some fuel to it. I hope such acts of immaturity will boil down with the passage of time.
POSTED OCT. 22, 1998
T. Ghosh, 26, male Indian <tgosh@mindware.soft.net>, India

FURTHER NOTICE:
The white community is seen as a status of achievement and success by some blacks. It is also seen as acceptance from white society by some blacks. Athletes, actors, etc. marry white women as their symbol of ultimate success and acceptance to white society. You do not see white men marrying black women because it is looked down upon by white society; it is not a status symbol of achievement.
POSTED OCT. 26, 1998
18, African-American woman

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Black men who date white women do not assent to the tenets of others. They have their own thoughts. Why would they need the thoughts of others to dictate their actions? They are “mental individuals” in the purest sense. I believe white men do desire black women, but do not usually date them for socioeconomic reasons. His social life can affect his boss’s view of him, which in turn can affect his positioning on the corporate ladder. Therefore, even if he wants that beautiful black woman for his wife, he will usually end up marrying a white one.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
Alonzo C., 32, African American, Jacksonville, FL

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
White men do date black women. They also marry them. I was married to a white man for seven years. We got divorced for reasons not related to race. There is a segment of the population where this practice is prevalent. When I was married, somehow we found (attracted?) a number of couples in this same combination. Also, if you check out the dating pages in your local paper, there are a number of adds by white males looking for black women only. I have no theories on why this is. Maybe they are looking for someone different?
POSTED NOV. 3, 1998
Susan, black female, Boston, MA
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THE QUESTION:
R494: I would like to know people’s perceptions about why Asian men in general, and Chinese men in particular, are seen as unattractive as mates.
POSTED OCT. 20, 1998
Joe C., Chinese, Fremont, CA

ANSWER 1:
I have to disagree with you. I have never thought Asian men were unattractive. I guess the only problem for me is that I am very tall and have a large build, and I haven’t met many Asian people in my life that match my build.
POSTED OCT. 26, 1998
Anonymous, female, London, England

FURTHER NOTICE:
I am unaware of any desire among those I know to avoid dating Asian males. As for other friends, I am aware of a tendency/desire to date those of a similar ethnicity. We’ve discussed this and have come to the conclusion that it is a matter of familiarity and perhaps an ingrained preference for those who look like you and your closest connections, your family. In addition, I was brought up in a predominantly white city with limited interactions with other races. I think the more important issue is cultural difference rather than racial difference. One connects more readily with another of similar sentiments and lifestyle.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
Ryan H., 23, Scandinavian Canadian <ryanhy@tbaytel.net>, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I do not think anyone perceives Asian men as undesirable. The problem for Asian men is that, for various reasons, white males often think of Asian women as “exotic” or as “forbidden fruit” and find this very attractive. Many white males are also turned on by the ridiculous notion that Asian women are docile and servile (some of my best friends are Asian-American women, and believe me, none of them is a humble, submissive Geisha girl!). And many Asian females think that dating or marrying white males gives them more social status. Thus, Asian-American men, without doing anything wrong, may find themselves alone, and wondering “Where’d the Asian women go? And why aren’t they interested in us any more”?
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
Astorian <Astorian@aol.com>, Austin, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
It has been mentioned in other postings on the Y? Forum that there is a stereotype of Asian men having small penises. Like all stereotypes, it is true in some cases and false in many. It would be my guess that this stereotype is the reason for Asian men, in general, being seen as unattractive mates.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
B., 23, white male, Kokomo, IN

FURTHER NOTICE 4:
You probably did not intend to direct your query toward a gay WASP male from the South, but here goes. I find Asian men in general very attractive. I have been fortunate enough to date more than a couple of incredibly beautiful, exotic Asian (Chinese, I might add) men who fairly ooze with sexual energy, intelligence and masculinity. And while we’re at it, my female straight friends have consistently oooohed and aaaaahed over them. I don’t know where you’re dredging up this misguided self-appraisal, but get over it and get back out there.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
Michael, 39, gay white male, 39, NC

FURTHER NOTICE 5:
As a European-American woman who has dated Asian (Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino) men, I would have to disagree with you. All three of these men did express to me their frustration with the way they believe Americans perceive common Asian physical traits. But I had no need to hold them up against an “Anglo” standard of good looks. I found the men I dated very attractive as individuals; for their looks, appearance and personality combined.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
Gypsy, white female, 34, St Louis, MO

FURTHER NOTICE 6:
I have some friends who were talking about this, and they were saying that Asian men were often physically attractive, but they were worried about cultural differences. There is a perception that Asian men will be even more chauvanistic and sexist toward their mates than most men, simply because that is the prevailing attitude in Asia. My friend said she’d be happy to date an Asian guy for fun and companionship, but not as a prospective husband because of this.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
20, female, Houston , TX

