intersectionality and nurturing

Dear Annette Gordon-Reed,

I found the depiction of intersectionality of race, gender, and class in your work very thought-provoking. Sally Hemmings’ and Polly Jefferson’s trip to London was a salient example. As a teenage girl, Polly’s gender-specific characteristics were well-acknowledged. Therefore, protection was enforced to ensure everything was “appropriate”. On the contrary, Sally as a fourteen-years-old black female, her vulnerability was never taken into consideration. This left her, and the other black females, as easy objects for exploitation. Black females’ lives were thus constantly under the threat of sexual harassment. I could infer from your vivid description that being of a different race also immediately put people into a different class during TJ’s time. I was also struck by how a person’s individuality, sexuality, and humanity could be grossly neglected under the totalizing mask of race. 

As you stated in the book, during this certain time period, “being upper class, having property, and social position” made a person lovable. I think racism could very much be of nurture rather than nature as this term is not only based on the color of skin, but also the interconnection between one’s gender and social status. To me this could explain why Ms. Abigail was discomfited and bewildered by her “disgusted” feeling towards interracial relationship, yet still gave Sally Hemmings negligible respect because of her racial identity. She might not hold innate disparagement towards black people, but the nurturing she received had trained her to view black people as white people’s inferior slaves. Thank you for writing such an awesome book and re-programming my perception on racial identity. I am looking forward to reading more of your works.

Sincerely,

Cynthia