As a wo/man of ‘color’, what do you do when you go to a restaurant for
a nice lunch and find something out of the ordinary in your salad? With many
of us not into the taste of insects, hair et al, being in our food, as a person
of ‘color’, how do you react when the waiter approaches you with fear and a defensive
tone but is not apologetic?
Do
you replay the situation in your head to see if you would be confrontational? If you
are the type who doesn’t yell or argue @ the drop of a dime, how do you handle
situations where the other party expects you to neck swerve or finger wag or
deliver any other threatening motion that the ‘black’
stereotype suggests we would?
I know some people expect us to be
sassy or combative, and they react accordingly before we even have the
opportunity to prove otherwise. Because this is more than just the issue
of being prejudged, but about having our grievances taken seriously and addressed
accordingly, I decided that this entry would be timely. If someone has
automatically dismissed you as being an angry black wo/man just for having a
complaint, then they have probably dismissed your complaint as well, right?
Have you ever found yourself acting
passively just to avoid appearing like a stereotype? If so, how do you
navigate the fine line between self advocacy and being perceived to be angry? How
do you express your concerns vigilantly while still being taken seriously?
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