Comments for The Feminist Griote

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by Reply to Feminist Griote – A Rant | jadewhisk

Reply to Feminist Griote – A Rant | jadewhisk — Mon, 06 May 2013 01:02:06 +0000

[...] Original article at http://thefeministgriote.com/white-people-fatigue-syndrome/ [...]

Comment on “The Black Woman is the Mule of the World”-Zora Neale Hurston by And So, It Begins | A Wild Cup of Ginger

And So, It Begins | A Wild Cup of Ginger — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:41:18 +0000

[...] happen in my life. I am a woman, I am Black, I have a disability, and I have a strong personality. This world is not made for the likes of me. So I cannot be mediocre. I cannot be a’ight and still expect to demand the right to life, [...]

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by janiebt

janiebt — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:44:19 +0000

I can’t make sense of Ian’s clueless response.
It is similar to what I see a lot of these days, that being,
a total denial that racism is still pervasive throughout society.

Sometimes I think the people in denial think that racism magically disappeared because the Civil Rights Act passed so many years ago. Or that since Obama is POTUS, that is definitive proof that we live in a post-racial society.

“They’ll choke on smugness, deluded by privilege believing they’re “for equality.”

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by Clover. M

Clover. M — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:10:57 +0000

Ian – I’m going to go out on a limb here and insinuate that you’re a white male, only because you’re coming from a ungrounded and privileged point of view, at least that is what your response reveals. Contrary to what you may assume I do agree that the photographer/creative director of the shoot didn’t have the intention of producing racist images; however I believe theFeministGriote is not referring to the intentions but rather the way those images are received. Furthermore, the photographers/creative director’s ignorance of the negative impact of those images that appropriate people of color and even more devastating, the ignorance of her coworkers — who all work in advocacy — illuminates the need for community amongst all oppressed people and their “allies,” as well as the ignorance of those with fellow oppressed people.
It’s simply not enough for trans-folk to be the only advocates for “trans-rights” just like it’s not enough for Black people to be the only advocates for racial equality. I do believe this could have been a learning lesson for her coworkers, however that is the overriding problem outlined here: Educating the privileged majority (and yes Latino/as are the PRIVILEGED majority in Miami) is very much taxing, especially if, like theFeministGriote, you are a intersected minority and you have to explain your oppression to every group that doesn’t have to deal with your problems. I think the only problem with her article is that it’s called White People Fatigue Syndrome, rather it should be Considerably More Privileged People Fatigue Syndrome.
I say all that to say this; the catalyst of the ignorance nestled by you, her colleagues and obviously any and all persons who had something to do with that RACIST fashion story is this, the narratives of the oppressed is disgustingly under-told. That is why, people like Miley Cyrus are ignorant to fixing their eyes in slanted positions as to imitate Southeast Asians, why people like No Doubt can don honorable and sacred Native American apparel for the sake of “ART” and it also why someone like you can sit in front of your computer/laptop/ipad/whatever and tell a Black woman that something like, a non-Black woman painted in Blackface is not racist.

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by Tomee

Tomee — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:04:41 +0000

Continued from my previous post.

2nd point:

There needs to be a deeper critical intersectional analysis by folks on all sides.

I appreciate that you are writing about the impact of media images on the complexities of being a Black woman. As a Black woman with intersecting identities I have dealt with the ‘I don’t see racism or discrimination/exclusion folks’ at work and in various settings. My responses to their misrepresentation of my lived experiences has varied. However, I am consistent in taking a boarder approach to the issue by reflecting their perspective back to them. In the end, they need to figure it out, take action, and move forward. I need to nurture and heal wounds, and reground.

Tomee

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by Tomee

Tomee — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:53:08 +0000

I feel this blog speaks to the resurgence of neo anti-black (skin colour,cultural identities) in both the ‘fashion’ world and beyond.

