theblacksplainer

[theblacksplainer]

(via Watch Mykki Blanco perform ‘I Want A Dyke For President’)

[theblacksplainer]

Apparently, I’ve been doing a bang up job of spending a lot of time in PoC/WoC only/friendly spaces because I was still somewhat taken aback by the responses from a lot of white women to the concerns of WoC around this march. The idea that the interests of mostly white, middle-class women (the group that benefits the most from Liberal feminism) are not universal and that those benefits do not (and historically never have) simply trickled down to WoC, seems to be an elusive one and difficult to grasp for many of these women. Regardless of what Hollywood would have you believe, any progress WoC have made politically has not been dependent on the support of white women; en masse, we haven’t been able to rely on you for that. I’m not just speaking historically, either. White women were/are completely showing their asses in Facebook groups about this march in response to WoC and other marginalized groups having the audacity to want their voices to be heard and their interests reflected in the mission and vision. At “best”, I think maybe some of you just aren’t fully aware of the problematic history of Liberal feminist movements not being inclusive and haven’t taken the time to educate yourself and figure out how to be better. I’m willing to give some of you the benefit of the doubt on this one. At worst, and this is what I saw reflected in so many of the online conversations about this march (that is, when the original organizers weren’t deleting conversations), white women refusing to step back and listen; insisting that conversations about race were not appropriate and writing off the concerns of WoC and other marginalized folks as divisive (per usual); once again centering their feelings and interests; expecting WoC to accept that those interests are representative of all women and offended that we weren’t just enthusiastically offering up our solidarity. For the record, 93% of Black women showed up for your girl, Hillary and with a hell of a lot of reservations, while 54% of white women voted for Trump. You can miss me with any lectures from white women on solidarity. The new lead organizer, Margaret Jacobsen, seems to be doing a fantastic job at redirecting the PDX contingent to be more intersectional whilst continuing to navigate a gushing river of white lady tears. Despite the fact that the national organizers were not willing to include sex workers in their platform, one of the speakers for the PDX event is a Latinx sex worker/activist, for example. They recently had this to say about hosting a day of WOC/POC only posts. “Today on our women’s march page we only had woc/POC posting comments, with white folks asked to sit back and listen. The messages people have sent about being seen/validated are really beautiful. We have gotten a lot of hate for asking white women to listen, but it’s worth it to have women who don’t always feel seen or heard, tell you that today was validating and empowering for them”

[theblacksplainer]

Post November 8, a lot of us people of color have been doing additional work for shell-shocked white liberals. We’ve been holding space for you in your disappointment, listening to your feelings, and trying to push you further info recognizing this fucked up dystopia has ALWAYS been our America. But, look. Yall got to do some work. You’ve got to disabuse yourself of the notion that this is an aberration, that this is “not who we are,” and that this country has been built on anything other than manifest unfairness towards others for your comfort.

It’s scary now, we get that. BUT IT ALWAYS WAS. And that’s why POC are annoyed with the disproprtionate frenzy over a wealthy white actress saying Trump is abusive and that state power will be used to further oppression. WELCOME TO FOREVER. WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.

And so, you know what? It’s not our job to coddle you. It’s YOUR job to recognize this fuckery is just newly visible for you. And you better call us, ask how you can help, take backseats in decision making coalitions, and commit to leveraging your still very disproprtionate power and protection to shield us and others despite your fear.

Be better is not a goddamn slogan, and this is not a drill.

[theblacksplainer]

I’m Trying Not To Hate Everything

No matter the outcome of this presidential election, I knew we’d still be fighting for social justice. I also thought I’d prepared myself for the possibility of a Trump presidency. I knew, of course, that racism would be a factor in his winning. This country is, after all, built on the free labor of enslaved Africans and the social construct of race which is required to uphold the interests of a wealthy, mostly white, elite. A country where the well-oiled machine of mass incarceration continues to exploit the labor of Black folks and relies on racism in doing so. I lost any illusions I may have had about this country a long time ago after being introduced to Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, bell hooks and Howard Zinn; and eventually Marx and Trotsky in college.

