I know that as a White Southern Christian Woman it might be odd for you to see an opinionated Black girl with "unkempt" hair having a differing opinion.  

I know that most of the time you see people like me, they are shining your shoes.
They are politely saying "yes ma'm", and scurrying away.

They are afraid of you, and they know their place. 

Well I am here to tell you that this ain’t The Help sweetie.

You is not kind, you is not smart, and you is not important.

You will not silence me.

It's seriously so easy for us to hate ourselves nowadays.

You know what's rebellious?

Radical self-love in a world that glorifies self-deprecation.

If it ain't white...

Black people talk funny.

Black people like Rap, and Trap music.

Black women dress tackily.

Black women twerk.


Black people do not know how to speak English properly, and that is why they are all unprofessional. Their word choice is one of the reasons they get passed up for jobs. It could never be racism. They say stupid statements like "yassss" and "work hunty." Those phrase are only acceptable when they're used by White Gay Men. Then they're just funny. Even though AAVE is actually a real dialect of English, it's one that Black people just made up to hide their stupidity.

Black people also listen to Rap music, which objectifies women. But not the same way that Rock has continuously objectified women. Rap objectifies women in a  different way. A Black way. So it's worse.

 If Black people didn't want to be shot at in their own cars while driving through White neighborhoods, they should simply turn their "hood" music off, and listen to more appropriate music. When are they going to realize that Iggy Azalea and Macklemore are the only artists that they need to be listening to? They're clearly the King and Queen of Rap. They write about what it REALLY means to struggle. That's something Black people definitely know nothing about.

Black women get all of their clothes from Wet Seal and other no-name stores at the mall. Their clothes are cheap, and don't fit. Never mind the fact that the majority of White college women wear tight leggings and Nike shorts to class. That's okay, because they are skinny, so it isn't revealing.

Black women also dye their hair ratchet colors like blue and pink. It's so tacky and ghetto. Don't they know that pink hair is only acceptable when it's on the latest runways, or Avril Lavigne? And why do they leave their houses with their scarves on? They should just save up money and buy an "Urban Cap", you know, those caps made out of the exact same material, but at Fashion week for thousands of dollars? Sigh. And don't even get me started on corn-rows. Those are supposed to only be worn by people with STRAIGHT hair, didn't they see the Paris runways this month?

But the number one thing that sucks about Black people is the way they dance. They grind up on guys seductively. It's almost as if they think they actually own their own bodies, and their own sexuality. It's actually really sad. Like when Nicki Minaj twerks, it's just slutty and gross. When Miley does it, sure she sucks at it, but it's a lot classier. I mean, show some respect for yourself. If you aren't going to be a size 4, you don't need to be having autonomy over your own body.

Black women DO twerk, and Black people DO like Rap Music.

These things are not good, because these things are not normal.

They go against what our society has deemed appropriate and expected behavior.

But our society is white-dominated, and white-controlled. So what is the standard for normalcy?

Whiteness is the standard, and we all must fall in line.

White people don't typically create Rap music, so it isn't normal. White people don't typically come up with phrases like "shade" and "salty", so they aren't normal things to say. White people don't typically corn-row or dread their hair, so those are abnormal things to do.


The words "bad" and "abnormal" are easily interchanged in regards to stereotypes. But either way they mean the same thing. They mean that people are doing a thing that is not White.  So therefore, any person who chooses to partake in that activity must face the consequences of their participation.

It's very scary to think about.

The fact that almost all of the consequences of our participation in Blackness could easily lead to us being killed...

while the same aspects of our Blackness are being repackaged and sold for millions of dollars.

It's very hard to live within in a  Black body. Where every aspect of our culture is seen as a rebellion.

We can't just simply exist, without being seen as a political statement.

The way we talk, the way we walk, the way we carry ourselves will always be seen as counter-culture.

We will always be "the other."

Society will burn our culture to the ground.

Then, they will pick up whatever shreds of beauty remain, and they will wear it as a spoil of war.

Am I bad because I'm living an unethical life?

Or am I bad because I'm not White?

