Now this post is not strictly TV related but it is media related so I´m letting it pass.
As I have already stated earlier I am a Scandinavian Caucasian with the whole shebang, formerly blond hair which mysteriously turned light brown a few years back, blue eyes and the skin color of a vampire. And because of that, the color of my skin, my race, I am save from racial slurs. Never, ever have I in my entire life encountered racial slurs based on my skin color. Not once.
But if the tables were turned and I was actually African, Hispanic or Asian I would have encountered a lot of racial slurs at my age. I would have been subjected to stereotypial remarks, racial slurs, prejudice and gross conjectures. All because of the color of my skin.
The only difference between me and girls my age that are of different races is the skin color and our looks. Nothing else. Yet, because of my ivory skin color I am safe from racial slurs, from predjudice.
It makes me want to hit my head against the wall that things work like that. Why on earth am I safer just because my skin color is pale? It is obviously not my fault I am white. I am an ethnic Scandinavian so it comes with the territory. But I am no more deserving than others of being safe from racism just because I sport a white skin. It is just my skin color and looks, nothing else.
I hate the fact that because of being pale/Caucasian/looking like a vampire/having skin that always burns in the sunlight, people enjoy more rights, they are more safe, they get more chances.
The media offers an excellent look at just how prevalent racism is still today. Quvenzhané Wallis was subjected to the c-word. It´d not have happened had she been Caucasian
Amandla Stenberg was subjected to racism as well because of her skin color. People actually tweeted they were turned off by the fact that Rue was meant to be black. It says so in the bloody book! Unless people are color blind and read the word 'white' everywhere instead of 'black'.
Malia Obama was subjected to racism because of a t-shirt she was wearing
This article here on Rookie explains it all Rookie Magazine (click on it!)
Had those girls been white they would not have been subjected to those atrocities Their skin color determined people's belief of whether they could be talked badly about and subjected to prejudice or not. Because they had dark skin it was deemed okay.
I am flabbergasted and furious that it is our skin color that determines whether it is okay to slander people or not. We all deserve respect and sensitivity IRREGARDLESS OF OUR SKIN COLOR.
I am worth no more and am a no better person because I look like a vampire. What determines my worth and how I should be treated in media (were I a public figure which I am thankfully not) is that I am a person, I am alive. The same goes for those beautiful girls and every single person that is subjected to racism in media. They all deserve it.
Every person deserves to be treated with respect and sensitivity. It is that simple.It is a no-brainer and it is something we all need to be aware of
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