I need your help
Dear world
Please help: I have a little problem, which is actually far bigger than it sounds. I notice it whenever I’m reading something, whether it is online or offline, in the ‘real’ world. It matters not whether I’m reading the NY Review of books or Jezebel; I encounter the same problem every time.
Let’s say that I’m reading an article about X. The article describes someone but doesn’t mention gender or race. My first reaction to such an article is to — subconsciously — think that the subject is a white man. So there’s nothing wrong with white men, I promise, but can you imagine just how surprised — never mind angry at myself — I am when I discover the subject is actually a black lesbian?
So I want to know how to overcome this. What do I do?
Love,
Ekke
I wish I knew – I have exactly the same problem. Heck, I just found this blog, and I automatically thought of you as white (though not male, at least gimme that). This is especially noticeable when I’m reading fiction. I pretty much automatically picture all the characters as white, unless otherwise stated. Not entirely my fault, though, dagnabbit…most big-time authors are white, most of their characters are white, and they usually explicitly identify those who aren’t. And it’s a similar story with non-fiction, I’d say.
So sorry, no ideas here (maybe you should just stop reading entirely?), and I’m pretty sure you can’t really train your subconsciousness to react differently (at least, not easily). And that would just give you a different initial bias anyway. Would it really help if you automatically thought of all writers as black lesbians until otherwise informed?
Anyhoo to cut a long story short (or at least shorter), don’t beat yourself up about it. I mean, it’s not like you’re planning on moving to Orania or pulling a Michael Jackson, right?
nicklaus
29 Mar 11 at 1:31 pm
Heya
No, it certainly wouldn’t help to think of all unidentifieds as black lesbians. And good on you for ‘only’ thinking that I’m white
Joy-Mari Cloete
29 Mar 11 at 7:18 pm