Image Credit: Flickr / Daviniodus
Ok, I have a confession…I can’t STAND IT when people say that “race isn’t real”. Why? Well, it might be hard to explain to some, but I’m about to give it a try. Ok…here goes…RACE IS REAL. Did that do it for you? No? Ok, here’s some more…lol. ;)
I totally get the point that “race isn’t real”. I’ve heard many say that ”it’s a social construct”. Yes, I know…I learned this in school too. But for me, it sure feels real. I don’t mean to be rude, but what my husband goes through is very real and when I’m talking about racism and how messed up it is, the last thing I need to hear is that “race isn’t real”. It’s all fine and good if you want to bring it up when we’re having a conversation about biology and skin color (that would make sense), but please don’t mention it when I’m talking about my husband’s struggle with RACISM.
I think the intentions are often good and I think it’s great that we’re learning more about “race”…what it is and what it isn’t. But it’s hard to appreciate the sentiment when it comes during a conversation about racial profiling, job discrimination or inequalities in education. If it’s possible to save this tidbit of knowledge for another conversation, I think it would be a huge help to those who do have to deal with “race”.
When talking about racism, it’s upsetting to hear things like “hispanic is an ethnicity, not a race” or “race isn’t real” because they undermine an individual’s expression of their experiences. I mean, if my husband is talking about how he feels that he is racially discriminated against and someone points out one of these “facts”…what exactly are they trying to imply? That he has no right to complain? That he should correct his speech and use the terminology that’s more comfortable for them? I’m sorry, but this is his reality. Why should he have to fake it for political correctness?
I think this seems kind of ridiculous because the reality is that race is very real and we can use these reverse social constructs to tell us that race is a myth, but will that take away discrimination? Will it take away racism? No. We can only do that by changing people’s hearts, not their words.
While my husband may not be considered part of a “race” based on current or popular terminology, our society determines his rank based on skin color…something very tangible and REAL.
{End of rant}
What do you think? Agree? Disagree?
© 2011, Chantilly Patiño. All rights reserved.
I would argue that there is no biological/scientific reality to race, but rather, that race exists as a social reality. I agree with you on how this should be acknowledged rather than dismissed with, “Race isn’t real, so racism doesn’t exist and, therefore, shouldn’t be discussed.” Race is still very socially relevant, but I think it’s necessary to clarify, though, that race does not have to be (biologically) real to be real in its consequences.
Cassz, totally agree with you…when talking about it from a scientific/biological perspective…it completely makes sense. What I get annoyed with is when it’s thrown out in the middle of someone venting their feelings about how “race” affects them in society or in response to issues that result from racism. It definitely seems like a silencing tactic at times…
Amen Chantilly. It’s hard to have a dialog with someone who picks apart the words that we use. People should listen to the message.
@getgln Touché! ;) Word use can be a touchy subject for sure!
I totally get what you’re saying, Chantilly. I think there are two types of conversations where people say that race isn’t real: one where racist people are trying to justify their bigotry; and one where social justice advocates are arguing against racism. Do you know what I mean? Many people who argue against affirmative action will use the “race isn’t real” argument because they are angry at what they consider “unfair” practices, forgetting that the reason affirmative action began was to combat the real unfairness in our society that is caused by racism.
But then there are people like my husband, who is one of those who argues that race isn’t real. He doesn’t do that because he hasn’t experienced racism. He says race isn’t real because he wants to encourage people to consider his HUMANITY before they consider his RACE. At registration time when he had to fill out the forms for my kids to go to school, he argued with the secretary that he shouldn’t have to check any boxes for race because our kids are all just human. “There is no such thing as race!” he told her before handing her the papers with no boxes checked. (She was really, really frustrated with him and told me later that she checked the box for him…and I had to ask, “which box did you check? “)
I think we just need to be aware of who is saying that “there’s no such thing as race” and realize that it is a loaded statement that could have very different motives depending on the conversation and context.
GREAT post. Very thought-provoking!
@jenmardunc Thanks so much for your comment Jen! I totally agree with you!! I didn’t really explain the other half in this article, but what I’m talking about here is more the first approach that you mentioned.
I definitely think your husband is doing the right thing by asking that his race not be considered and I’m so disgusted that the woman filled in a “race” despite his wishes. Such a violation.
Thank you for adding that explanation here! Definitely a great point to make! :)
There are plenty of social constructs that are very real. Money, the educational system, political power, and patriotism to name a few. These social constructs are extremely important in our lives. Saying that race is a social construct isn’t saying that it’s not real or important.
If being Hispanic is a matter of race, not ethnicity, does that mean that white people (n-th generation Latin Americans born and raised in their Latin American country) are not allowed to identify as Hispanic?