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Women of Color #13

56K views 852 replies 47 participants last post by  tracyamber 
#1 ·
Welcome to the new thread everyone!
 
#528 ·
Thanks for all your responses. I think I am going to go with $20, since they insist on paying and it will take about an hour to an hour and a half, for now.

Quote:
If you like and trust the mom you could tell her that the best payment would be an eveneing of babysitting.
I like the idea of bartering, but they have four children of their own and my little one is still a little too little for that, but I will definitely keep it in mind for the future.

Quote:
...her mother clearly wants her to be happy with her hair and to look cute and tidy.
She does. I just wish I'd met them sooner. Her mother had all this product, from Carol's Daughter to Curly Pudding, but was just at a loss about what to do with it. I'm really glad I could help.

Quote:
I've always been a fan of happy children.

: I heard that she is showing everyone her hair and just beaming when she does it.
 
#531 ·
Ladies, maybe I overreacted a bit,but I was on etsy looking for AA jewelry. I was hoping to find something cute I guess. I mean its etsy...

So I was a bit taken aback when I saw this kid's bracelet of a little AA girl who was eating watermelon.

I was shocked. Maybe I should have let it go,but I e-mailed the artist and said that I felt this item was out of place. I mean why watermelon? Should I have just taken it as "cute" or should I have kept my mouth shut and chalked it up to what I think to be racially insensitive.

Me and my thoughts....

So she writes back and said it was a commissioned piece for an AA mother...


Then goes on to tell me its not racist its cute b/c Gymboree has something similar and before I write people telling them this I need to basically "check myself" so to speak.

What do ya'll think?
 
#533 ·
Well, she was clearly defensive with you which leads me to believe that she had some reason to be defensive (namely that she understood your point when you said it was racially insensitive). I can't think why an AA mother would commission such a thing, but...
To each their own.

I probably would have done the same, though, and someone telling me to "check myself" when I allege racism would get a thorough "check" of their own.
:
 
#534 ·
Ditto Rynna. Also, I went on etsy looking for it and the "watermelon eatinng sweet gal" description was a bit much for me. The way I see it, we know how overdone black folks eating watermelon is as an offensive historical part of American visual culture. Wouldn't it just make sense to lay off? I mean, why can't she eat a strawberry or a cookie or something? Why does she have to be eating something at all? The charm is not as horrid as I imagined (heh) but I certainly would never EVER consider buying it for anyone because of course everyone I know would say why on earth would you buy a bracelet of a little black girl eating watermelon? It rubs the wrong way, you know?

I looked at some of her other stuff and even her "monster" gets to be a "girl" and not a "gal." She's also in Alabama. I call b.s.!
 
#535 ·
Thanks Purple for the input and to all the other mamas. She didn't get my point and said " May god help your children" "There's no racism here how dare you" "This is harassment I will report you".

So clearly didn't get it...nope.

I told her:" I will report myself"
" Maybe you can show this item to your black friends and see what they think?"

I know...always gotta give a jab!

But ya'll know what I'm feeling and not one person didn't say WTF about it.

Someone tried to sell a Nazi flag with special handmade trim on Etsy this past year. Etsy apologized and closed it down.

I really respected this site...now I'm not sure.

Is art subjective...guess so....

Yeah, I saw the link she posted to me and there are no AA little girls eating watermelon on Gymboree clothing. Imagine how that would go over?.....
 
#536 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by olliepop View Post
I remember the Gymboree watermelon bracelet. There was no AA girl eating watermelon on it.

Is there a Caucasian version of the same bracelet on her site? Personally, I find it offensive as well.
There is a =tags&includes[]=title]caucasian version of the bracelet with the same description.

I would purchase it if I had a girl.

Black people are so sensitive about the watermelon stereotype, yet we purchase and eat them. I don't get it.

Why must it be implied that the seller is racist just because she lives in Alabama. Bigotry does not reside only in Alabama or below the mason dixon line.
 
#537 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by chanibell View Post
Ladies, maybe I overreacted a bit,but I was on etsy looking for AA jewelry. I was hoping to find something cute I guess. I mean its etsy...

So I was a bit taken aback when I saw this kid's bracelet of a little AA girl who was eating watermelon.

I was shocked. Maybe I should have let it go,but I e-mailed the artist and said that I felt this item was out of place. I mean why watermelon? Should I have just taken it as "cute" or should I have kept my mouth shut and chalked it up to what I think to be racially insensitive.

Me and my thoughts....

So she writes back and said it was a commissioned piece for an AA mother...


Then goes on to tell me its not racist its cute b/c Gymboree has something similar and before I write people telling them this I need to basically "check myself" so to speak.

What do ya'll think?

If its the piece I just saw (seller in Semmes AL) I can't say it struck me as being racist. I was expecting an early Americana style piece with exagerated Black features. I can honestly see where a Black parent saw the white version she did and wanted a Black version for their own kid.

That said, I think she has poor customer relations skills and handled the situation poorly.
 
#538 ·
Quote:
There is a =tags&includes[]=title]caucasian version of the bracelet with the same description.
In and of itself, the bracelet seemed offensive. Now in the context of having a caucasian counterpart, it seems... less offensive.