FURTHER NOTICE 7:
I agree and disagree with the poster’s assumptions. Asian men are receiving more acceptance from non-Asian females as time goes on. But the response “I don’t find Asian men unattractive” does not answer the main question. Of course, most females would not outright find an Asian man ugly. But most women in the United States are looking for a man with blue eyes who is tall and has a larger build, or who resembles a popular and attractive male movie star or athlete. Asian men will never have blue eyes, are genetically predisposed to be shorter than most white men and tend not to be large and burly. We also have less body hair than most other men. Right now, no matter how successful we may be in the United States, we are still generally under-represented in the media. In short, it does not help to say “I don’t find Asian men ugly; I just prefer a guy who has blonde hair.” We live in a sexually competitive world. What I want, as an Asian man, is to be attractive to myself and not have to live up to standards of white males. I shouldn’t have to.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
David L., 25, Asian-American, Chicago, IL

FURTHER NOTICE 8:
I have always thought Asians were physically beautiful and wonderfully attractive, but I have never had the sense that an Asian male was attracted to me. I never received (or perceived) the signals of interest that I received from other men. As a result, Asian males have received smiles from me, but little else, because I didn’t know how to approach them or if they even wanted me to do so. Perhaps some of the distance is simply misunderstanding the wants and intentions of each other. By the way, I am a fairly tall, blond woman, but I have never used height or coloring to judge a person. I have to believe that many other people function the same way I do.
POSTED NOV. 3, 1998
S., 44, SC

FURTHER NOTICE 9:
David L. makes a good point as to how most American women are socialized to believe that the typical Anglo blue-eyed, blond-haired, tall and muscular male is the most attractive, and that Asians are underrepresented in the media. The few representations that do exist are often negative, further feeding into stereotypes about Asians. This does not mean, however, that all American women find Chinese men unattractive; it all really boils down to finding the qualities that one holds dear to her that makes the other person seem to be the most attractive person in the world. By the way, my fiance is half-Chinese, he is a marvelous man and he is gorgeous!
POSTED NOV. 5, 1998
Miriam, 23 <mcvidal@prodigy.net>, NY

FURTHER NOTICE 10:
I don’t know too many women who would turn down a date with Keanu Reeves, Lou Diamond Phillips, Tiger Woods or James Iha (of the Smashing Pumpkins), who are all or partly Asian.
POSTED NOV. 12, 1998
Emma, L.A., CA

FURTHER NOTICE 11:
I am a young white American woman, and I have often considered Asian men more attractive, (in general) than the average Anglo man. I have had some positive, platonic experiences working and socializing with men from Japan (I worked in a salmon roe processing plant in Alaska). Also, I have enjoyed volunteering for an English class for international students at a local university. The male and female Asian students were particularly involved and enthusiastic. However, I have had some negative experiences that have turned me off to dating and men in general, and most of these involved Asian males. Of course, this could be coincidence or other factors. Three involved young men I was not interested in but who were interested in me. The young men were very pushy and selfish in their pursuit of me. Another factor to consider was that each one also attended my church. So whether this is an Asian cultural thing or an attitude that my church’s young adult groups foster, I do not know. I only know that the men did not seem at all perceptive of my lack of interest and selfishly forced their own needs for female companionship on me. It was very uncomfortable. I do not understand why, because I am not particularly physically attractive or socially outgoing. So, I have a question to men of all cultures: How do I get you all to leave me alone? Does being quiet make me seem like an easy target, or what?
POSTED NOV. 23, 1998
24-year-old Anglo female, Phoenix, AZ
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THE QUESTION:
R493: I’m a 30-year-old black male from Michigan. When I go into the white community stores to visit, why do white women clutch their purses and take hold of their children?
POSTED OCT. 20, 1998
Ken, 30, black male, Southfield, MI

ANSWER 1:
Kevin, not all white women clutch their purses when a black man walks by. Some actually like black men (I was married to one). When I walk down a city street (San Francisco, for instance) I usually clutch my purse closer for safety’s sake, not because I saw someone of a particular race. You only see this when you walk by, but maybe they do that when they see any man walk by. POSTED OCT. 22, 1998
W.F., 42, Sacramento, CA
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THE QUESTION:
R492: Why do many fair-skinned people consider getting a tan beautiful or important, and even sit in the hot sunlight to get it?
POSTED OCT. 20, 1998
Megha M., Doha, India <mohanvar@qatar.net.qa>

ANSWER 1:
Megha, not all white/fair skinned women lay out in the sun to get a tan, at least not anymore. I’ve had basal cell carcinomas removed from my face because of this practice as a teen, and now I never purposely tan. And I use lots of sunblock when in the sun. I think it’s mostly young women/teens who do this now. The older women know better.
POSTED OCT. 22, 1998
W.F., 42, Sacramento, CA

FURTHER NOTICE:
A lot of people consider tanned skin to be attractive and I have to agree, even though I know of the awful consequences. I sit in the sun and on sunbeds (though very rarely) because it helps to get rid of my excema. I think it originally became popular because it implied a healthy outdoor lifestyle, which also implied wealth, as outdoor sports and holidays are expensive.
POSTED OCT. 26, 1998
Not tanned but not pale female, 24, London , England

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I was quite happy when tans went out of style. Sunburns hurt like hell and age the skin.
POSTED NOV. 2, 1998
W.M.D., 31, white male <carlduffy@yahoo.com>, Markham, Ontario, Canada
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THE QUESTION:
R491: Do any African Americans live in trailer parks?
POSTED OCT. 19, 1998
Travis, 21, Missoula, MT
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