Yet, despite all of that, I hadn’t realized, until watching the results come in, that a small part of me didn’t believe Trump could win. I’ve since been clinging desperately to the idea that maybe, just maybe, this is THE crisis that will push social media proselytizers and moderates to action. I want to feel hopeful when I see folks who’ve never been to a protest in their lives take to the streets and actively seek out ways to do more. I want to feel hopeful when I see white friends not only challenging their racist friends and family, but also joining organizations or starting groups with calls to action.

But once again many of you do not want to look to history in examining what’s happening in this country. Choosing instead to invoke MLK in condemning protests and focus on destruction of property above all else; urging folks to calm down and just wait and see what Trump “actually” does. Dismissing comparisons to the rise of fascism as alarmist. Disregarding the words and actions of the people he is considering for his administration.

I’m fresh out of hope, my friends. I’ve never felt this overwhelmed by the political climate in this country. I have a life outside of politics that’s come with its own set of challenges lately and self care has taken a backseat. I need to be more intentional about how I engage with folks politically so I’ll be spending less time on social media and being more selective about the conversations I'm willing to have in person. I'm not sure what that means for The Blacksplainer. Right now I'm just trying hard not be fresh out of fight.

[theblacksplainer]

PSA

I spent the first hour of my day at work being thoroughly whitemansplained to as to why I shouldn't worry too much about what's going to happen under a Trump presidency, who voted for him and why. This person didn’t vote and admitted to not caring much about politics lately. This was his idea of being supportive. He reminded me that the reality is that I’m insulated from what may happen because I have a job and I live in a progressive city. An overwhelmingly white city, by the way, in a state with a well documented racist history; where 20 minutes away from where I live, a white supremacist recently killed a Black teenager by running him over with a car.  He and his family are seriously considering leaving the country but I shouldn't be worried.

To recap: a white man who didn't vote and who admits to not paying that close attention to politics just explained the impact of this election to a queer, Black woman who actually does. 

I've also had to listen to a white co-worker joke about running over anti-Trump protesters. Several times. A protest I plan on attending. 

On the bus this morning a white woman reminded me that we need to just remember to love each other. That that’s the most important thing now. 

I'm already exhausted and the real shit hasn't even gone down yet. I have a full-time job. In my "spare" time I volunteer with organizations committed to social justice and write this blog. I regularly share concrete ways for folks to get involved and support various movements. I do all of that with the hopes that it will motivate your ass to do something. 

More so than ever, I need for white people to own your shit and not expect me or any other person of color to do emotional labor for you. If you need clarification about what that means, Google is here for you 24/7.

[theblacksplainer]

Well, fuck.

My feelings about Hillary Clinton, the limitations of electoral and Liberal politics are no secret. I expected to wake up this morning to a victory that doesn’t have the same meaning for Black women as it does for white women. Although 94% of us voted for her, many did so with reservations and for many of us it was a vote against Trump more than a vote for Hillary. I prepared myself for whitewashed recollections of the suffragette movement. I’m not even mad at white women for putting “I voted” stickers on Susan B. Anthony’s grave as she is one of the reasons you have the right to vote. I do, however, need you to acknowledge the racism of that movement and understand that it did not benefit all women nor was it meant to; certainly not Black women (so you can miss me with any invites to anything celebrating it). Instead, I reflected on what Ida B. Wells and Fannie Lou Hamer would think about this election. I thought about continued voter suppression and disenfranchisement of poor Black folks and if we’re going to finally start having more conversations about class in this country. I expected to post a few thoughts on how we still have much work to do, but thank baby Jesus at least we are familiar with what we’re up against with a Clinton presidency and we are prepared. I am well aware that our “democracy” has always prioritized the interests of wealthy, white men and their property above all else. I understand the role of white supremacy in upholding those interests. There is so much I understand intellectually. I did not expect to weep openly in public.

It took me hours to convince myself to face the world today. In person and online. I’m genuinely scared. I’m angry. I’m in no mood to suffer the typical calls for love and unity. I’m not interested in hearing opinions on how we’re divided as a nation and the blame for that being placed on people of color and activists, which is often the unspoken sentiment when people say that. This isn’t new. Donald Trump’s rise to the presidency didn’t happen apropos of nothing. History is a thing that happened. The protests and movements that have faced so much criticism from Conservatives and Liberals alike, have simply amplified what marginalized folks have known and been experiencing since this country’s inception. 

