Dumbing Down?

“You’re so white.”

It’s amazing how one sentence … three simple words, which on their own, really mean next to nothing, can be so profound and eye-opening when strung together in such a way. This one, simple but often times offensive, albeit life-changing sentence is one that I have heard many times over my thirty-one young years. Now, I am very proud of my background and culture. I love that I have strived to become educated, and continue to do so, despite multiple hardships. I admire that I carry myself with respect, dignity, and class. Above all, I relish my achievements, against everybody’s unwelcome but freely-spoken disparagements, I have overcome and I have achieved more than anybody at one point that it was possible for me to do. But, despite, or maybe in spite of all of my accomplishments … I AM NOT WHITE!

I am black, but I will leave that alone for now.

So, I refer back to the GhettoNation book discussion that I wrote about before. As I was watching this discussion, one person in the audience started talking about how she has to “Dumb Down” between work and home because her “peeps” thinks she acts too “white.” When the author provoked her more, the young lady in the audience explained that at work she is very cheerful, energetic, and willing to help out when needed. At home, she feels like she has to behave in a certain manner in order to be accepted. If she says “hello” to a passerby, her friends look at her sideways. If she reads a book that is not perceived to be a “black book” then she is questioned. The young lady continued on to say that in order to fit in, she just changes her persona … she is one person at work and a totally different person at home … a challenge that she is not sure she is up to continuing.

I can empathize with this young lady. I know exactly what she is going though, how she feels, and the struggles she still has left to endure. I have had to live with the same issues and accusations my whole life as well. I still continue to fight with the demons of my acceptance. Watching this discussion and hearing this young lady talk about her need … the desire to fit in and be accepted by her own people got me to thinking … exactly what is “Acting White” and “Acting Black” what does “Dumbing Down” mean? I mean, as professional black individuals, do we really have to “Dumb Down” in order to be recognized by our black counterparts?