I was following a meme on Facebook regarding RuPaul's Drag Race when all of sudden one of the posters claimed that RuPaul was a racist. That the only way to win the show was to be black. I was taken back. Had I read that correctly? Was the writer actually accusing a gay show with one of television's few black Host/Executive Producers of racism?
RACISM?!? people making this far fetched accusation need to get an education on racism because they obviously don't understand what the word means. First of all, if the show was racist there probably would have been only people of color/or blacks as contestants. Whites would have been shut out entirely or at least to the barest minimum. So, I think the term these peeps are looking for is "racially biased" which is actually different from racism. And even if they used the term racially biased they would be full of crap.
These reverse racialists (like Tea Party members) quickly forget very recent history. They have forgotten that the first contestant booted from the multi-racial show was a black contestant, Shangela. If the show was truly racially biased then she (as well as Mystique and Sahara) would have been allowed to stay longer so that Ru and other producers could have picked the perfect black woman to win.
No one was a bigger Pandora Boxx and Jujubee fan than I but I don't think it was racism that took them out of the running for the crown.
BTW, Jujubee is not white, I know. I put that in there to remind people that not only those poor white queens lost.
A big part of the puzzle that the "reverse racialists" are missing is that there is 100s of hours of raw show footage. Things we didn't see. They filmed the whole show in probably 4 weeks. When Tyra won the producers and writers (yes, Reality TV has writers) figured out what is the best way to tell the story. It was all manipulated for TV by the producers (including RuPaul). That's how I knew Raven was not going to win. Her edit was clearly one of the fierce but mean girl. Classic storytelling lets us know that mean girls don't win.
BTW, Jujubee is not white, I know. I put that in there to remind people that not only those poor white queens lost.
A big part of the puzzle that the "reverse racialists" are missing is that there is 100s of hours of raw show footage. Things we didn't see. They filmed the whole show in probably 4 weeks. When Tyra won the producers and writers (yes, Reality TV has writers) figured out what is the best way to tell the story. It was all manipulated for TV by the producers (including RuPaul). That's how I knew Raven was not going to win. Her edit was clearly one of the fierce but mean girl. Classic storytelling lets us know that mean girls don't win.
We don't know all the thought that went into who was eliminated and who eventually won. so, let it go peeps. it is a Reality TV show, not a Gubernatorial race. And it is NOT RACIST.
Those of us that have experienced true racism are very offended by the idea.
So - I would not agree that Ru's choice was racist...in fact, I strongly disagree - Tyra won for some reason that I don't entirely understand, but it wasnt the color of her skin.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't think it makes someone racist to consider that. I just think a lot of people have been hurt by racial tensions - and you have to take that into account.
There are alot of people who are black who are very angry about race. I went to a highschool with a girl who walked down the hall saying "I hate white people."
Just because one has experienced that does not make them a teaparty member.
"Everyone's a little bit racist." That is a line for the muppets of avenue q. I try to remember that, and beware of it in myself.
for the record, i never called anyone in my post a racist for believing this ridiculous notion. i thought it. BUT I realized that being wrong does not make someone racist. I call them reverse racialists based off their reverse racism beliefs not actual racism that they have displayed
ReplyDeletealso, my tea party comment was purely a jab at a party i don't like but that is another post entirely
Cool - Thanks for the post. I think I was reacting to the term "reverse racialist" which I don't use. Racism is racism, to me. Maybe the issue is in the definition of that. Though I do understand what racial bias is.
ReplyDeleteThat chick on the boards is closed minded, I'm not going to bother anymore.