Posted on January 28, 2009 - by Administrator
ATR 104 – Inauguration and Black Female Bodies
Why did the mainstream media act as if President Obama’s inauguration was a moment that only African-Americans could celebrate? Now that we have a black family in the White House, who will be able to translate black vernacular and cultural phenomena to non-black folks? And finally, why the ongoing fascination with black women’s behinds?
Got feedback for us? Call 917-720-6348 or email info@addictedtorace.com.
Andrea (AJ) Plaid runs The Cruel Secretary, where she blogs about race, gender, and sex. Andrea has been quoted in the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune regarding the decline of the NAACP, African Americans’ protectiveness toward Senator Barack Obama, and the rift between white feminists and feminists of color in defending Michelle Obama against racist and sexist media attacks. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Right-click here to download an MP3 of Addicted to Race Episode 104
or
Click here to never miss an episode by subscribing to us in iTunes
or
click the button below to play it immediately
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
3 Comments
We'd love to hear yours!
Leave a Reply
Here's your chance to speak.
About the Host
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of New Demographic, a diversity education firm. Her perspectives on race and diversity have been featured on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, USA Today, and The New York Times.
She hosts the podcast Addicted to Race and blogs at Racialicious and Anti-Racist Parent.
You can reach her at 646.400.5270 or team@newdemographic.com.-
Visit My Website
February 11, 2009
Permalink
Real Black Dude said:
That was very informative. Great interview!
Visit My Website
February 12, 2009
Permalink
Administrator said:
Thank you so much for the feedback. We appreciate it.
Team Demographic
Visit My Website
April 13, 2009
Permalink
Brothel Poet said:
I loved Aretha Franklin’s hat.
Better Cultural Translators- besides black men, black comedians?
I sense something on this podcast…. Is DL Hughley too stupid to make, too inherently black and male to be a social commentator? I think he’s funny. Maybe we need more which is different than better. More sistas, perhaps? Jon Stewart is a white male social commentator..,
Anyway, the thing around Michelle’s booty and black women’s hair. Since the world has been set up as a contest us vs. them, black women’s beauty has been set up as a negative contrast with white women’s for a very long time. It is unsettling for the dominant culture to perceive that there is a beauty other than white, flat butted and blond, because being beautiful has been the cultural prize bestowed among white women for not being full citizens within Western society.
Being the object of adulation, and suspcious possessiveness is the booby prize in a lot of ways. If that gets taken away- if black, asian and Latina women also get the sexual, and romantic adulation inherent in being described as beautiful, white women will be forced to take their struggle for equality to whole new heights. They will have to deal with eating disorders and the self undermining impetus behind them, among other things.
Hence the comingled fascination/anxiety with black female acoutrements.
Does this show ever interview black men? Iwill have to search through the archives, but I would like to hear some love for the bruthas. So