It has been difficult lately to integrate my-self. The more I become open to talking with people about being Roma, the more I open myself to criticism from both sides.
One thing I’ve had leveled at me a lot lately, is the ‘white privilege’ argument. usually it consists of several arguments:
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I think it would be difficult to transition from living in a place where…..your ethnicity HAS TO BE something you keep in mind all of the time. A place where if you make one wrong move….and that mistake turns into a mistake made due to you being Rroma….to living somewhere ..where being Rroma is relatively unknown. I would carry that attitude with me. The attitude that my ethnicity = systematic institutionalized racism …even when, in this country, being Rroma doesnt necessarily mean those things. I think being Rroma in America is a minor nuisance whereas being Rroma in Europe…well..there arent any words really for what its like being Rroma in Europe. Its so far beyond my reach that, despite the fact I am AWARE of the hate, the oppression and persecution….I still cannot fathom it.
Please watch.
As white-passing people of color, we have our own set of struggles.
We have to hear all the horrible, racist things that our white friends (and sometimes even our not-white friends) say about people of color that they wouldn’t dare say if we were visible poc. And because we …
Yes, yes, yes! It bothers me when white passing PoC do not want to admit their privilege. To society, we are white, and we are treated as a white person which is…a hurt all in itself. But, its true. We have privilege that our non passing PoC brothers and sisters do NOT and its time to start admitting it and doing what we can to open others eyes about the racial hierarchy in this world.
