Walking the Plank

After reading Amazing's hilarious blog about feeling self conscious in an inter-racial relationship, I decided to open up and examine my own dealings with the 'walking the plank' scenarios.

Granted, my parents come from a west Indian country in which many people stare. So, its not a very new thing for me. In fact, when I lived in the USA, in the predominantly Mexican neighborhood, people stared there too.

They stared at anything remotely interesting. Want to not get starred at? Just stand still and be BORING ! lol.

Here in Israel, its about the same as well. I remember a few years ago, I went out and sat on a park bench with my husband to write down some ideas onto a notebook. Within minutes, about five kids were there starring at us. Have they never seen a black woman and a white husband before? Perhaps. I knew their stares didn't have any malice behind them, so I continued on with my project. Pretty soon, those kids and others were running around my bench play whatever games they were playing. It was nice having the children around.

Those are the pleasant and lukewarms stares. Then comes the curious step-back stares. These are from adults who are bsically surprised and taken aback. Hoo Haa! An interracial couple?! Does the black woman talk? Can she funcion...just..just like an ordinary human being?! For those stares, as long as I know that i'm lookin good, i ENCOURAGE them to stare lololol!


Then there are the loaded, critical, judging stare, which I admit, I dread to confront. In the African American communities, there are certain criterias that must be met. Any deviation from those criteria and you are almost an instant outsider worthy of scorn, ridicule, or insults.

When I was in high school, I remember, one HAD to have a raider's jacket. Just who were the raiders, to this day, I don't know LOLOL

Anyways, being in an inter-racial relationship was one of those big taboo things. Instant 'sell out' and a whole bunch of other pre-established names were relegated for that 'sin' alone. I had committed this 'sin'. So far, I haven't been back to the USA but once since I left for Israel.

The one time I returned, I was too busy trying to get readjusted to feel anything. Just dealing with former Israelis so glad to find someone to speak Hebrew to fresh out of Israel, was alot. I am still struggling with the Hebrew, but they didn't know that. LOLOL

Now, it appears that things are changing. checking out Evia's blog and Halima's blog -the jump starters- black women are opening up their options and making smarter choices in men. Perhaps I won't have to walk the plank should I come back for a visit.......???