I owe Trump and his supporters nothing. I certainly don’t owe them an “open mind.” I do not need to “respect” the opinions of anyone who supported an openly racist, misogynist, homophobic, xenophobic fascist. To do so is in direct opposition to my self preservation and right to exist. I am also not interested in being a sounding board for white folks lamenting the difficulties of having family or friends who voted for Trump. I do not need to hear about the “hardship” it presents for you to clap back when co-workers, family and friends say racist shit. That really is the absolute least you should be doing. Meanwhile, I’ll be busy figuring out how to survive these next four years. Doing my small part to support organizations and individuals committed to working for social justice and alternatives to this system, which is broken beyond simply repair. I’m also going to attempt to hold on to the bit of the hope born of seeing so many people taking to the streets and demanding change; sacrificing much to fight the good fight. I am so grateful for you.

[theblacksplainer]

Reverse Racism. Not An Actual Thing.

Between Solange’s new album, the first season of Luke Cage and Ava Duvernay’s The 13th dropping within a week or so of each other, I’d been on a specifically black ass high. Add to that the change of seasons and you may note a particular spring in my step. I’d been practically skipping around town, smiling and flirting with unsuspecting strangers like it’s my job. I’d been making a point of limiting my social media exposure as well, which I’m sure had contributed to this fine mood. It took less than five minutes on Twitter to remind me that sometimes people are the worst. Things started off innocently enough. I was looking to see what my fellow blerds had to say about Luke Cage. The music and how it’s used in the show is tight, the literary and cultural references are copious and fantastic, sisters of all shapes, colors and sizes abound and aren’t merely props, the political commentary is relevant to current events, etc. In summary, it’s unapologetically Black and many of us love it. Group hug!

However, the fact that white characters are mostly relegated to the background resulted in a lot of white folks feeling the need to offer their “expert” opinions on racism. Against white folks. On a show about a Black superhero. In Harlem. Questioning if the show is “too Black” and accusations of the show’s “lack of diversity” being racist were the general themes. One person went so far as to say the lack of white people on the show made them uncomfortable, proclaiming the show is racist and questioning why it’s on Netflix. That comment was retweeted by hundreds of folks, by the way. These are the same type of white folks who, when we claim people of color only spaces, not only cry “reverse racism” but also throw temper tantrums and reaffirm why we need such spaces. These are actual comments from white folks on the Portland chapter of Black Lives Matter’s Facebook page (membership in this chapter is limited to Black folks):

“RACISTS! MLK is very unhappy... Makes me furious... He's a hero of mine!”

“I believe I know more about the root cause of the oppression of African-Americans than you do and would be of much greater service. The world is watching you! I'm contacting all the media I can and bringing this racism to light!”

“From my stand point the only people that are promoting hate is the black lives matter org. It’s sad to see that this organization has so many followers. You all preach unity, love and peace but you only except African Americans and express hate and aggressive actions towards whites and cops. I’m sorry but if you support this organization, you’re a terrorist in my book.”

“I don't think U should attack white peeps, my black friend ____ and his wife ____were just as appalled as I was, and went and had dinner at a Cuban joint Because we, all of us, like & want diversity. Pissing off peeps that wanted to hear you was not too smart.”

I imagine if MLK were alive today he’d be saying “keep my name out your mouth” on the regular. These are exactly the type of white folks he was critical of in his Letter From Birmingham Jail.  They reminded me why for the first time in my life, I’ve chosen to work with a Black only organization and actively seek out POC only spaces. There’s no shortage of opportunities to work and socialize with white folks in this town and I do so often.

I’m so damn tired of the fact that anyone thinks reverse racism is an actual thing (or reverse sexism for that matter). This isn’t limited to white folks either. I’m not interested in having this conversation anymore. I know where it’s going and it’s definitely not a nuanced, original or remotely interesting place. You’re most likely going to talk about the time a Black person wasn’t “nice” to you. Possibly quote MLK out of context. There’s a good chance you’ll also confidently claim that you “don’t see color,” ignoring the fact that erasing our identities in no way solves anything. Claiming reverse racism tells me a few things about a person. I question whether or not you have a sincere interest in dismantling racist systems or doing the work to challenge your own racism or anti-blackness. You seem more concerned with being called a racist or making white folks comfortable versus actually ending racism. You haven’t accepted the fact that doing the work isn’t comfortable or easy and that’s not only okay but also necessary. I can’t think of a social movement in the history of this country that was predicated on a polite exchange of ideas and convenience. Or, as MLK put it, freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

