By: Taylor Beckman

Taylor Beckman — Sat, 22 Oct 2016 20:53:04 +0000

The stereotypes associated with certain phenotypes have arisen almost entirely by society. I think this test that the man took speaks directly to the idea of political correctness in this country. It used to be that the term African-American was used to describe people with darker skin as an umbrella term. If this test is accurate, it shows that not every Black person comes from Africa. There are plenty of people from the Caribbean who can be forgotten about and identify as Black.
To address Jenna’s question, there will always be people who try to ascribe people into the boxes of race, but at the end of the day, it is the person’s identity that should trump all. On a piece of paper we can check our own boxes, but Jenna is right that we cannot always control how others perceive us. There are systems of power and privilege inherent in a person’s race and as a society, we can slowly start to chip away at ways that we can combat them. The news shows unarmed men of color getting shot and killed as well as police officers. When the officer uniform comes off at the end of the day, they can conform into civilian life, but the men of color cannot strip their outward appearance as easily and that is where the conflict cannot be escaped for them.

By: Victoria Marsala

Victoria Marsala — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 03:22:24 +0000

The question you bring up here about whether or not he is still Black is a very compelling one. I do belief that how you identify yourself should trump all, however that is not the case, as you so articulately point out. People are still going to choose how they view you, and ultimately it will have an effect on you whether you want it to or not. I’m not exactly sure how to answer your first question about whether or not there’s a place for us outside of our safe space to check our own box… And truthfully I’m not too sure about the second question either. While I would like to say yes and be optimistic, I don’t think it’d be possible for people to check their own boxes without others still trying to place them in their own boxes. I think it’s human nature for people to try to categorize what they see in order to make sense of their surroundings, and that clearly includes people. Maybe if one day we figure out a way to recondition our way of thinking, it could be possible.

Comments on: Phenotypes & Stereotypes

By: Taylor Beckman

By: Victoria Marsala