Posted by Guest Blogger ~ Amy Redditt on 10/08/2014
“I have darker skin. I have a nice, interesting grade of hair. I connect with Caucasian. I connect with Asian. I connect with black. I connect with Indian. I connect with each culture.”
“You are a melting pot in one body,” Oprah observed. “Isn’t that what America’s supposed to be?," so said, Raven-Symoné. This is what I heard when I listened to a portion of her interview, with Oprah on, Where are They Now? She preceded this, by saying, that she is tired of being labelled. She said, that she doesn't want to be labelled as gay, but a human who loves humans. She stated that she's not an African American. She's an American. Oprah went on to say that Raven is going to get a lot of flack for saying she's not an African American.
Check One, Check Two, Check Three
Someone sent me the link to this interview and that's where it began. I told Sheldon, that I totally got what Raven-Symoné was saying. He countered by saying, that she is wrong because he took it as she was saying, that she's not black. First, let me say, I think he totally missed the boat there. I don't believe that is what she meant at all. He went on to say, that when she listed all the things she connected with, black was not even the first and that you have to mark one on an application when you apply somewhere and that it is just dumb to not see that. While I get what he is saying about the applications, that's where I begin to see a problem. People don't fit into one little box anymore, especially not in America. Even I, honestly don't, although to the naked eye, I do. Of course, I know I am white and to check Caucasian, but I also know that I'm German, Irish, Native American, French and so on. But, my daughter is all of those things and half black, which is also made up of whatever my husbands' family is made up of, but directly she is half white and half black. Personally, although I've heard the "one drop rule", I think she has just as much right to check white as she does black. To discount her Caucasian heritage is ludicrous to me just because of some "rule". Her Caucasian family is very much a part of her life and not to be discounted ever, on an application, a doctors' check in information sheet or anywhere else. And for that matter, I see our current President no differently. I know that's what someone will bring up and although I get that he looks black, I also know there is a reality bigger than that.
Roots Run Deep in Louisiana
Raven-Symoné talked about not knowing which part of Africa her family is from, but that she knows she has roots in Louisiana. That, I believe was her whole point. She knows where she comes from and Louisiana is it for her. She identifies with memories and an upbringing in an American state and therefore only wants to be called an American. I also get that, American, is a nationality, not a race. That being said, it brings me back to my original point, one box doesn't define her. You can look at her and see that she has lighter skin than some blacks, but definitely darker skin than a Caucasian person. You can look at Ravens' eyes and see a different shape, you can notice her hair and see that, all of that together makes her a melting pot. If she doesn't want to be defined by one box, who are we to judge her? It seems to me, that it would be easier if everyone would stop judging and labeling people. Also, I'd like to point out that many people stated that what Oprah said, was race baiting or promoting racism, I beg to differ. She was simply stating what she knew was coming, a backlash because a huge part of America can not fathom, not categorizing someone. She said, she would get a lot of flack for it and she has already. Sheldon even went on to say that would kill her career. That, I think, is crazy. She's simply embracing her truth, what she knows and what she feels defines her. There is nothing at all wrong with not wanting to be labelled by someone else, especially someone that doesn't know you, your life or your history. This is my truth. What's yours?
