<p>If you are black/African-American, have you ever felt ostracized from the black community because you didn't act "black" enough? </p>
<p>When I say "black," as in listen to hip-hop, know the latest dances, talk the slang, dress the clothes, etc. Yet, on the outside, you look black and your family considers themselves black/African-American.</p>
<p>Is it strange for a black/African-American to like other cultures other than what is presumably their own?</p>
<p>Can someone like me, who looks obviously black, be an African-American Studies major when socially I may not look/sound/act "black" enough? But I enjoy learning about the history surrounding African-American culture?</p>
<p>Well, yes. I'm black and have been told I act white, but I don't really subscribe to any culture truthfully. The fact is I go to a school that is like 95% white. I've never had more than 2 black students in any class, and this is the first year I've ever had a black male in any class. But I don't like rap, or like baggy pants, or other things "typically" assigned to my culture. I consider myself no less black than anyone else, and actually the only people who bother me about this are my siblings. I just do what I like, and I don't think "this is black", "this is white". I don't believe in stereotyping people like that. I'm Stacey. And that's all.</p>
<p>What "acting black" is for one person can be completely different for another. And please don't equate acting black to acting hip-hop, ghetto and/or ebonics, Jerry Springer "po black trailer trash" or something similar with a dangerously negative slant. Don't buy into any negative stereotypes.</p>
<p>One area that I am in weak in, in regards to being black is not going to church. Many blacks where I live go to church and many are not righteous Christians but they choose act like they are better than you since they read the Bible and go to church on Sundays. I was recently seeing a girl for about two weeks and she said she wanted to be friends for a while before getting into anything serious. Over the weekend she posted on her facebook profile that she was in a relationship. The guy happens to be deep into the Bible, church, etc. My choice of not attending church and practicing Christianity in general may lead to some trouble in relationships later on since many of the good blacks women seem to be involved in church and require the same of their boyfriend, husband, etc.</p>
<p>Don't feel bad about the going to church thing. If I wasn't dating the girl I am, I would never get up in time for church either and just roll out of bed at noon or 12:30 to watch the Browns game. Sometimes you just need a kick in the arse.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure everyone said (and still says) that about Condoleeza Rice, but whatever your political preference, she is pretty smart in her own right.</p>
<p>I used to try to be like my cousins, talk like them, dress in the FUBU, Roca Wear, etc... but it wasn't me. I stopped living to what people expected of me and instead of what I expected of myself. No I don't have a brand new pair of Nikes, Yes I listen to Green Day, Fall out boy, Ska and Punk. I listen to Beethoven, I listen to Otis Redding. I don't want to limit myself to one thing, one mold my entire life. I decided to stop living in the prewashed stereotype because I wasn't happy, and I felt "out of place" so Instead of those people who told me I'm not this or that, they ended up dropping out of school or getting pregnant and I'm going to college! :)</p>
<p>I'm not black personally, but what I've noticed about African americans is a vast amount of insecurity surrounding how they perceive themselves. It's really due to cultural construct. They've been led to believe that whites shun them, and they in turn, alienate themselves and adhere to their unique rap/hip hop culture for no reason other than to separate themselves from being perceived as wanting to be white. It's just personal opinion though.</p>
<p>I'm not black, but I go to a mostly white/asian school in a predominantly white town, and there aren't very many blacks at my school (about 5 in the whole school, including one African).</p>
<p>One of my friends who's black (goes to same school) has all white friends, and hates rap. He's still into shoes, bling, jerseys, rims, and the whole "look", but not the music or anything else like that. He's a cool kid, and doesn't try to fit into the stereotypical black mold.</p>
<p>You could ask this about any racial group really, not just black folk. Except white people. I've never seen two white kids go "Dude, you're not white enough. Radiohead son!"</p>
<p>I get this a lot from classmates, family members, friends, etc. But what does black mean? Does it mean wearing urban clothing, speaking incorrect English, not caring about school, and being loud and rude? If so then I guess I'm not being black. We need to change what we and others perceive black to be. Right now there are too many negative meanings surrounding what it means. If enough blacks begin to act different than this whole paradigm of what black is will change.</p>
<p>G-U-NOT: im black and agree with you i live in the suburbs, my mom drives an SUV, we live in a nice two story home in one of the nicest neighbors in my city and so do all my friends but they say i don't act ghetto enough. and im like hello since when have u seen a ghetto. which they haven't they won't even go on that side of town it got to the point where i decided not to go to my suburban high school and applied to prep school because four more years of suburban "ghetto kids" just wasn't going to work for me. I was being myself so they called me a poser but i could've called them the same. I mean how ghetto is a kid who lives in a two to three story home and as soon as they walk through the door they better pull up those pants and all the grls start zipping up their jackets.</p>
<p>And i disagree that white kids don't have this problem. i know some white kids who have it bad. they want to be black so bad some even claim they're mixed yet they have naturally blond hair and i've met both of their parents so it all just depends on where you live. if blacks r the majority in the area the white kids my feel like they need to act more "black" even though you can't act a color.</p>
<p>I've been getting the "not black enough" schpiel for years. It used to annoy me, but now I brush it off, and people don't say it as much since -i hope- we've matured a little bit. I always wanted to punch people, especially white friends who would say "i'm even blacker than you" what the ****? </p>
<p>I think that it is sickening that people expect you to act in such a stereotypical way, and if you don't follow that mold, they are quick to ostracize you. Fellow black people are horrible at this; if you don't act like a ghetto b!+ch yelling in hallways and smacking your gum or wearing nothing but babyphat, it's like there's something wrong with you. We need to learn (well, alot of us, since some of us have already learned) that there is no such thing as "being black"; just as there's no such thing as "being white".</p>
<p>Focusing on race can be crazy and limiting. I'm Asian, and growing up (except when I was in college) I had to deal with being the only Asian kid anywhere. Okay, when my family lived in Africa, that was to be expected, but when we moved here to the US, that was when the racial stuff got really crazy. I can tell you stories. My family lives in the deeeeep South. People would ask me, "Are you white or are you black?" Hello, I'm neither! They would touch my hair. I remember my first day of school. All the white kids sat in the back of the bus, and all the black kids sat in the front of the bus, and they left a seat in the middle just for me. (Hahahaha...looking back, it was so stupid.) Over time, I ended up going to different types of schools (public, private, and parochial), and learned to be friends with everyone by trying to fit in with each crowd. Have you ever seen an Asian guy speak in Ebonics? Well, you should see me some time. Growing up, if you shouted me out, I would know your race before I turned around by what you called me. Whites called me by my first name, and blacks by my last. I don't know why. </p>
<p>I guess the one thing I've learned from this experience is to get along w/ everyone and accept them for who they are. It doesn't matter to me if I'm the only Asian person in a room full of whites or blacks. I feel comfortable either way. I'm also extremely happy to have been able to connect w/ my "Asian-ness" when I went to college by being heavily involved w/ Asian student groups and activities. </p>
<p>Whatever the case, we're all people in end. I appreciate having friends of all backgrounds, but I say, "Who cares if people think you're not 'black' or 'white' enough?" </p>