It seems to me that the reverse racism ride or dies don’t understand the difference between prejudice and racism-or don’t want to understand. And this isn’t just limited to the white folks on the far-right fringe. I’ve heard this from plenty of Progressives, Liberals and even a few POC. Distinguishing between prejudice and racism is important, starting with the fact that there are problems inherent in the standard dictionary definition of racism. This comic is a good illustration of this point. While this is starting to change, historically, dictionaries have reflected the values and opinions of what straight, white academics (mostly men) feel is acceptable English while devaluing culturally specific dialects resulting in people who speak in those dialects being seen as ignorant and unintelligent-especially poor and working class people of color. Side note: this is also why I find self-proclaimed “grammar police” exhausting. I’m not here for your classist nonsense either.

Sure, racism and prejudice are both based on stereotypes and limited experience with a group. Both lead to bias against an entire group as a result. When prejudice results in institutionalized patterns of discrimination that create social and economic inequality for a group, that’s racism. Those in the position to institutionalize those patterns of discrimination are those in power. In this capitalist as fuck country, that means wealthy, mostly white, men. That doesn’t negate the fact that POC can participate in upholding racist institutions and white supremacy. However. prejudice on the part of POC isn’t resulting in economic and social inequality for white folks.  It isn’t resulting in higher rates of unemployment or incarceration, for example. I’m also not excusing the work POC have to do in addressing other -isms and -phobias in our own communities, by the way.

Despite what many white folks believe, not only is reverse racism not a thing, it’s also not getting worse against them. What is happening is that white supremacy is being called out and challenged in broader terms. White folks are being confronted with the reality that it’s not just an ideology propagated by “overt” racists like the KKK.  They are being expected to think critically about the ways they uphold white supremacy and benefit from it everyday. 

I get why reverse racism continues to be the battle cry for white folks experiencing a wholly imagined  racial oppression. The activism and solidarity we’ve been witnessing lately is centering the voices of people of color in radical ways that many of us haven’t seen in our lifetimes. I’ve experienced so many white folks online and in person reacting to that fact by being more concerned with earning “good” white folk status and reassurances that they aren’t racist.

I believe there are plenty of white folks who genuinely want to support social movements being led by people of color and may intellectually understand what that means.  It’s in the actual practice of doing so where many of them struggle and get defensive. Talking more than listening. Speaking on race as if they are experts because they’ve lived, traveled or worked in diverse communities, have a partner/lover/friend/child that is a POC, etc. Believing that qualifies them to have an equal voice in movements versus stepping back and giving up space to those most impacted; not recognizing they are derailing conversations/work when they refuse to do so. Expecting people of color to educate them without doing any of the work themselves. Not understanding the inappropriateness of expecting that emotional labor from marginalized folks who are struggling with the simple act of living everyday. These are the reasons many of us need the refuge of POC-only spaces. It’s a matter of self-preservation. It’s also why we some of us get so damn excited about the blackity blackness of Luke Cage and don’t feel any kind of way about whether or not white folks feel included. Well-meaning white folks who are truly committed to social change are just going to have to live with that. Your time is much better spent educating yourself, and actually getting involved politically in spaces open to you, than crying foul and alleging reverse racism. 

[theblacksplainer]

Reluctant 2016 Election Post

I really wanted to avoid writing anything about the 2016 presidential election. I’m tired of pretty much anything that anyone has to say about everything. I’m sick of “progressive” men being sexist in their criticisms of Clinton without any self-awareness—or awareness that, however you feel about her, sexist slurs are not okay.  I’m annoyed with folks who, rather than consider the limitations of electoral politics, chastise those who are increasingly, and justifiably, disillusioned with voting. Hell, I’m even irritated with my own opinions fueled by an addiction to political podcasts and my increasing desire to just peace out to another country. This election cycle is making me crankier than usual about politics and our “democracy.” Something I didn’t think was possible.

