Letter to Lisa part 3

Letters to Lisa Part 3
I see White People!
Dateline: everyday

Dear Lisa,

I’m still trying to get my brain around some parts of Taiwan culture. The only that I find most difficult and troubling is the notion that to be white is to be beautiful and the whiter the better.

Growing up, I was always …. different. I was often accused of wanting to be white. While I fully admit that when I was a kid there were times I often had much difficulty in expressing or identifying with my afro-centricity, BUT, I never wanted to be white. I knew that there was more the word had to offer than what I was getting in my neighborhood. I genuinely believed Jessie Jackson back in 1978 when he said, “you might have been born in the ghetto, but the ghetto wasn’t born in you.” I say all of that to give context to the rest of this letter. I’m different in America, but I am definitely Black. My whole experience in the world revolves around being Black, Male, and born at a time when segregation was still the law of the land in America.

Now you know me. I ain’t got no beef with white people. But I do like who I am. I know racism is still a critical issue in American, in spite of Barrack Obama being elected president. This is something Taiwan people really have a tough time understanding. They really America in it’s purest, most ideal, best.

Taiwan is a very, very small island. I once said that Chicago was close to my home. Maybe only an 8 hour drive. They were shocked that I considered that close. You drive 8 hours in Taiwan and you will either be in the Sea of Japan, the Pacific Ocean, or you’ve drive around the whole island 1 and a third times!! Meaning, Taiwan is very homogeneous. They have different (races for lack of a better term). There are Taiwanese, Hakka, and Aboriginal, Taiwan’s Indians, people. But culturally, they are all very much the same. America, by contrast, is a mish-mash of people from everywhere, and while we are all American, we do have very different cultures based on race, geography, original country of origin. You get the idea.

But we’ve also worked pretty hard to rid America of the notion that one color of skin is superior than another. That is NOT the case in Taiwan. Whiter is better, period, end of discussion. AND White people (foreigners) definitely get preferential treatment. They know it and act accordingly. I know my Taiwan friends will cringe and strongly protest that I’ve said such a thing. But from my perspective and more importantly my experience in Taiwan, I say it IS a true statement, made without malice or discontent.

Now, having said that, does it mean, they don’t like me because I’m black, NO. Black people are seen largely through the view of stereotypes. We’re strong, good athletes, good singers and dancers. All qualities that Taiwanese people really like! And even some famous black actors and sings are seen as handsome or beautiful. But if given the choice to ‘look like’ me or a white person, they would choose the white person. There is a saying in Chinese, “one white can cure/cover three uglies.” I wonder were this thinking comes from? But, I do say have very dear and special friends in Taiwan. I have a good life because of them.

I have talked to Chinese people about white people in the context of beauty and the most beautiful women are white, blond hair and blue eyes. I have even seen this play out with Taiwan boys all mid 20’s. This white girl walked by and they all got giddy and excited!! My response was, “DUDE!! Cut it out! There was nothing special about that girl. In my home that girl was totally average. She looked ok, but nothing worth that response.” Columbia is a total college town. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a cute white girl with blond hair. So I was totally under-whelmed. But you would have thought a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model just walked by. And just for the record, they say pretty much the same thing to me when I talk about the beauty of Chinese women.

The next mark of beauty is thin. But that’s a letter for another day.

In the meantime, I will continue to try and understand the beauty of white. Recently I heard a conversation between two women. I am NOT making this up! It went like this….

Woman Number 1: Hi, Nice to meet you.
Woman Number 2: Hi, Nice to meet you too.
Woman Number 1: You are so white.
Woman Number 2: Thank You!! (Big Smile)

Yeah, I’m NEVER gonna understand that. I am so tempted to say it when I see a friend. I wonder what she will say?

D