A woman of color's blog guide in navigating through travel, pop culture, and oppression in it's modern forms...
Giving you intellectual sustenance to nibble on!
Today I ran across this video of Lil' Wayne talking about how he was raped at age 11 by a woman spurred on by his "father" Baby.
About the rape, Wayne said:
"I loved it....I ain't never pressed charges. I'mma do you like Baby and them did me…”
There's so much wrong with this that my brain hurts! So let's take dissect this tragedy piece by piece.
I'm going to put all by biases out there. I think Lil' Wayne, Baby and that whole camp are a bunch of bullshit, trifling ass hoodrats. There's something about a boy masquerading as a man that makes me real angry. Add that to the fact that people actually have the nerve to talk about him like he's speaking something other than trash and I'm heated.
But let's put that to the side for a second, because this video just confirmed, without a doubt, that homeboy needs some help.
LIKE NOW!
For reals, someone needs to get this man a therapist. A psychologist. A friendly, non-trifling, shoulder to cry on.
When I first saw this article I thought, lord knows why, oh my god Lil' Wayne is going to break his decade long streak of foolishness and actually say something of substance. I was hella wrong. What a missed opportunity.
People rarely talk about boys as the rape victims of women. Most of the male rape discussion centers on men in prison, and the sexual violation of boys usually focuses on male perpetrators. So here I thought, damn he's going to shed light on the ignored instances of women raping young boys (and girls). It's a serious issue and we really need to start having a conversation that dismantles the tendency of equating rape victims solely with women and refusing to see women as potential perpetrators.
But that's not what we get here. No, Lil' Wayne offers us a horrific description of how wonderful it was to be a child violated by an adult against his will, while a bunch of adults sit around and watch and probably cheer. And then, to put icing on the motherfucking cake, this asshole promises to violate his young protege in the same way.
I only have two things to say about this.
Now that I know that Wayne was a victim of sexual abuse, I'm starting to look at his sexual exploits in a whole new light. Anyone even mildly conversant in the pathology of the victims of sexual abuse knows that survivors very often develop problematic relationships with sex that can, especially when untreated, develop into a hyperactive sexual life. It's a defense mechanism. And maybe, just maybe, that's what's going on with this fool.
Somebody call the damn police. This man is promising, PROMISING, to orchestrate the rape of a minor!
Also, as a side note and even more evidence of how FUCKED UP these people are, check the end of the video when Lil' Wayne compares his first sexual experience/violation with his coming into manhood and then quickly compares that to killing five men or robbing a bank.
Yea, this is exactly the kind of Black masculinity I want my nephew to model.
It was half way through the first installment of CNN’s “Latino in America” and I was ready to call it a night. But I continued watching; hoping for something that I could say was intelligent and illuminating. In the end I was disappointed, but not as much as I might have been had I actually expected CNN to produce something intelligent and illuminating.
So, what did CNN teach us about Latinos in America?
If only Latinos would work harder, try harder in school, and learn English, then they could achieve the “American Dream.” Look at Eva Longoria-Parker and Edward James Olmos.
Guess what? Latinos come in a variety of colors and shades. Yes, they look black, white, brown, and everything in between. (Note to CNN: The history of conquest and importation of African slaves to Latin America might have been relevant here.)
Latina teenagers are brats. They run away. They always seem to end up pregnant. And they think about committing suicide frequently. Side Comment: teenage pregnancy is hardly a problem among Latinas only.
Latina teenagers are brats. They run away. They always seem to end up pregnant. And they think about committing suicide frequently. Side Comment: teenage pregnancy is hardly a problem among Latinas only.
There are cultural and communication problems that are involved when groups from diverse communities mix. Um, duh. Telling us about a segregated Catholic church—that have two different services because of language differences—doesn’t say anything about the real sociological, psychological, and historical dangers of segregation. Many white Americans simply refuse to recognize their own cultural superiority and continue to insist that their language, their food preferences, and their traditions are better (i.e. they should learn English and they should learn to like our side dishes at the church picnic).
