(via Womanist Musings)
Tuscaroras.com looks at how race bias and learned self-hatred can effect Native American children:
…
As I look back at my grandmother, I realize that she was a victim of racism and taught self-hatred, for as a very young child she was made to feel sub-human and to hate the things that made her different from other children. Not only was she told, on a daily basis, that she was a no good dirty Indian, but she was purposely shown that her ethnicity was not equal to dominant society. My grandmother was taught that the baby doll with blue-eyes and blonde hair was beautiful, but when she looked in the mirror as a young child she saw her ethnic features. My grandmother saw her long dark black hair and almond shaped eyes set in a face with very high cheekbones, which was very different from the blue-eyed baby doll. My grandmother’s self image was greatly affected by this blatant racism that was imposed upon her by those who used the blue-eyed baby doll to teach Indian children that they were not equal to whites.
On the other hand, my friend who is Apache told me that as a child her mother would only allow her to play with ethnic dolls, and that she really wanted to have blue-eyed baby doll. What lessons can we learn from my friend and grandmother’s experience? Read more…
Enjoyed reading your site! What an important topic racial prejudice is for all parents. My children attend public school in Oxford, Mississippi, and their experiences in the classroom are a micro-cosm for the world. Unlike communities outside major metropolitan areas where “neighborhood” schools develop and the student bodies are homogeneous, the public schools in Oxford include a diverse racial AND socio-economic student body. Children of various races, ethnicities, cultures and economic backgrounds are learning, studying and growing together.
The pain of self hatred is why Native American and African Americans who are all brown skin have a pattern of self loathing if you live in the state of Oregon contact The Avel Gordly healing center, Location: 621 SW Alder St., Suite 520, Portland, OR 97205
Parking: $ 1.25/hour next door; on the Bus Mall and MAX Line
Clinic Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday
Phone: (503) 494-4745
Fax: (503) 494-4747
they do post traumatic slave syndrome counseling for whites, blacks and Native American. whites suffer from “white post traumatic privilege syndrome”
also read Dr Joy Leary’s or Dr. Joy DeGruy’s # Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome my grand mother did not hate herself, she was just very quite, and did not have much to say. she lived her life with her thoughts to her self.
my 3 year old grand daughter were coloring in her book and I notice that she picked up the brown crayon to color in the people, where I her 57 year old grand mother used he white or pink crayon to color in the people. I ask her why she was using the brown crayon? she said because the people need to be brown like her. Now her dad is white and her mom is black my daughter. I learn something about me that day and that my grand daughter will not suffer from self loathing . We need o re evaluate who we are some of us are too far gone yet we need to understand where individual are coming from
This is something I can relate to.
Some people see me as a white woman, because of my fair skin and fine features. But I’ve lived in a racist, sexist society all my life. I look white to some people and “non-white” to others.
As a biracial woman, I grew up hating my kinky hair and dark brown eyes. I’ve never felt beautiful or worthy of love. I felt invisible compared to girls who met the standards that I never could.
Sometimes I still feel that way.
One of my cousins is obese and has a fake, shallow personality…but because her hair type is similar to most Caucasians, she is considered the beauty of the family. She is relatively dark-skinned, but with naturally loose curls.
I was told, by my family and by countless others throughout my life, that my ethnic features made me “plain” and “ugly”. I didn’t have blond hair and gorgeous blue eyes like my little sister. I didn’t have my cousin’s nut-brown complexion and flowing black curls. I didn’t have my mother’s striking beauty.
I looked white, but not white enough to be considered “acceptable” by most. I grew up being called names and taunted with racist slurs like “n*gger hair”. I wanted to either look as white as possible, or like the black girls that some of the boys liked…smooth dark chocolate skin, sexy curves, lovely white teeth, and beautiful eyes.