So when I received an email from a middle class, White feminist friend about why she is choosing to vote for Hillary Clinton and it didn’t just say "because duh,” I almost ignored it. But she is someone I’ve known for years whom I respect and care about. I couldn’t help but be a little curious. Her reasons: Hillary is a woman, Mike Pence is a threat to reproductive rights and this is the issue she’s basing her vote on this cycle.  I understand the very legitimate fear of Trump/Pence setting reproductive rights back several decades, and to paraphrase The Black Guy Who Tips, Hillary is White women’s Beyoncé. I get it. But then she went on to make the following comments:

“If you’re not voting for Hillary, that’s a clear sign that there are things you value more in life than women’s health and safety.”

“The presidential election is not a popularity contest and IDGAF if you think she’s a bitch or a harpie or terrible for education or a warmonger or in the pocket of Big Finance or anything else. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but your opinion is secondary to the fact that Mike Pence is far too dangerous to be allowed anywhere near the White House.”

Having majored in Women’s Studies, I’ve heard many variations of this type of colorblind manifesto. These days, it barely registers a blip on my fucks-given-o-meter because there's nothing new about middle class, White feminists speaking in terms that present their experiences as what’s in the best interest of all women. This was a battle I fought constantly in undergrad with a predominantly White faculty. At one point I had to “remind” one of my White professors from the south of the hundreds of years of slavery in which White women were complicit, after she pointed out that I shouldn’t forget hundreds of years of misogyny, in response to my paper about the connections between the struggles of Black women and men. The term, intersectionality, wasn’t de rigueur back then.  

But her comments got me thinking about how invisible radical Black women continue be in mainstream political discourse, despite the fact that the most significant social movement in this country in years, Black Lives Matter, was founded by radical, queer, Black women.  I think part of the problem is that a lot of folks who support the movement haven’t actually taken the time to understand its radical roots and agenda so our voices continue to be at the margins of the margins.

My friend's comments also recalled for me a history of White feminists dictating to Black women what’s in our best interest, which is something I’ve seen a lot of this election season from both Clinton and Sanders supporters. At least in this case we can agree that what’s in the best interest of all women definitely isn’t Trump. We’re going to have to agree to disagree that a Clinton presidency is, however.

We’ve been here many times before. Many, many times. Black feminists have been told that progress for White women (and Black men, for that matter) is progress for us as well and if we don’t get on board we are being divisive and not supporting all women. It’s one of the reasons the work of the radical Black feminist organization The Combahee River Collective was so necessary and important. History has shown us repeatedly that relying on this type of trickle down feminism hasn’t proven to be an effective strategy for Black women. Certainly not for working class and poor women. The suffragette movement is one of the starkest examples of this. Despite how it’s talked about these days, it most certainly was a movement that focused on benefitting upper class White women. Black and Brown women didn’t effectively get the right to vote until decades later with the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was later expanded to end discrimination against non-English speakers in 1975. I’ll leave you with the homework of researching the racism of the movement (Elizabeth Cady Stanton was THE worst), their stance on the abolitionist movement and treatment of Ida B. Wells. You’re already on the internet if you’re reading this, so I’m pretty sure you have the time. Google is free, and this blog will be here upon your return.

Ultimately what prompted me to respond to my friend’s comments is that they reflect a larger trend of White folks ignoring the concerns Black folks in general have with Clinton. If you aren’t an enthusiastic Hillary supporter, you seem to be relegated to the “Bernie or Bust” or “Bernie Bro” camp. I feel like I’m going to have to start using #notjustwhiteguys when criticizing Clinton. In reality, we’ve been just as critical of the actions and viewpoints of Bernie and his ride or dies as we are of Clinton’s record as Senator and Secretary of State. Many of us didn’t mainline the Bernie Kool-Aid; despite supporting him, we had serious concerns, including his support of drone strikes and how he handled race related issues just as terribly as Clinton. His platform didn’t speak to issues impacting Black folks until BLM protestors forced his hand; then he got a statement up on his website real quick.