My WPFS has shifted toward engaging new strategies and tactics. Many white folks and folks of colour from different backgrounds may not view the cover as racist. I think those of us whose lived experiences are negated, or belittled as hysteria (as Ian’s bullshit comments reveal) when we dare to articulate how these ‘fashion’ representations impact our lives.

Two things have to happen:

Economic consequences within the fashion media and spaces for the perpetuation of systemic racism.
A deepening of an intersectional

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by Cat

Cat — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:59:43 +0000

You’re right. I’m sorry. I was taking what you said and making it about me/my experience, which isn’t okay.

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by TheFeministGriote

TheFeministGriote — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:44:09 +0000

“Because all too often people fail to realize how all isms and oppressions are interrelated and depend upon each other to thrive.”
This line pulled from the above blog post should be proof that I don’t believe in oppression olympics. I clearly stated that they are all interrelated which means there is no hierarchy. The whole entire point of this 1000+ word blog post is to get people to see the bigger picture of oppression and not just the myopic one they’re comfortable in seeing. If I didn’t make it clear in the post here is my second attempt at it.

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by Cat

Cat — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:30:05 +0000

That someone can see a woman in blackface and not think it racist (as Ian has above, and as your colleagues did) is appalling to me. Because that shit IS racist and disgusting and fucking indefensible. You don’t need some random internet person to validate that in you, obvs, but I just…idk, wanted to say I agree?

I have one question – you say that if the mag cover had been misogynistic (/homophobic/etc) the others would’ve spoken up. You know your colleagues – if you say they would’ve then you’re obvs right about that. But it feels a bit…idk, a bit minimising of those other oppressions? I see the same thing happen in convos about eg transphobia, ppl comparing it to racism and saying ‘you’d never say that about a Black person’ and it always upsets me bc it makes it sound like those other oppressions are more solved somehow. Does that make sense?

(There’s every chance I’m overreacting here, my apologies if that’s the case.)

That aside… this is a great piece, and we white ppl NEED to read this, need to be fucking told to speak the fuck up. So thank you. And I’m sorry.

Comment on “White People Fatigue Syndrome” by Ian Jade

Ian Jade — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:19:50 +0000

I think this piece is a melodramatic overreaction to an innocuous incident, and works very hard to maintain you in the role of victim so as to elicit sympathy.

If you are constantly pointing out examples like this, it is no wonder your allies sometimes doubt whether racism impinges on your world at all. This is not racist. It is also no wonder that they do not see it as such, and I am not surprised that this makes them feel the need to constantly re-affirm their non-racist solidarity with you when you bring up subjects like this.

I have no idea what you mean by “having white women don coloured women costumes”, but the following quote is utterly disingenuous; to cite the lack of black models for decades as oppression, and then, when black models become more prevalent, to see their very presence as oppressive – this seems like a desperate attempt to cling on to victim status.

I do not believe that the photo shoot you show on the cover and talk about within the magazine is racist at all. It is an aesthetic and artistic choice designed to produce a particular effect. If the photographer had wanted to photograph a black model, or a white, or a blonde-haired, or a ginger-haired model, I am sure he would have done so. He chose those particular models, and dressed and painted BOTH their bodies to present a particular monochromatic effect. That you choose only to see the alteration to the darker figure speaks only about your preconceptions, not about the photographer’s intent.

Again, if none of your colleagues read the picture in this way, why would they jump to affirm your reading of it?

You complain that black women are seen as being always ready to curse somebody out. Perhaps this is just observation at work. You are doing a fine job of berating all of them, all of the attendees at this industry luncheon, and the entire editorial staff of a magazine here.

Rather than draw your conclusion about the reason none of your companions objected to that cover shot, I’d rather extend your own line of reasoning – if it had been homophobic, anti-immigrant, misogynistic, they would have stood up for the people representing those groups at the table. So IF it had been racist, perhaps they would have stood up for you, too. Doesn’t that make more sense? Isn’t that a little less paranoid?