Your "Blackness" Questioned?????

[Success]

My blackness has been questioned several times growing up in Riverside, Ca and has become more frequent since I've moved to DC for college. I simply cannot wrap my head around people who say that I try to "act white". I am quite aware of my blackness. I grew up in a PW area and never developed a "blackcent" and if I ever tried to "talk black" I'd probably sound like a fool. I feel those people must realize that just because someone might have the attributes and skills that are stereotypically associated with whites does not mean that these particular AA "act white" or even worse, want to be white.

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

So as a little girl, I was all into the "surfer dude" stuff. Like a fish... I LUUUVVVVEEEEDDDDEDDDD the beach, the ocean, the sand and stuff.

In fact, my mother had to dayum near give me whuppins to leave the beach--like I ackted so ugly that I tole my mama I was gonna run away & live with Shamu...

In fact, my mother would have to scare me to death to get me into the car are leave the beach!!!

But when I became a teenager and started looking at the boys and tried to cute with by bikini on, etc. Aside from dudes not looking at me, really and if they did they were drunkard toothless homeless dudes, I got harassessed OFTEN by the po-po by just being on the beach even if I hungout with my non-AA girlfriends who were sunbathing like I was (don't ask with my logic about that one)--just because of the color of my skin...

It happenend in Catalina, San Diego and the O.C. beaches--all the time...

The only safest area for me to hangout on the Beach without getting harassessed by law enforcement in San Diego is this place called South Mission before all the gangs started shooting. This was in the mid to late 1980's...

Recently, when I visited the O.C. my husband and I were often being followed by the po-po just because we were on the Beach...

In fact, I used to work at Scripps Institution of Oceanography that is on La Jolla Shores... I'd get harrassed...

I'd havta go to Windansea beach...

Harrassment by the po-po is VERY humiliating especially when you're trying to look cute and you are really aren't doing anything other than crossing the street...

But that is what happens daily on SoCal beaches...

Unless the beach has basketball courts, the po-po thinks there is no other reason why people of color need to be there...

That is a fact in the day in the life of Southern California... Just the way it is...

I've fortunately never experienced any form of racism when going to the beach (as far as I'm aware) or Po-Po harassment. I mainly go to Huntington and San Diego's Misson Beach. But sadly for one of the most "laid back" states in the country. So Cali has a lot of racism.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Success

My blackness has been questioned several times growing up in Riverside, Ca and has become more frequent since I've moved to DC for college. I simply cannot wrap my head around people who say that I try to "act white". I am quite aware of my blackness. I grew up in a PW area and never developed a "blackcent" and if I ever tried to "talk black" I'd probably sound like a fool. I feel those people must realize that just because someone might have the attributes and skills that are stereotypically associated with whites does not mean that these particular AA "act white" or even worse, want to be white.



I've fortunately never experienced any form of racism when going to the beach (as far as I'm aware) or Po-Po harassment. I mainly go to Huntington and San Diego's Misson Beach. But sadly for one of the most "laid back" states in the country. So Cali has a lot of racism.

Sweetheart, my occurrences happened in the 70's and 80's--and somewhat in the early 90's.

And I am sure the DC folks up in here can point out why you may be having some difficulties there. You know you are in "Chocolate City"...

Hey, if you ignore the bigotry that occurs in SoCal, you will have another LA Riot on your hands... And I am one to be a witness to it.

[Dionysus]

I hear about so much racist crap happening in California (and in New York). Things that almost never happen here in STL, a city well known for its racial tensions. Yet some people claim that those places are some sort of racial utopias or something. Why is that? Where do they get that from?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

I hear about so much racist crap happening in California (and in New York). Things that almost never happen here in STL, a city well known for its racial tensions. Yet some people claim that those places are some sort of racial utopias or something. Why is that? Where do they get that from?

You know I wonder the same thing up where I am...

[Munchkin03]

I feel like STL (the ex is from there, so I used to visit a lot) is really racially/class segregated, but the different groups don't really interact that much. In California, and especially here in NYC, groups that classically "don't get along" end up in the same neighborhoods. Plus, here there are a ton of recent immigrants, who bring up the same issues here that they dealt with in their homelands. Does STL have a huge New American population?

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I feel like STL (the ex is from there, so I used to visit a lot) is really racially/class segregated, but the different groups don't really interact that much. In California, and especially here in NYC, groups that classically "don't get along" end up in the same neighborhoods. Plus, here there are a ton of recent immigrants, who bring up the same issues here that they dealt with in their homelands. Does STL have a huge New American population?

Yes, there's a lot of Hispanics and Southeast Asians in STL. There hasn't been that many problems that I know of. You're right, the different groups tend to stay to themselves. I've always found it interesting that people in the more diverse places like certain areas in NY and CA, can't get along with each other. I would think they would learn to accept, or at least tolerate, each other because of increased exposure. I guess if you have deep-seated hatred lurking inside or have had too many bad experiences with other groups, exposure won't change how you feel.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

I hear about so much racist crap happening in California (and in New York). Things that almost never happen here in STL, a city well known for its racial tensions.

Definitely not my experience growing up in the Lou. I was subjected to racist crap on the daily, even to the point of physical violence.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Definitely not my experience growing up in the Lou. I was subjected to racist crap on the daily, even to the point of physical violence.

If I'm not mistaken, you're around my parents age. Do you think it was because the certain time period you grew up in? Or, do you think it is still here, do you see the same amount of tension when you visit STL now?