#7- the day you found your first best friend
Her name is Joy (short for Jocelyn) and of course, my name is Joy too. We were just tickled about this when we met in middle school.
Soon after we met, we were inseparable. She lived right up the block from me. Her family embraced me. I would stay over to her house until my mother got off work. She introduced me to the joys of getting attention from boys. This woman could pull anyone. I had that, "Joy is like my lil sis" effect. I got NO play. Not around this woman. Well, not as much as her. Being in her presence opened up my eyes to a different type of discrimination and for the first time I realized that my people didn't see me as beautiful or blessed. Yeah, down South, light skin..dark skin was a thing. *rolling eyes* The parents had to be hot shit for a dark skinned girl to cross over. Because light skinned girls were always homecoming queen. You may be thinking, "umm..Joy you are not that dark." But, down South I was dark dark brown. Alabama sun be blazing.
My experience in the South surrounding shades of color leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I would get an eye full of how teachers treated students that were lighter and/or had successful parents with such reverence and respect. It was almost like they were sucking up to them. Weird. She never abused it. The favoritism was not her fault. Even though this bothered me, I had respect for how it wasn't a secret because here in New York, you never know where you stand. Down South it was crystal clear where you were NOT welcomed or liked. I miss that honesty sometimes. Everything here in NY is ambiguous and glazed over with sarcasm. To even speak about racism and discrimination here, you might be labeled a conspiracy theorist. You can never prove it. You walk away from racism like; what just happened. Not down South, honey. You know it's racism.
Anyway, this blog took a wrong turn. Yeah, that was my best friend in middle school and part of my high school year while down South. That photo above was taken during a visit down South a few years ago. And, yes, it was hot as hell.
6 people feelin' some type of way:
I'm sorry, I CTFU @ "You can never know. You walk away from racism like; what just happened." iDied. lmfao SO true though
She's gorgeous...but, then I tell you this about yourself on the regular. I'd one day like to meet the first bestie. (So I can put her in the headlock) LMAO j/k
You already know. You be like... wait. what? o_O LOL And, the person has already skipped off into the sunset and shit leaving you feeling all emotionally bruised.
It's ambiguous in NY cuz some people care about color and others don't.
Joy, I know exactly what you're talking about, since I'm originally from the Sip. There was a lot of colorstruckedness (did I make that word up) around my school, too. Lighter skin was where it was at. The guys thought it was sexier (even if they were dark skinned themselves) and the girls got a lot more play. The deeper hues got left in the dust. But at least in the South, the racism is served right in front of you, not like up North, where it can hide behind pretense and fake smiles.
"I miss that honesty sometimes. Everything here in NY is ambiguous and glazed over with sarcasm. To even speak about racism and discrimination here, you might be labeled a conspiracy theorist."
That is Real Talk; I Appreciate it.
Your friend sounds like a Great Young Lady! :-D
C'mon I'm from Alabama and I ain't that brown.....oh and I don't know anyone named Reggie.
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