There are many people who oppose immigration from Latin American countries, particularly Mexico. Duh again. CNN failed to address the complexities of this issue. There was no discussion of America’s interference in Latin American economic policies, nor of particular U.S. policies that make the transnational transfer of both goods and peoples—NAFTA, for example—easy and profitable, nor of the history of U.S. sponsored labor migrations from Latin America throughout the twentieth century. Instead, the show gave much more time to examining one (white) man’s personal bias against Latin American immigrants, the result of which was to individualize racism and neglect America’s role in creating the “immigrant problem.”
Sometimes, in cases of extreme individual racism, Latinos are harassed and/or beaten up for being Latino. Again, these instances have nothing to do with anything other than a single person’s or group of people’s own prejudices.
Latino parents are bad parents. They don’t teach their kids about their heritage and then complain about it later. They don’t appreciate the value in American education. They would rather children stay at home or work.
All Latinos have the same experiences.
Understandably, CNN undertook a huge project with “Latinos in America” (as they did with “Black in America”), but there was little effort to produce something that could actually open people’s eyes or, heaven forbid, make people think. There was no analysis, no attempt to break down the structural barriers to equality, and no explanation as to why Latino immigration is different from European immigration, among other things. No, CNN did not make this comparison, but they should have, considering that their entire show was basically about immigrants (as if there are no Latinos that have been here for generations, or even centuries). If they had bothered to talk to even ONE scholar of Latino Studies or Latino History, they might have discovered this.
On top of that, it is obvious that CNN sought to represent Latinos in a very particular (racialized and gendered) way. Frankly, half of the stories told were largely irrelevant. I fail to understand, for example, how a group of guys in Southern California who build and show low-rider cars in their spare time are representative of Latinos in America. Yes, some people will say that when they think of low-riders, they think of young, Latino men, but if that’s the criteria for getting some airtime on the show, then when CNN does “White in America” (they won’t, but some friends and myself have discussed the possibilities), I fully expect them to talk about polka dancers and beauty pageants for four-year-olds.
In my mind, CNN’s only purpose was to justify stereotypes of Latinos and promote the idea of individual striving and success, also known as the “American Dream.” The other half of the stories had the potential to be educational, but because there was no context (historical or otherwise) given and no investigation into the meaning of particular experiences—white flight, hate crimes, anti-immigrant sentiment, Latino poverty, contemporary segregation patterns, high school drop-out rates, and generational conflicts among immigrants, for instance—these stories did little to actually explain what it’s like to be Latino in America.
The story of Marta, a young girl from Central America, is representative of this point. When she was twelve, she immigrated illegally to the U.S., in search of her mother. When discovered, she was put in Boystown, a detention facility in Florida where children are kept when they are found without documentation. It operates more like a prison than juvenile detention center. It’s a sad situation, but the history of Boystown is interesting. It once served as a home to child refugees from Cuba starting in 1959. Cuban parents sent their children there with the hopes of later migrating themselves, and reuniting in the U.S. Boystown was supposed to assimilate these children, with the hopes of integrating them into American society.
The differences between the facility then and now are quite stark, but CNN does not explain why this is the case. Why were Cubans welcomed so warmly? Why is Marta’s experience so different from the hundreds of Cuban children to enter the U.S. before her? A history of American geopolitical objectives and their influence on immigration policy, and thus racial constructions, would have helped explain these disparities.
In the end, I’m convinced that CNN’s efforts did more harm than good. Some people I’ve talked to have argued that they were just glad that Latinos got some primetime airtime for a change. I don’t agree. “Latinos in America” was advertised as an authoritative piece of journalism, intended to teach Americans about a group of people who are quickly (demographically, at least) taking over. On CNN’s website, you can find a parent and teacher discussion guide for the show, further demonstrating that it was meant to be a teaching tool. It has probably already been used that way. Long term it will probably becomes a tool for teaching diversity and multiculturalism, and the real problems behind the disparities in Latino education and income will remain hidden, as will the internal biases that prohibit Latino advancement in the U.S. But don’t be surprised if we get “Latinos in America 2.” It’s only a matter of time, unfortunately.
