Whitewashed

by Nikki

Whitewashed as defined by the illustrious minds at urbandictionary.com states that it is:

A derogatory term used to describe a minority who has assimilated with western society. The "White washed" person does not necessarily abandon his/her own culture but rather embrace others beside his/her own. Some people take it as a compliment while others take it as an insult.

I have been called whitewashed many times before, been told that I talk like a white girl, that I’m uppity and I “act white” and even been told I’m not hood enough, like that shit is really supposed to be some point of pride. When I was younger and I hung out in The Jungles in L.A. (that’s the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw District if you didn’t know) and even in Rialto I was like the pink elephant in the group because I talked proper and I wasn’t raised in the routine of everyday hood life. In fact one night one of my older cousins got into a fight and got cracked in the head with a 2x4 and because I started crying when I saw it I was called a punk. Even more to the point, I went to see Menace II Society when it came out in theaters with my cousin and I started crying when dude got all shot up at the end because I was like damn, dude is trying to do right and he still got caught up in the madness before he could get out. My cousin didn’t want to be seen with me for the next two days because crying about the movie was some “punk shit.” Looking back on it now I just laugh, but back then I was hurt because I didn’t want to be an embarrassment, nor did I want to be an outsider.

If you call me whitewashed now, I would just laugh at you, probably call you a fuckwad if I have some firewater in me and just go about my way. Hmm, fuckwad is kind of a “whitewashed” thing to say isn’t it?? Ha-ha, but what really brought this to mind was the other night I was watching VH1’s 100 Most Metal Songs or something like that and I was watching it, bobbing my head to a good majority of the songs and even singing along and I started thinking about how some of my military friends would look at me sideways when they came in my room and I was blasting Korn or Red Hot Chili Peppers. They would tell me that I didn’t act like the typical black person (in so many words) since I didn’t just listen to rap and R&B all the time. I embrace all that now though, I find that because I’m so open to all things and experiences I get to see a part of the world that many others don’t and it really has shaped my view of things. I mean if I wasn’t for me listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction I wouldn’t have developed this mean ass crush I have on Dave Navarro and my life would be as colorful as it is now, ha-ha. But seriously, Dave Navarro is gorgeous with his lil freaky ass…..