African American women in CPC, opinions, please?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

This is sooo true and I wish people would get it. I have navigated both worlds (predominantly black vs. predominantly white) all my life and noticed that when a Black person is called out for "acting white" by other Blacks, it's not always because the person is being accused of speaking well and having high academic standards. A lot of times they are speaking of the person's disconnection to their culture and other Blacks. I have watched some of these persons purposely not speak or interact with other Black people and try to act like and do what their white peers were doing, including allowing their own hair to break off and fall out because they were washing it every day and using products (with drying agents) not meant for their hair texture. This kind of thing is what is meant often times when a Black person is accused of "acting white."

Oh, now those people are "confused." They'll have their Sarah Jane moment in a minute...

My experiences weren't because of grades, language, or economics, not at all. The college prep program that I attended was primarily middle-class Black kids who were college-bound. They just had very strong ideas of what it meant to "be Black," perhaps it was where they were from, maybe it was the fact that they were 16 and 17 years old and omniscient. Who knows?

So, when I talked about going skiing or hunting, they didn't understand, because Black people they knew didn't do that kind of stuff. What they called "acting White," my family and I called "simply outdoorsy."

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I had never heard anything like that before.

I doubt my experience is that unique...so, if you have teenagers who have experienced that more times than I did, why wouldn't they go NPC, when their friends are doing the same thing?

I can one up you. Apparently I "smelled white" at one point. WTF?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I can one up you. Apparently I "smelled white" at one point. WTF?

What perfume were you wearing? I'm asking that seriously. I'm curious.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I recall being told by an older Black student who was an NPCer that she wishes she had learned about the NPHC before joining an NPC.

Is it really possible to be isolated from other Blacks to the point that you would honestly have no clue what the NPHC is before you pledge somewhere else? I mean, even if you are living in the middle of Whiteyland, I'd guess you'd have some extended family that isn't.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Is it really possible to be isolated from other Blacks to the point that you would honestly have no clue what the NPHC is before you pledge somewhere else?

Yes, just as there are Blacks who spend 24/7 with (usually lower income and socially isolated) Blacks and have never heard of the NPHC until they go to college.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by 33girl

What perfume were you wearing? I'm asking that seriously. I'm curious.

Pretty sure it was a Bath & Body spray of some sort.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

^ sigmadiva, do you think it occurs to them that they might be shunned? Or even whether they had ever been shunned previously.

And I would like to know why voluntarily join an org where you know that you might be shunned?

Being in an academic (school) or living situation (home / community) that you can not control and being shunned is one thing. To knowingly join an org that you really don't have to join and being shunned seems, well, ridiculous (for lack of a better word).

Remember that rush is the first time a lot of these women have been "judged."

Based on what? (<--- Slightly rhetorical question )

On another note, this also makes me consider people who ask why I would consider pledging an NPHC fraternity knowing I could be shunned as a gay man. If I put myself in their shoes, I think I can empathize with them even more.

I think the difference though is that you are open about your sexuality and you will not change that for anyone. If I remember reading in Muchkin03's post a page or two ago, she said something to the effect that she had to change her behavior to fit in with her (White) sisters. Or, there is an expectation that a minority will change his/her behavior to fit in with their White counterparts.

Sen I, I'm sure that when you are around your Alpha brothers you don't start acting "straight" to fit in with them. You are who you are whenever and where ever.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

If I remember reading in Muchkin03's post a page or two ago, she said something to the effect that she had to change her behavior to fit in with her (White) sisters. Or, there is an expectation that a minority will change his/her behavior to fit in with their White counterparts.

Wait, when did I say that?

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Wait, when did I say that?

Page 6, your post #81 - at least that is how I interpreted what you said. Maybe you meant something different?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

Page 6, your post #81 - at least that is how I interpreted what you said. Maybe you meant something different?

Yeah, I meant something completely different with that one there.

For the record, I acted the same way with my sorority sisters as I did with any of my friends at that time (of all races). I say "at that time" because that was over a decade ago and I probably don't act the same way now.