And, according to French Vogue, blackface... "what's the big deal?"
Every one is all a-flutter about the fashion industry's exclusionary practices and often offensive images of women. Me... not so much. The fashion industry is elitist and generally intolerant of all women, not just "round" ones. Models are never skinny enough and always beautiful but... "her eyes are too wide" "too close together" "her hips are too big" "her face too angular" "too round." WTF ever.
I don't care what anyone says, the fashion industry does not like women.
So Karl Lagerfield may be an ass and he may be offensive and he may look like a villain from outer space:
but he's not an anomaly. This is how people feel, he's just one of the few who will say it out loud. And for that I say kudos to you Mr. Lagerfeld, at least I know what I'm dealing with, with your crazy ass. And I totally won't tell anyone that you used to be f-... well, you know:
So if I don't have an issue with that, why this post? Well first, I've been crazy busy and haven't had the time to blog, let alone think, lately. And this is me getting back into a groove. But secondly, and more importantly, I'm super sick of people attacking the fashion industry for being sizist, or racist, or exoticizing certain women, or stealing from communities of color in a decidedly imperialist manner but being unwilling to look at how these are only more focused versions of what's going on in the rest of the world and what they're doing themselves.
I love all of the tv news shows, especially of the entertainment variety, who reported on this with their anchors liposucked to within an inch of their lives, botoxed beyond recognition and full of saline saying how deplorable his statements were (but not quite emoting their outrage). And then couching the post in between "news" stories about Nicole Richie's post-baby body and who's got the worst cellulite of the summer (random selection of stories not necessarily on air when this ish went down, but... you know).
The point is that we worship certain kinds of images but many of us who rail against them also willingly fall victim to it. We make a big fuss about the media and society circumscribing certain kinds of bodies to women (and men) but then ignore how those bodies (and their attendant conceptions of beauty) are raced and/or how this litmus of perfection allows us to judge other people's characters/lives/behaviors based on their bodies. (And this goes on both sides. We can't make judgments about skinny girls not eating or dieting all the time and falling into the "trap" simply because they're small.) We gotta do better. So until you're willing to check yourself, stop talking. And if you're not sure if I'm aiming this at you, consider:
If you're one of those people who totally nods your head every few months when there's some new scandal about those stick thin, possibly anorexic, models but won't date a girl over a size 6 or makes fun of that girl in the next cubicle for being a "lard ass," SHUT THE FUCK UP! You have absolutely no room to talk. And if you're one of those douches who points out how wrong it is that all of the models in your favorite ad campaign are white but clutches your purse when a Black man enters the elevator, FUCK YOU! You have no room to talk.
Today's message has been brought to you by the word "fuck" and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.
I can barely think in coherent sentences most days, which makes those fellowship essays a bit of a chore. But I really don't talk that much throughout the week anyway. Usually I spend a lot of time just staring, watching, hopefully comprehending.
Here's a list of things that I don't mind looking at again and again:
Most of you might recognize the first piece from my laptop and my old ipod (r.i.p Bandit). The Japanese-Australian artist's blending of intricate design to illustrate familiar and foreign themes speaks to me. When I bought my laptop decal at GelaSkins, one person reviewed that with one of Nanami's prints you wouldn't fail to get noticed from random passerby, which has proven true. But even more interestingly to me, you always know when you're looking at a Nanami Cowdroy piece. And not just by the red stamp of her name in the corner, but by the unique interplay of light and dark, and detail, her signature style.
2. Oakland
Well, pictures of Oakland technically. I'm working on a story right now that I decided, on a whim, to set by Lake Merritt. We lived there for a while when I was in elementary school and I loved it. And living in a city like Columbus (all offense) makes it really easy to miss a place like home. Seriously, as usual I've got a list of things I must see/do/eat when I'm home:
buying jewelry/knick knacks on Telegraph. I seriously haven't done this in years. Who's down?
