Black and Gifted

I know this isn't usually a picture show, but I was really struck by a girl this week. It's just a passing thing btw, like when I was in high school and I had to find a girlfriend at the party or everyone would start talking.... Eventually, my eyes will drift to the class bad boy (or that really handsome nerd with glasses).... Ok, anyway, I've been watching her.

Her name is Lou Jing. She's an arts student in Shanghai, born to a married Chinese mother, who reportedly had an extra-marital affair with an African-American man. Beautiful and artistically talented, Lou recently appeared on a Chinese television program entitled "Go! Oriental Princess" (as best translated), and faired pretty well in the competition, making it down to the final 20 princesses (there's been some rumors about the quest for ratings).

Because of this, she became the subject of blogging discussion on the web, which in turn, drew media attention to the peoples' reaction. Apparently, the web discussion of Ms. Lou is now highly publicized because the comments are critical of her mother's infidelity and Ms. Lou's skin color/ ethnic origin.

Basically, they're racist.

I took some time to read up on them the other day, and it was kind of shocking really. People didn't seem to understand what they were saying was both racist and sexist, or they don't care, or I don't really understand Chinese culture ---- probably all of the above.

"How could she show herself on television?" some people asked.

"Her mother should feel shame," was also a comment I saw often.

Someone even wrote that "black" and "yellow" should not mix. "Ugh. Yellow people and black people mixed together is very gross…only black skin, not yellow skin, chocolate skin…" That was the exact comment.

I also caught this one from the many hundreds, "F***ed by a black.
How come a zebra wasn’t born…?"

Yeah, people really wrote it, and there's much more. I still can't get over it. I have a link here for the translated comments: http://www.chinasmack.com/stories/shanghai-black-girl-lou-jing-racist-chinese-netizens/

I also have some background for the reaction of western media. I know the story is kind of a stretch, jumping from Obama to Lou, but it's information nonetheless:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120311417

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm not Chinese. I don't live there, and I don't speak the language very well at all. I get it.

Discrimination is not, I believe, a lingua-centric phenomena, and it doesn't take a native Chinese to verify that.

In my native country, I know that people do or don't get a job based on the color of their skin. That's discrimination. Most everyone agrees to that (what about people who don't get a job because they're unattractive... can these two issues overlap...).

It's also sometimes ok for a man to act a certain way while his female counterpart will be judged harshly for taking the same tack or making the same decision. Though not everyone sees it, that's discrimination too.

Lol, don't let me get started on who and who can't get married :-).

I see all of this in Thailand also, though it's usually said playfully and practiced insidiously.

A couple months ago, my friend and I watched a basketball game. The Thai commentators were talking about the lack of light in the arena, and one commented that the American (black) players could not be seen due to the blackness of their skin.... Remind me to tell you one day how many black people we have working at my school....

The idea that people are so deaf to the echoes of their words gets to me. The complete lack of personal respect and awareness is also surprising, especially in a place like China where many people work so hard to educate themselves.

Of course I know that there are Chinese who feel shameful that the discussion is even occurring in any forum, let alone an international new story...

To me, both race and the issue of infidelity probably shame the educated Chinese.

The idea that infidelity is so wrong can be understood. The problem I have, however, is that so many people in China understand that it does occur, especially in the ranks of the rich and powerful. It's understoond and almost expected.

So many rich and powerful people can keep mistresses and spend lavishly on the upkeep. They can afford it, and yeah, it really is expected.

Luckily for them, the ranks of the rich and powerful in China, are, overwhelmingly, members of the MALE gender.

That makes it pretty convenient for some people to keep a second or third romantic partner, while those people who aren't rich and powerful (ie, WOMEN) are required by social/moral standards to maintain fidelity to their partner.

Sorry Lou Jing's mom, you kind of got the short end of the stick there.

The race thing, I think, is a somewhat new issue in China (they've been in business in one form or another over 5,000 years). It's supposedly a country with over 50 minorities (different 'ethnicities' than the Han majority), but these 'minorities' still maintain similar physical traits to the majority and are often indistinguishable (maybe by the western eye) from the Han.

How many are black? I don't know, but most people know the Asian feelings regarding dark skin. ... That's why they have the whitening creams in every Bangkok pharmacy (yes, they have it in China too :-)).

So how are Chinese people going to react over mixing with other cultures as their country opens to commerce and international thought/judgment? The issue remains unclear, and it's open to interpretation as time passes so quickly, while monetary and intellectualy, growth continues at an exponential pace.

I'm interested in the Chinese reaction to race, what it means to be "Chinese," and their views on sexual orientation. I think all of it's changing so fast, and it's interesting to speculate on where things will go.

My reaction to Lou Jing and her mother is a strong one. On one hand, I feel like they are brave and deserve applause for appearing before China and beginning a dialogue that will push new views and old prejudices in to the Chinese spotlight. Be you, and don't apologize :-)!

On the other hand though, why them? I also feel that they are.... selfish (maybe?), wanting to be on television and showing themselves off for profit.

Then again, isn't that what so many people want ---- to be on TV, to be famous? That's really an issue that i have with fame and exhibtion. It isn't really Ms. Lou; it's the problem with fame or the desire of it....

Just because you want to be used in order to make money and be lauded for your beauty, thereafter using that for your future (maybe using other people), shouldn't you have the freedom to do that? That's what consumerism and (new) capitalism (communism, it's all the same now) are all about...

Why is it ok for a light skinned Chinese girl to do this and not Lou Jing?

Lol, I'll get to some gay stories. I'll get there, but come on guys, girls, gays, kings and queens, what can be more gay than a beauty pageant ;-)? I still watch those Ms. Universe re-runs.