Track 9: Pride

It's Pride weekend and I got a reminder as to why I don't support it. I went out to WeHo and of course it was decked out for Pride. With all the clones i and the "fabulousness" that's spilling onto the streets, one would think that it's a time to be happy and be, well, proud. But at the same time is so heavily segregated racially. I felt very much out of place. Granted, this isn't specific to pride but just how the gay community works on any other weekend but I think Pride amplifies it to the fifth power. It also doesn't help that on this weekend places like Here, a typical bar with overpriced drinks, was charging cover. So you mean to tell me I have to wait in line for 15 minutes and then have to pay to get inside your crummy bar that doesn't have anything new in it despite it being a big celebratory day? It's such a small venue there's not enough space to really dance. And half the bar is outside so people are smoking nonstop there.

I can't celebrate gay male whiteness. Or even a particular kind of gay male whiteness which is distributed widely and told is the ideal that we all want to have or achieve to be. It's something most of us can't be and I don't want to be that way anyway. Why do I have to suffer because my hair texture is the way it is and I have a natural tan. I want to see more people like me represented properly in the queer community, instead of being relegated to a fetish status or a backup to the white Apollo.

I'm sure one of the first thoughts someone will have reading this is "Micah, you think about race too much. Maybe you're not comfortable with being black." No, that couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm just tired of this system. And I think it's hard to know where I'm coming from unless you're a queer person of color. We all share this struggle but it's something that is so easily glanced over. And on top of this, it doesn't help that our queer white brethren tell us to let this go to fight for other parts of equality like marriage, which inherently benefits them more than us. So in the end we get the short of the stick. And I honestly am ready to let go of it.

Track 8: Getting Offended

So I've stopped really looking at Stuff White People Like these days, but I find this post particularly true. The blog itself isn't as interesting anymore as the fad has faded but I think this sums up some interesting points. Personally I've loved the typical response to being called racist "I can't be racist because my best friend is black" line. Enjoy the post!

the full story here

To be offended is usually a rather unpleasant experience, one that can expose a person to intolerance, cultural misunderstandings, and even evoke the scars of the past. This is such an unpleasant experience that many people develop a thick skin and try to only be offended in the most egregious and awful situations. In many circumstances, they can allow smaller offenses to slip by as fighting them is a waste of time and energy. But white people, blessed with both time and energy, are not these kind of people. In fact there are few things white people love more than being offended.

Naturally, white people do not get offended by statements directed at white people. In fact, they don’t even have a problem making offensive statements about other white people (ask a white person about “flyover states”). As a rule, white people strongly prefer to get offended on behalf of other people.

It is also valuable to know that white people spend a significant portion of their time preparing for the moment when they will be offended. They read magazines, books, and watch documentaries all in hopes that one day they will encounter a person who will say something offensive. When this happens, they can leap into action with quotes, statistics, and historical examples. Once they have finished lecturing another white person about how it’s wrong to use the term “black” instead of “African-American,” they can sit back and relax in the knowledge that they have made a difference.

White people also get excited at the opportunity to be offended at things that are sexist and/or homophobic. Both cases offering ample opportunities for lectures, complaints, graduate classes, lengthy discussions and workshops. All of which do an excellent job of raising awareness among white people who hope to change their status from “not racist” to “super not racist.”

Another thing worth noting is that the threshold for being offended is a very important tool for judging and ranking white people. Missing an opportunity to be outraged is like missing a reference to Derrida-it’s social death.

If you ever need to make a white person feel indebted to you, wait for them to mention a book, film, or television show that features a character who is the same race as you, then say “the representation of was offensive and if you can’t see that, well, you need to do some soul searching.” After they return from their hastily booked trip to land of your ancestors, they will be desperate to make it up to you. At this point, it is acceptable to ask them to help you paint your house.

Track 7: Obama

143 years after the end of slavery, we have a black presidential nominee for a major party. The fight's far from over, but this election has gotten people talking about race for the first time in quite a while.