[ellebud]

Time clarification: Miss Teen California, USA...I'm not sure what graduated several years before I began at this school. (I believe that would have graduated in '68 or so). I wasn't there yet. She was famous on the row and in the house for her beauty and intelligence. I know that she was pinned to a fraternity boy because of the pictures but beyond that..........I didn't "know" her. Was she famous because she was Black? No. She was a beauty queen which, at that time, held great cache. And, according to house legend was one of the nicest girls ever.

Pat and I shared only one year in the house. During the second quarter she made an announcement in chapter meeting her problem of reconciling her membership in the BSU and the sorority. SHE said that on campus she would not/could not acknowledge us. And we, in accordance with the times, agreed to let her follow through on this decision.

I graduated. I do not know what happened after that. Was I offended? Yes.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by ellebud

Time clarification: Miss Teen California, USA...I'm not sure what graduated several years before I began at this school. (I believe that would have graduated in '68 or so). I wasn't there yet. She was famous on the row and in the house for her beauty and intelligence. I know that she was pinned to a fraternity boy because of the pictures but beyond that..........I didn't "know" her. Was she famous because she was Black? No. She was a beauty queen which, at that time, held great cache. And, according to house legend was one of the nicest girls ever.

She was "famous" because she was Miss Teen California and a Black Miss Teen California, USA. I'm not sure why being a Miss Teen California would really mean anything to collegiates, but whatever works for them. She's stunning, she's "famous," she's BLACK. And not in that order.

Whoa, now we're hearing there's a house legend that she's one of the nicest girls ever. Shouldn't house legends be reserved for more interesting stuff? Oh well, it's great to have so many qualifiers for this Black initiate. What would we do without qualifiers?

Originally Posted by ellebud

Pat and I shared only one year in the house. During the second quarter she made an announcement in chapter meeting her problem of reconciling her membership in the BSU and the sorority. SHE said that on campus she would not/could not acknowledge us. And we, in accordance with the times, agreed to let her follow through on this decision.

Exactly. It literally and figuratively "is what it is."

[ThatOnegirl]

i am a black student who plans on going through with Pan Rec next year at UAB, OU(ohio u), JU(jacksonville), JSU(Jacksonville State), SU(stetson), or even Auburn. Still deciding witch school is for me but either way im going through with pan rec. I am also a transfer from an HBCU.

Any thoughts?

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by ThatOnegirl

i am a black student who plans on going through with Pan Rec next year at UAB, OU(ohio u), JU(jacksonville), JSU(Jacksonville State), SU(stetson), or even Auburn. Still deciding witch school is for me but either way im going through with pan rec. I am also a transfer from an HBCU.

Any thoughts?

Just one. Why should we care?

I mean what does this announcement contribute to the topic?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by ThatOnegirl

i am a black student who plans on going through with Pan Rec next year at UAB, OU(ohio u), JU(jacksonville), JSU(Jacksonville State), SU(stetson), or even Auburn. Still deciding witch school is for me but either way im going through with pan rec. I am also a transfer from an HBCU.

Any thoughts?

It's not that simple of an error.

Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest

Yes, but I'm sure you knew what they meant. Although things are changing because diversity is becoming more widely accepted and people now have more friends of different ethnicities and are therefore broadening their horizons, in predominantly Black communities, not a lot of folks do the "outdoorsy" thing and in predominantly white communities, not a lot of folks are doing some of the things that Black folks commonly do in predominantly Black communities. So we all know exactly what is meant by this although I'm not saying it's fair to accuse someone of "acting white" because of it.

Then again, maybe you've never lived in a predominantly Black community? You still should know what they meant though.

Nope, didn't grow up in a predominantly Black community.

Yes, I understand what they meant now, when I was 17 not so much, because the things I grew up doing, most of the Black people I knew did as well. It wasn't so weird that my father golfed because most of the men in our family and most of his friends did. We camped with other families. Again--nothing that didn't seem "Black" to me. But, for those people, it was like I had three heads.

I see now, 12 years later, that it was more a reflection on them and a limited scope of what it meant to "be Black." As a high school senior, however, it was a different experience.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

: THIS ENTIRE THREAD (The hijacked part anyway).