Quote:
Black people are so sensitive about the watermelon stereotype, yet we purchase and eat them. I don't get it.
I actually have a friend who won't eat watermelon in public b/c of the stereotype.
 
#539 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by olliepop View Post
In and of itself, the bracelet seemed offensive. Now in the context of having a caucasian counterpart, it seems... less offensive.

I actually have a friend who won't eat watermelon in public b/c of the stereotype.

I would have been offended if the girl face had big eyes and big red greasy lips and pikinny plaits, but I think that the bracelet is cute. It is rare to find cute accessories with a brown face. Parent lament all the time about wanting items that look like their child, and when someone does it their motives are questioned.

If I were the seller I, too, would be miffed, but I hope that I would have expressed my feelings with more tact.

My friend and I always joke that if the city of Alpharetta, GA wanted to kill blacks in the city, they could poision the watermelon sold at Taste of Alpharetta. But, a great deal of caucasians would die too. The watermelon stand is always crowded.
 
#540 ·
Hello Sisterfriends,

I could use some good thoughts/healing vibes:
DH, DS and I were coming back from a great camping trip in NH on Labor Day when I was cut off by another car.
I turned to avoid him and the car started to swing around so I swung around to avoid hitting more cars and ended up in the median where the dip in the grass caused the car to flip over a couple of times(I only know this because my DH told me, I was knocked out). The car was completely totaled.
I was taken to one hospital, DS & DH were taken to another one twenty minutes away so for a couple of hours I didn't know how they were. I finally got word that they were fine and they came to the hospital where I was.
I have a neck fracture, a very badly banged up left arm and some small cuts on my face. And I am on a driving restriction because of the neck brace and sling that I have to wear.
DH and DS didn't even get a scratch! But they were pretty traumatized by the whole experience because they were awake and alert throughout the whole ordeal.
Please tell everyone that you know that we are all alive because we were all wearing our seatbelts. I shudder to think what would have happened if we weren't.
I am now trying to deal with the insurance and health care systems, and please believe me when I say that something really has to change! And I say this as someone who has "excellent" coverage! Everything is being delayed while the different insurance departments/companies decide who has to pay and the specialists won't see you until they know that you are covered! What a mess!

*..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ Peace, Love & Light!-:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*


Take Care,
Erika
(I don't wear a fro, I'm just a sister who likes this smilie!)
:
 
#541 ·
Oh, Erika!!! I'm very glad to hear that you & yours are okay, and many goodvibes that the whole insurance thing gets sorted out, and quickly!
 
#543 ·
Ericka, so glad to hear you are ok and sorry to hear you are dealing with insurance drama. I think your story is just one of many reminders of the issues with the current state of health care...sending healing vibes your way.

Shay
 
#544 ·
Sending many healing thoughts your way. I hope you recover quickly.

And yeah, I know about "insurance" even with "excellent coverage". It makes my heart hurt for those who have minimal or no coverage.
 
#545 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by ErikaDP View Post
Hello Sisterfriends,

I could use some good thoughts/healing vibes:
DH, DS and I were coming back from a great camping trip in NH on Labor Day when I was cut off by another car.
I turned to avoid him and the car started to swing around so I swung around to avoid hitting more cars and ended up in the median where the dip in the grass caused the car to flip over a couple of times(I only know this because my DH told me, I was knocked out). The car was completely totaled.
I was taken to one hospital, DS & DH were taken to another one twenty minutes away so for a couple of hours I didn't know how they were. I finally got word that they were fine and they came to the hospital where I was.
I have a neck fracture, a very badly banged up left arm and some small cuts on my face. And I am on a driving restriction because of the neck brace and sling that I have to wear.
DH and DS didn't even get a scratch! But they were pretty traumatized by the whole experience because they were awake and alert throughout the whole ordeal.
Please tell everyone that you know that we are all alive because we were all wearing our seatbelts. I shudder to think what would have happened if we weren't.
I am now trying to deal with the insurance and health care systems, and please believe me when I say that something really has to change! And I say this as someone who has "excellent" coverage! Everything is being delayed while the different insurance departments/companies decide who has to pay and the specialists won't see you until they know that you are covered! What a mess!

*..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ Peace, Love & Light!-:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*


Take Care,
Erika
(I don't wear a fro, I'm just a sister who likes this smilie!)
:
wow, Erika! i am so sorry to hear of your car accident though i am glad you and Dh and Ds are safe and sound. we (me, dh and baby) survived a car flipping crash this year too. unforgettable experience. i'm sending my prayers of healing to you all.

and i won't even get riled up about health care at this late hour--but just know we're still paying for the very basic emergency care we received after the accident, so i feel you!
 
#546 ·
Thanks Everyone for all of your well wishes! I have really needed them!
The last week has been pretty rough, but I am determined to get back to some kind of normal routine very soon.
Please continue to send healing vibes, good thoughts and prayers my way!

*..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ Peace, Love & Light!-:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*


Take Care,
Erika
(I don't wear a fro, I'm just a sister who likes this smilie!)
:
 
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