Last night, after watching the first UCLA video, I posted this parody, which I thought was pretty brilliant particularly for its chorus. The catchiness of it immediately overwrote the ugly rant in whatever neurons in my brain had stored it for me. And if there is a greater activist achievement than that – than cleverly replacing all the ick in your head with a kind of joy – well, I don’t know what that is.
I did, however, take it down shortly thereafter. I noticed people were having a discussion of whether the song’s four or five mentions of Alexandra Wallace’s looks made it ultimately sexist. And you know, I personally thought that sure, they were a bit sexist, although mostly I think they were mean, but they didn’t strike me as virulent enough in their sexism to obviate the entire song. But it wouldn’t be the first time my first impression failed me, and not wanting to be the asshole, I took it down to think about it some more. I’m leaning towards reposting.
Let me preface this by saying I agree with everything you wrote on your post about Wallace. However, as a person “classified” as Non White (I am not comfortable using PoC because, theoretically, I am caucasian, but since I am a South American Latina/ Hispanic not the kind that is considered “native” in The Netherlands, where I live; long story, the state has classified me as a “Non Western PoC”), I can also understand the reaction behind those who justify any attack on her (even those attacks that are sexist) on the basis that her “crime” is worth making an exception.
These are not logical, well thought out reactions. These are visceral FUCK YOU’s, which are not borne out of activism and awareness but out of a frustration at taking one too many hits and suddenly realizing that it is enough.
You know I am usually calm and try to be reasonable in my responses. Still, there are times when I find myself having the most disgusting thoughts directed at those who attack immigrants or PoC. The kind of disgusting reactions that make me recoil and wonder where that anger comes from. I cannot answer for others here, but in my case, my seething rage (those rare moments I experience it) comes from issues like being beaten up for the mere fact of being a foreigner who speaks another language (happened to me twice, luckily once the guy was too drunk to inflict any real damage; the second, I was “lucky” enough to “only” be elbowed while the racist douchefuck yelled I should “fucking learn Dutch”). So yeah, I understand the argument against “being nice”. And I guess it’s one of those issues where the feminism of WoC will differ from what is usually called “mainstream feminism”.
For what is worth, I work hard not to let those frustrations come out. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced them. Or that sometimes I am not tempted to retaliate or lower myself to less than pleasant tactics.
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