The Black Girl

forty

Everyone disappeared after I didn't need a beta reader anymore looool

When I get to history class, which is last period I am already full blown annoyed.

First Gabi, then I have no idea what's going on with Kim or Lane, and now I remember that we were meant to present our projects on Racism in the 21st Century.

And this kid Kyle, obviously smoked something before he came up to present his project because here he is talking the most nonsense I've heard since Jade told me that lettuce makes people fat.

"As we all know, racism has been affecting people of many races for a very long time, but as we all know if most affects black people," He looks around the class, and I'm not really sure what he's looking for considering I'm the darkest person here and stick out like a sore thumb.

The only other black person present is Lane, and his melanin couldn't stand close to mine unfortunately.

Not to toot my own horn or anything.

"But to say that reverse racism isn't real, is completely stupid, because it's real and that's not even up for argument." Kyle says and I taken aback by his words.

"Okay Kyle first of all," I interrupt him without even noticing, he opens his mouth to go on talking but I raise a finger shush him.

And that's when I tell him.

"The reverse racism thing is often pulled by white people when people of color call out racism and discrimination, or create spaces for themselves, like BET, that white people aren't a part of. 

The impulse behind the reverse racism argument seems to be a desire to prove that people of color don't have it that bad, they're not the only ones that are put at a disadvantage or targeted because of their race. It's like the Racism Olympics. And it's patently untrue.

At some point, the actual meaning of  racism got mixed up with other aspects of racism like prejudice, bigotry, ignorance, and so on. It's true yeah, people can experience prejudice from black people and other non-whites. Black people can have ignorant, backwards ideas about white people, as well as other non-white races. No one is trying to deny that. But racism is far more complex. 

White people have never been enslaved, colonized, or forced to segregate. They do not face housing or job discrimination, police brutality, poverty, or incarceration at the level that black people do. This is not to say that they do not experience some of these things like poverty and police brutality at all, they do. But again, not on the same scale, not even close. That's racism for you.

Black people can't be racist toward white people; prejudiced, yes. But racism describes a system of disadvantage based on race. Black people can't be racist because in order to, we need to benefit from such a system but we don't. And for you to say reverse racism isn't up for argument is you as a white man, getting to decide what is and is not racist, and that's racism bitch."

These are actually my beliefs not Lola's but I just had to write them as hers #sorrynotsorry