General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: An Observation About White People and Wypipo [View all]Boomer
(4,170 posts)It's easy for a white person to proclaim the virtues of being color-blind because the default color is white. The goal of ignoring race tends to work out better for the dominant race. It's the same when straight people proclaim they don't care what people do in their own bedroom, as if my being gay is something that can be dismissed as nothing more than a privacy issue.
No. It doesn't work that way. Being gay is more than what I do in one room of my house; it is integrated into every part of my life. Being black is more than just a skin color; it encompasses a rich and vibrant cultural history. Being "color-blind" ignores that reality.
The goal is not to erase differences, or "not see them." it's to celebrate or at least respect them. A black person is going to have a very different experience -- in ways good and bad -- of what it means to live in America. We can recognize someone "as people" AND recognize that they "feel black" too.
Again, as a gay person I may have a lot in common with straight people, but I am not interchangeable with a straight person. Being gay brings its own culture, history, and feelings. I don't need you to ignore them to make me feel like a human being. Quite the contrary, I need them acknowledged as a part of who I am. I'm waiting for the day that straight people can deal with me being gay and not flinch away from our differences.