Just wondering if we women on DU can discuss this hot potato.

[Karenina]

I hope no one will look upon my post as an intrusion, lurker as I am. My communication intent is to begin a discussion, all the better away from the more mainstream lack of consideration or thoughtfulness in other forums.

The following is the account of a South African man about race and sexuality there. Warning: He obviously LOVES pushing others' buttons while being disarmingly honest about his own.

http://www.linktv.org/programs/the-glow-of-white-women

It's an hour twenty so you may need to carve out some time if you are interested in participating.

I do hope I've reached the right address! ;-)

[Number23]

1. Yay, Karenina!

Your $5 check is on the way! :hug:

I remember as a little girl seeing the Ms. Universe pageants and seeing that Ms. South Africa was always a blue-eyed blonde (come to think of it, damn near everybody else was too!) and I remember how disgusted and almost ENRAGED my mother became whenever she saw them. Not that she needed any excuse to hate beauty pageants, mind you. :)

I've gotten about halfway through the movie and I'm really enjoying it. What the director has created explains a way of life that is very similar to what blacks in America have experienced through our own apartheid and subsequent history -- the worship of all things Caucasian (blonde hair, blue eyes etc.) combined with the denigration of all things else, but particularly those features and characteristics associated with blackness. The fact that he is an Indian Muslim brings an interesting dynamic to the whole conversation.

Thanks for posting! Happy to rec

[Quantess]

2. Obviously he feels more comfortable directing his anger toward white women than white men.

Women are a safer target of resentment.

He said that his father bought his mother over a bet, or something, and in the next breath, he said that he "empathized" with his father.

He complains that it's so degrading for a black man to serve a white woman, but where are his complaints about blacks serving a white man?

[Karenina]

4. *Women are a safer target of resentment.* Ain't that the truth

in ALL times and in ALL places...

Do keep in mind, Quantess, that he's relating the story of his own fixation.

[Quantess]

5. I think it's good that's he's telling his story.

However, does he realize that his own racial resentment is misdirected into sexism?

His culture has told him to see women as chattel, inferior to males, and as servants to his bidding. Then he sees sexual images of women of a supposedly "superior" race, of a culture that he didn't fully understand at adolescence, and he wonders why these white women don't want to fuck him.

[Karenina]

9. Actually I see it the other way round

His sexism has been racialized. How did you read his relationship with Matthew?

[Quantess]

3. 57:46 this guy is a douchebag

[Karenina]

6. I'm interested in your reaction to him

although not particularly enamoured of the term you use to describe him. ;-)

I'd rather describe him as a scoundrel. A charming, witty, clever scoundrel. That was indeed a brutal moment which made me wonder if he ever really got over her...

[Quantess]

7. I think he was brave and refreshingly honest.

He clearly has resentment toward white females. Did he ever mention any resentment toward white males? I did not register any resentment of white males longer than 5 seconds, if that.

Any white woman who dates this guy is asking for trouble. I don't care how clever or witty he is, he hates white women. I can't say he is wrong for what he feels, but, if you want to end up a victim, he's your dream date.

[Karenina]

8. Frankly, I think ANY woman involved with him

would be the target of his neuroses.

[sunnybrook]

10. I am very interested in looking at this

I spent some time in South Africa earlier this year and intend to go back. Right now I am getting ready to start my gender and global politics class but I will get back to this later. This is sure to be provocative but I am very interested, thanks for posting this!

[noiretextatique]

11. i can't see this at work, but i will watch it when i get home

thanks...sounds fascinating :hi:

[flow_urgirl]

12. A part heidi

I have watched a little but have to sleep I'll watch the full version later and edit or enter another post. just watching a little with no sound gave me this initial impression. He seems to draw a comparison to apartheid and parting the legs of the white woman with a fine line of separation metaphorically with the cutting of a stanley knife of the white womans legs - the image that is.

[Karenina]

13. What impressed me was the support provided him

by the white women in his inner circle.