I’m also not toeing the line of the left that there are no differences between Clinton and Trump. I absolutely believe that electing Trump presents a very real, physical danger for people of color and women in this country. I don’t believe he isn’t representative of what our country is about. On the contrary, he’s a reflection of what we’d rather not see and admit to ourselves. I also absolutely believe that Clinton represents a very real danger to lives of Black and Brown people globally. She is carrying on a fine historical tradition of our politicians backing repressive regimes that benefit the economic interest of our country and corporations. She is no different from her male counterparts in that regard, on both sides of the aisle. Personally, I’d like to see criticism of Clinton shift from simply a laundry list of misdeeds, to understanding them in the larger context of a system that continues to uphold the interests of corporations and the wealthy. And what we’re going to do about that post-election.

In our zeal to argue about the differences between the two candidates, we’ve lost sight of something important. It doesn’t matter who is in the White house.  Social movements in this country have not relied solely on electoral politics. They’ve started with organizing within our communities. They’ve been uncomfortable. They’ve been confrontational. They’ve been dangerous. People have suffered and sacrificed much, including their freedom and their lives, in the process. But it’s been necessary. I don’t want any of that to be in vain. As I watch all of the (mostly young) Black folks taking to the streets protesting and note the lack of coverage in mainstream media, I actually feel hopeful. The lack of media coverage tells me the tactics are working and those in power feel threatened. The frequency with which people are taking to the streets in protest over more than just police brutality, also makes me feel hopeful. No matter who ends up in the white house, we are increasingly understanding what Audre Lorde meant when she said our silence will not protect us.

[theblacksplainer]

I’m tired. What I need from white folks.

I wasn’t necessarily planning on writing about the latest headlines but as I was revisiting the draft of my initial post about gentrification as progress, two Black people were murdered by cops within 24 hours of each other. In the time it's taken me to finalize this post, several more disturbing videos have surfaced, including one of cops shooting Charles Kinsey who was unarmed and lying on the ground with his hands up and the violent arrest of Breaion King during which an officer talked about the "violent tendencies" of our people. It never seems to end and that's one of the many reasons I'm writing about it. I found out about Alton Sterling when I’d woken up earlier than usual and decided to listen to Democracy Now before going to work. Not many days go by without at least one story about police brutality showing up in one my social media feeds. Yet when they played the audio from Alton Sterling’s murder it was still shocking and horrifying. I cried in my car on the way to work. I thought about how I was going to deal with my white as fuck coworkers in this white as fuck city. Either folks wouldn’t be talking about it at all or expect me to talk about it. The previous week, while on a business trip in Atlanta, I had to tell a couple of my coworkers they were making me feel uncomfortable with how they were talking about Black neighborhoods there. Neighborhoods they’ve never been to but they were sure being white would make them targets of crime. So I particularly wasn’t in the mood for blacksplaining by the time I arrived at work. Thankfully, I was left alone to mope silently at my desk. I hit up one of my friends, who is also a woman of color, and let her know I needed a break. I regularly consume a lot of political media and had spent the previous evening listening to a podcast about the Pentagon Papers and one about journalist, Shane Bauer’s 4-month stint as a guard at a private prison and reading essays on fun topics like The First Neoliberals. It’s cool if you fell asleep partway through that sentence. I am well aware that my idea of an ideal evening at home is another person’s complete snooze fest. It was even a bit much for me given the day's events. We talked about social media as both a potentially useful tool in social justice organizing while at the same time often being a cesspool of unproductive arguing and name calling. When she stepped into the kitchen for a minute, I jumped on Twitter and saw #falconheights trending and links to the Facebook live video. My first thought was, are you fucking kidding me, this can’t be real. I made a conscious choice a while ago to no longer watch these videos as they only increase my fear and anxiety. Also, I can’t help but think about how the victim’s families must feel when they become a part of the 24-hour news cycle and are re-traumatized repeatedly. No, thanks. The image of Philando Castile slumped over with blood on his shirt and the description of what happened was enough to bring more tears. I showed my friend the story and she had a similar reaction. We opened a bottle of wine and sat in stunned silence for a while. I realized in that moment that I’m at the point where I don’t want to be around white folks, other than my closest friends and family, when these things happen. A challenge when you live in America's Whitest City and you actually have to leave the house. It’s not just about hearing the repeated insistence that “all lives matter” or victim blaming thinly veiled as being “objective.” I know this isn’t exclusive to white folks or this town. I have many white friends who think about their responsibility in dismantling systemic racism and speak up and clap back at ignorant friends and family. I just need to be around other people of color who feel the same sense of fear I do. This isn’t just a political debate for me. How I feel is not simply a byproduct of outrage culture; a term I really hate, by the way, and will probably address in a later post. I recognize the privilege that comes with being a middle-class, educated, light skinned, biracial Black person. While that doesn’t exempt me from experiencing racism or police brutality, let’s be real, the majority of these murders are taking place in poor and working class communities and the bodies are often darker skinned. Demographics that half of my family and many of my friends fit into. My immediate need whenever one of these incidents is actually covered by mainstream media, is to talk about my fears and concerns with other people of color. Not spend time explaining for the hundredth time why proclaiming "All Lives Matter" or bringing up black on black crime is counterproductive, intellectually lazy and misses the point. Or in my effort to convince (mostly) white folks that systemic racism is a factor in police brutality, reduce people’s lives to statistics, because that resonates more than listening to or viewing the experiences of Black folks; once again dehumanizing Black folks and Black pain. I hear often from well meaning white folks that they don't know what they can do or they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing. No one is expecting you to single handedly solve anything. However, I am expecting you to listen and educate yourself about the work you have to do in dismantling racism. Accept you will fuck it up sometimes and you're going to feel hurt (okay, that will probably happen a lot). You only grow and learn if you take a step back and actually think about why someone is pushing back on what you're saying. If you truly want to show solidarity and affect change, you have to acknowldge your hurt feelings don't trump the larger issues at hand and focusing on how you're feeling derails conversations. Stop worrying about being called a racist because, again, you're making it about you and not the larger issues at hand. I have to remind myself of this all the time when I'm attempting to support marginalized groups that I am not a part of. I've wasted a lot of emotional energy on making some of you feel like good white people. That burden should not be mine or any other person of color's.

