Stream of Consciousness Sunday: What I don’t talk about on my blog.
I’m doing Fadra’s Stream of Conciousness Sunday this week. Her writing prompt was : what are some things you wish you could blog about, but can’t?
Up until this week, I categorically didn’t talk about race.
Race is such a touchy sticky subject. It’s hard for some people to understand how it is to live always being reminded of the color of your skin. Because no matter what I do, I am black first, woman second. It’s hard to explain exactly how that feels to someone who is not a person of color. It’s sticky, and I just don’t like having to educate and explain how and why I feel about certain issues. How I’ve always had to be better than the best because I’m black. How I was teased when I was younger because I talked “white”. How education was my way out of ending up a statistic.
That reluctance to write about race is what kept me from speaking about the Trayvon Martin case for so long. I didn’t want to hear, “well, he’s black, he must have done something.” I didn’t want to face the stereotypes. But I am raising a black boy in my household and I decided to stop hiding from race on my blog. I proud to be black woman. I come from people that have overcome slavery poverty, racism, and hatred. My opinions and experiences are colored by race. I can’t help that. But I’m tired of not blogging about certain things and issues because it might be controversial. Like I said on twitter last week, if you dont like it, unfollow. I won’t be in your face militant with it, but I won’t hide from it either. Because some things are too important NOT to blog about.
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This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…
- Set a timer and write for 5 minutes.
- Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
- Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
- Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
- Link up at allthingsfadra.com
- Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.
Beautifuly said, thank you. Your post makes me think of two things, initially, and I think I’m going to process it a little more too. But the two things are: 1) Interesting that what’s controversial to one person isn’t necessarily to another; and 2) Interesting that usually it the controversial stuff that hits home, that really helps people feel like someone’s noticing their plight and not just remaining silent about it, which in turn gives them courage to keep going.
so so true! What’s controversial to me, won’t be to someone else. Everyone is different I suppose
I’m here to follow you on whatever journey you are taking, and I look forward to hearing more from you about any topics that touch your heart or your mind.
thanks so much Amanda!
Excellent post Rose’s daughter. You are much more brave than I. You have a new follower.
This is exactly what’s up. I believe in expressing who you are and what you’re about on your blog. Many people are chasing PR companies and brands that their content is bland. Thing is many companies flock to an authentic voice. Great post
Great post! I think you SHOULD talk about race. It’s part of who you are and it DOES play part in a lot of your decisions, I’m sure.
And you’re right, if someone doesn’t like what you have to say, they can unfollow, or they don’t have to read you.
Keep being brave. 🙂
Fantastic post!
So right about people who don’t like it don’t have to follow. Great point!
I think most people are careful how they talk because they may be into branding their blog or looking for adds and they don’t want people to read their blog and think of them in another way. You know I talk about everything and this year I want to get even more controversial on topics because things need to be discussed in the open.
Even if Trayvon Martin had not been the bright, promising, innocent young man that he was, he still wouldn’t deserve to die the way he did. His parents do not deserve to be burying their 17-year-old. How could you be silent? It’s OK to be outraged about things that are outrageous. We don’t have to accept things that are unacceptable.
I have tried to not write about race as much as I think about it, too.
But it is a shame that it is something that is still so prevalent in our society even though we live in (what people incorrectly label) a “post-racial” society.
I am glad you’re talking about it. I was on the verge of breaking my blogging silence (laziness?) today and posting something about Trayvon Martin. Maybe I still will.
This incident seems to me like a giant mirror held up to our country. I hope that some who have deluded themselves into thinking these things don’t happen or they are somehow “deserved” can see the ugly truth. Only if we face the reality of what so many of our citizens endure can we hope to change it.
I’m with you on this! I am gonna talk about whatever I feel is important to me on my blog and if people don’t like it, they don’t have to read it.
I have lots of things I don’t blog about, mostly because my father in law and my sister read my blog. I have things to say about family that are better left unsaid when they know you blog. Someday though, I am going to let it all hang out.
Race is part of who you are so it’s hard not to address it. As a white woman, I know the world generally refers to others with the assumption that they are white and specifying if they are anything different. When it’s reversed, and I’m specifically called a white woman, it makes me extremely self-conscious. Not the same but it’s a start.
thanks for this post. i’ve had some of the same thoughts… i agree that being authentically you is the way to go.
i wish we didn’t have to have these discussions and explain so much of who we are and why we feel like we do but… this is the world we live in and the hand we’ve been dealt. every now and then we’ve got to speak on it.