I Am Not A Woman Of Color

"You are not a woman of color", those are the words that were uttered to me upon a debate regarding whether or not "White people" should be to blame for the stigmas society holds against each and everyone one of us.

Now, I will admit she was correct. I am, by definition, a white girl. There is no denying the flaw that is my Caucasian skin. The defining highlighter which dictates what everyone in society expects of me. Because as a white woman, how could I ever even begin to understand the oppressions others face?

A general rule of thumb:

You don’t need to bash skinny people to say that bigger people are beautiful.

You don’t need to bash men to promote women’s rights.

You don’t need to bash white people to promote racial equality.

You don’t need to bash a certain genre of music to promote another.

You don’t need to bash straight people to promote gay rights.

You don’t need to bash ANYONE or ANYTHING to advocate your opinion.

 Similarly to the piece we discussed this week in class, it is completely wrong to tie someone's identity to the color of their skin. Staple's own description of himself reveal the irony and ignorance of society. 

But as society we are taught to hate, assume, and accept. 

Therefore, you cannot blame the individual, but those who truly are at fault. The influences society places upon us is much greater than any of us believe it to be. 

The woman's assumption of Staples is offensive, but was she truly wrong to assume her right to her safety? Statistics and crime rates are facts, and in general--would a woman walking alone at night trust a stranger in her safety? Most of us wouldn't. To be fair, whether black or white, any race, we would all assume the right to our safety when a stereotypical threat (strong, large man) comes our way. 

Though, racism happens everyday, and it happens everywhere. If you're a white among whites, trust me they will find something to distinguish you from everyone else. Everyone wants to be different, everyone wants to stand out. So why do we try to hard to judge those who are true to themselves?

Everyone can be a "victim". But don't allow yourself to be the one who makes them the victim.