Negrophilia
Dear Clare,
I'm sure you came to conclusion that I think you accepted your roots, "your" South Side culture, too late in life to count as a "real" colored person. But you never understood that you can't transcend the racial barrier in such an exploitative manner, cherrypicking privileges from both races, trying to remain passable as white but enjoy the benefits of being black. You don't understand that you aren't viewed by the black community as black purely because you aren't willing to let go of your whiteness for the luxury and comfort provided by your racist husband -- and because your lifestyle doesn't warrant it. Your obsessive, frequent visits to our house are for its novelty, for its excitement and nostalgia and fun; but at the end of the day, you're able to return to your easy lifestyle as part of the "majority" race, generally free of discrimination.
But although you aren't accepted in the black community as one of us, you still infuriatingly remain exoticized, desirable because of your light skin and incomparable beauty. Why do our beauty standards still revolve around mainstream white culture? It's true that paleness being preferable to darkness is a fairly universal concept, despite being upsetting to grasp.
And finally: is it still cultural appropriation if one has forsaken their original culture, only to attempt to embrace it later in life?
Irene.
I'm sure you came to conclusion that I think you accepted your roots, "your" South Side culture, too late in life to count as a "real" colored person. But you never understood that you can't transcend the racial barrier in such an exploitative manner, cherrypicking privileges from both races, trying to remain passable as white but enjoy the benefits of being black. You don't understand that you aren't viewed by the black community as black purely because you aren't willing to let go of your whiteness for the luxury and comfort provided by your racist husband -- and because your lifestyle doesn't warrant it. Your obsessive, frequent visits to our house are for its novelty, for its excitement and nostalgia and fun; but at the end of the day, you're able to return to your easy lifestyle as part of the "majority" race, generally free of discrimination.
But although you aren't accepted in the black community as one of us, you still infuriatingly remain exoticized, desirable because of your light skin and incomparable beauty. Why do our beauty standards still revolve around mainstream white culture? It's true that paleness being preferable to darkness is a fairly universal concept, despite being upsetting to grasp.
And finally: is it still cultural appropriation if one has forsaken their original culture, only to attempt to embrace it later in life?
Irene.
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