[theblacksplainer]

Why am I here?

“Justice is not a natural part of the lifecycle of the United States, nor is it a product of evolution; it is always an outcome of struggle.” Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor From #blacklivesmatter to Black Liberation I’d been thinking about writing about political topics for a while for a couple of reasons. I currently reside in Portland, Oregon and the population is around 75% white. While Portland is progressive on many issues, racism is definitely not one of them. The casual racism of many of the white folks here is frustrating and something I experience often. Shit White People Say to Black and Brown Folks in PDX is a good primer for what life is like for many of us here. The original intention for this blog was to address specific conversations I've had with white folks here. I'm not always up for addressing them in the moment, mostly because there’s a good chance it’s coming up over an adult beverage or I’m at work; and men, in particular, love to interrupt me, talk at me and try to convince me what I’m feeling isn’t what I’m feeling. I’ve no desire to get into many debates on social media where the goal often seems to be insulting and belittling folks versus actually engaging in meaningful conversation. As I started drafting blacksplanations based on these conversations, I realized I would like to write about more than just my personal interactions in this town and blacksplaining why comments like these are problematic as fuck:

Gentrification is just progress and inevitable (said no poor, person of color ever)

(insert pretty much anything here) is reverse racism

I’m not going to feel guilty because I’m white (I clearly missed the memo that went out from Black America about this being a goal)

Talking about race is divisive

Not all (white people, men, etc)

Martin Luther King, Jr wouldn’t approve of these tactics/protests (insert MLK quote taken out of context here)

We should take the time to educate white folks, men, etc (the irony is not lost on me that this blog is sort of about that. I’ll write more on this at some point).

I also happen to be a progressive lady who thinks about radical ladylike things, including but not limited to: how patriarchy harms men and women, the limitations of respectability and Liberal politics, and racism within the context of neoliberalism and capitalism. I guess what I’m saying is, you can expect some progressive ladysplaining too. I’ll be using this blog not only as a form a cheap therapy but to craft long form responses versus off the cuff ones typical of Facebook and Twitter interactions. Although, ironically enough, I’ll definitely be using those platforms to promote it and engage with more folks. At times I hope it will be uncomfortable and challenging. I also want it to be informative and a catalyst for necessary conversations and action. However, I’m also a realist. If I’m fortunate and interesting enough, I suspect I’ll mostly just get trolled by the dregs of the internet (and probably a few friends) and may only influence a handful of minds. One can dream.