Read on Twitter
Things white guys don’t have to think about: (1) A Japanese friend was telling me yesterday that takes extra precautions when walking outside to wear a mask because he doesn’t want people looking at him suspiciously. (2) Whenever I’m in an elevator and a white female enters (1/2) https://twitter.com/newshour/status/1248221622269403136
she usually looks uncomfortable & nervous (unless I’m wearing a suit), clutching purse, not making eye-contact etc. so I always do the impolite thing and exit first so she doesn’t think I’m trying to follow her. Minority men good chronicle these adjustments all day.....
(I already know these replies are coming, some white guy is going say “well, people react to me the same way too because of _______________. So it’s not necessarily because you’re Asian, black, Latino, etc.” Save it. Just listen for once instead trying to dismiss our stories.
Whites are generally raised to fear black men. Post-COVID19, we’ll have to add Asians. So don’t dismiss the stories. There’s good data on this I could post for days. It began during slavery. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/03/black-men-threatening
I also wonder when parents transracially adopt, like a white family adopting black kids, do they know what to teach them about these things (navigating America as a minority). Like receipts in stores, avoiding not getting hurt by cops, etc.
White parents may have an easier job because there are so many things they don’t ever have worry about having to prep their kids for. This is “privilege.” The privilege of avoiding certain topics & issues. This is real. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/599578/