Blondie's pizza- turkey pepperoni. nuff said. no seriously, only in california would a pizza place have pepperoni w/o pork. holla!
bancroft clothing- i don't know why though
sushi
skates... i don't think i really want to drop money like that, but hell... maybe
monterey bay aquarium- i've never been but we're taking the heathens for Sierra's 7th 'cause I'm coming home!
Loard's- banana
taco trucks
MOAD- i haven't been in a while, might as well see what's new. Who's down?
Asian Art museum- again, who's down?
the fam
Jean
Jessica
the SMC fam
BART!- hell even AC transit... COTA's got nothing on them.
saying hella without any flak!
Nations, but only after a drunken night in Jack London. I'm not even asking, Jean- get ready!
So I never, ever, evereverever bothered with CNN's Black in America series. I knew they were going to suck. And they did. They didn't show any of the things that I think non-Black/especially white people in this country need to know.
But now that they're doing a Latino in America series I'm starting to wonder. Should I watch? Soledad O'Brien is questionably Black, but maybe she's just a little more Latina. Maybe they'll say some things I need to hear.
So, what say you? Will you be watching CNN's Latino in America?!
NBC's new half hour comedy Community hasn't received too much hype, even though it airs in the channel's coveted Thursday night comedy block. Personally I only thought to give it a try because Joel McHale is funny, but just as soon as I decided to watch it, I forgot about it completely. But I happened to catch Yvette Nicole Brown's interview on The Wendy Williams Show and promptly set my dvr. And thank god I did, because this shit is hilarious.
Sadly, I then immediately forgot that about it again (am I too young for senility?) and missed the second episode. But I was lucky enough to catch the show on Bravo thanks to NBC's media domination. And if it was possible to top the introduction of Abed, the Indian dude with Aspergers, and Chevy Chase as creepy older hippy Pierce who has a bit of a thing for Shirley (Brown), they did so with this little nugget of fabulousness. Meet Senor Chang (Ken Jeong), the Asian Spanish Teacher:
In his first appearance Senor Chang lays it down, getting right to the heart of your Asian stereotypes and the supposed incongruity of having an Asian man teaching Spanish. Because I can't find the clip anywhere anymore (damn NBC and their copyright protections!) I've decided to transcribe it for you.... Seriously! It's that good.
Every once in a while a student will come up to me and ask Senor Chang, why do you teach Spanish? They say it just like that. Why do you teach Spanish? Why you? Why not math? Why not photography? Why not martial arts? I mean surely it must be in my nature to instruct you in something that's ancient and secret like oh building a wall that you can see from outer space. Well I'll tell you why I teach Spanish. It is none of your business ok? Now I don't wanna have any conversations about what a mysterious inscrutable man I am. [plays with imaginary long, white beard] oheheheheheohohohohoh I am a spanish genius. En espanol my nickname is el tigre chino [pretending to bite Shirley's neck] because my knowledge will bite her face off. So don't question Senor Chang or you'll get bit, ya bit, ya bit!... Ok, Friday manana...
At first I wasn't sure where this monologue was going and I am a bit lost on where it ended up. But the more I listened the more I realized that Senor Chang was blowing my mind. All of a sudden, he was killing me softly and I was on the floor dying laughing. "Why not karate?" The "mysterious" Asian man... oh sweet lord in heaven, you like me and this proves it!
Senor Chang's outburst says a lot about how we understand race, nationality and language. I've talked about this before but this dude is so funny that I had to do it again.
Why do his students get all confuddled about having an Asian Spanish teacher? Well, you know... he's Asian first of all. Shouldn't he be teaching Japanese or Cantonese or, you know, some Asian language?
That has got to be one of the dumbest sentences I've ever had to write just because it requires looking at the world with such massive blinders I don't know how you don't run into multiple walls.
But also because comments like these presume that only Asian people speak Asian languages, only Latinos speak Spanish and only someone of a particular racial group should teach that language. This also supposes that you've never looked around you and seen what different kinds of people lay claims to what it means to be an American. And everyone from Norcal knows that when you're in high school you have two foreign language options, Spanish or French. And if you know like I know, Spanish is just barely a foreign language in some parts of the U.S.
