Because of my use of Second Life for some of my projects, I read a lot of blogs about the program and the experiences of others "in world."

The blog entry I've linked to in my name is one that really struck me because of the way one can, essentially, change race using their avatar, and yet the projections of others will come through clearly. When you are in world as a white girl, then switch to a realistic black skin or asian skin, you then get the experience of being on the receiving end of bigotry, and even fetishism.

Similarly, I don't walk around in real life with a name tag that says 'I am going to synagogue on Friday night and I am an observant Jew' - but I do have a tag in SL that says "Jew of SL" that I occasionally wear - and I do get nasty comments from people in certain regions.

And Finally, A link to an artist who's work I like a lot, and her blog: http://www.carlagirl.net/

Great post on one of my favourite topics. The paragraph that starts 'you grew up here too' simply rocks.

Any white liberal who believes they are free from all racial bias should be made to do the race implicit association test. See: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

LeGuin was here on Monday, did I tell you that? She's such a wonderful person. She read from her poetry & at the end the audience (small, this is a small town; maybe 40 people) gave her a standing ovation. Not because of anything she said in particular -- just as an honor to her.

Regarding the topic at hand: I'm as white as can be and live in a town that's 98% white, but even still I was SHOCKED when I saw the pictures from BlogHer. White, all white!

I think you're absolutely right. I think it;s a crying shame that so many people spout off about how "liberal" they are, but then would not make the connection that they only have white friends and white business comtacts, and read white authors and watch TV shows and movies featuring an all-white cast.

I know that when I was younger, I did not think much about the lack of other ethnicities on TV and in movies because that's all there was. If all you've ever been given is vanilla, and you have not concept of other varieties, you don't really miss it. As I got older, and was exposed to other people and cultures, I did begin to see that there was this gulf that we, as white people, can never truly understand.

My favorite television show of all time was "Homicide: Life on the Street", and not just beacuse of its stellar acting. It had the most diverse cast of any show on TV, and when held up against some networks, still does. There were body shapes of ALL kinds, and (at least in the beginning) 9/10ths of the cast were not what the networks called "conventionally attractive." But there was such a lot of talent in that group. Such raw excellence. It was real. THEY were real. It still remains as a lesson to a whole generation of filmmakers as an ideal. But NBC gave up on it. They didn't have the guts to stick with a cast that was real and human. They tried to "pretty it up", and it failed miserably.

I think change happens when people promote understanding. And, I thank you for doing your part to help bring that change about.

Fabulous post!

This statement: "However, it seems to me that the worst thing that ever happened to the civil rights and anti-racism movements was when mainstream society wholeheartedly adopted both the belief that racism is evil, and that it is a personal evil, not a societal one." This statement is spot on!

Psychological study after psychological study has shown time after time that the reaction we have to race is automatic and unconscious, even among people of color. To deny that is to deny our humanity. Of course, only by becoming aware of that can we even begin to change society and therein lies the problem, as you so articulately explained.

i've been trying to find language for this all week. you nailed it. especially the sentence quoted above by Lawyer Mama...racism is a societal evil, flat out. society is populated by persons, yes...but whether or not i as an individual decide that "i can't see race" doesn't mean that people aren't regularly and consistently treated as though they have one, and it's not the hegemonic dominant.

great post.

You said - You grew up here too.

Actually, I didn't. I grew up in Australia. A different kettle of fish entirely. What does it say about the blogosphere when someone writes a post assuming only people who grew up in the US will read it?

Is that racist?

I ask the question only because it came to me as I read your post. ;)

Snoskred
http://www.snoskred.org/

Good point, Snoskred (and a definite oops on my part)--but I'm Canadian. ;)

De-lurking here...I've been enjoying your posts for some time now and cheering you on as you move bravely into a new to you world as a single mom.

Good post. Good points. I am a white girl but I have experienced the other side of the coin living in a village in Africa where they hadn't seen a white girl before. And similarly on the Navajo Nation or in the Athabascan village of Beaver. After living in Africa I came to London, UK and I was dressed somewhat African and had tanned really dark...and the fact that (white)people crossed the street to get away from me was a real eye opener. And for me it was temporary, but most people they have to deal with it all their lives.

Great post, Andrea. The argument that systemic means we are all part of the system--ALL OF US--cannot be made enough, IMHO.

Great post.

Amazingly honest and true post. Thank you speaking up.

thank you, Andrea. I could not agree more with your points here, and you have articulated this whole issue in much clearer and more convincing terms than I could. The knee-jerk reactions that are taking place in some quarters are really quite surprising to me.

Ahhhhh Andrea. You have brilliantly boiled this down the fundamental components and honesty that I aimed for in each post I wrote about this. And each comment.

I keep wanting to quote the bits and portions that really resonated and rung true for me and articulated so eloquently what I believe. But next thing I knew I'd C&Pd pretty much your entire post.

I guess if I allow myself one teensy quote,it would be this:

"Try to be someone who can hear "that is racist" in connection with yourself without reacting with anger and defensiveness. That, more than any well-meaning on-going discussions about the state of the blogosphere, and its representativeness or lack thereof, and whether or not the diversity of specific portions of the blogosphere accurately reflects that of society as a whole, will do much more to achieve equality. Try to understand that the question "where are the black/asian/etc. bloggers?" is just as telling as "where are the women bloggers?" Try to understand that when people of colour blog invisibly, on purpose, hiding the colour of their skin, that is because they know that racism is real and present on the parentosphere, even if you don't, and they don't want to have to deal with it."

Yes.

Thank you for participating in the Hmm this week and for the awesome contribution.

Julie
Ravin' Picture Maven

Great post, Andrea. I really loved how you expressed your thoughts! And I agree with you!