Think Before You Share

I’m sure by now everyone has heard about the recent leak of celebrity nudes. It’s been all over twitter, TMZ, Facebook, etc. I’ve seen many articles on how to prevent similar situations from happening. Learning more about the iCloud, not sending nudes with your face, locking your phone, have all been popular phrases throughout recent weeks. I'm sure the victims of picture leaks now know what they should do in the future, which is why this article is not directed towards them.

This article is for anyone who thinks that it is the slightest bit acceptable to share unflattering, or embarrassing pictures of classmates online. Most people in college are semi-logical and are able to understand that people can be hurt by the things they spread online. They are able to comprehend that if they were in a similar situation, they would not want their pictures shared. They are able to understand that sharing pictures of fellow classmates puts themselves, and their school, in an unflattering light. So why do people do it?

It stems from people’s lack of empathy. They believe that if something doesn’t affect them directly, it doesn’t matter. It’s better to retweet a picture on Twitter to have a laugh, than to put themselves in other’s shoes. It’s better to gain notoriety on a social media site, than to have some decency. It’s better to impress your followers and friends, than to treat others with respect. It’s disgusting, sad and disheartening. It’s scary. These are our fellow classmates and peers, and they are ready to rip people to shreds at whatever chance they get!

Take a good look around. Is this how we want to represent the Eagle Nation? Is this how we want to treat our peers? If so, then maybe Georgia Southern isn’t the place for you. However, I will not tolerate this. I am tired of being silent while I watch social media become a place full of toxicity. Hopefully other students feel the same way. Let’s not forget our morals and our values. Let’s start treating others with respect.

http://www.thegeorgeanne.com/opinion/article_7e726d58-3ea2-11e4-9f15-ebcd8d359465.html

Respect Thy Major

I think we’ve all been in a situation where someone announces that they are majoring in engineering, and people suddenly make comments about how smart they are. Whether we like it or not, I think we all kind of buy into this hierarchy among the majors. There are some majors we automatically assume are for “smart” people, and some majors we assume are for lazy people. Coming into college, I definitely believed this. But now that my major is something that most people haven’t heard of, I have a unique perspective.

Even though it sounds obvious, I’ve realized that each major has value, and doesn’t determine a person’s worth. For example, I know that I could never have an art major. I suck at being creative and I don’t know when to stop changing any piece that I’ve worked on. I could also never be an education major. I am so impatient when it comes to children, and student teaching would stress me out.

There are education majors walking around with 4.0 GPAs, and chemistry majors who barely go to class. Why are we assuming that one person is more hard-working than the other? We have absolutely no way of knowing that. Also, why does it even matter to us? We’re not paying for their degree.

I think we need to acknowledge that every major serves its purpose. When we look back on societies, we often have to reflect on written works from writing majors, and artistic pieces from photography majors. But then, we also need nursing majors to take care of people. How would we educate our children without our education majors? Who would report the news if it weren’t for our journalism majors?

At the end of the day, we all just need to get over ourselves. It would be so boring and illogical if we all had the same interests and the same skill set. Having a different major than someone doesn’t make you any better than them. Period. So quit being a jerk, hop off your high horse and stop talking crap about other majors.

http://www.thegeorgeanne.com/opinion/article_32880ab4-44c5-11e4-951d-7715c7d2751d.html

Kristina's Greatest Hits: Season 1

All of these are posts from tumblr within the past 1.5 months. I don't want to lose these thoughts in a sea of reblogs, but I can't really expound upon them long enough to make them an entire blog post. Thus, Kristina's Greatest Hits was born. Enjoy.

Episode 1
I was at a restaurant with a friend waiting for a to-go box. I had to take my food home because I don’t have a car, and I had nothing else to eat that day.

 She takes this an opportunity to start eating off my plate. She takes a little bit, then a lot. She pretty much eats 75% of my leftovers.

And you know what? I didn’t say anything. 

And that’s what pisses me off. I never say anything.I just sit there agitated and upset.I'm too afraid to stand up for myself.

 If it’s a stranger, no problem. 

But if it’s a friend, I just sit there and keep letting them do something that bothers me.I wish I could stop that.

Episode 2
There’s a difference between not being interested in popular things and then purposely avoiding things because they are popular. Sure I like things that don’t interest people at my school, but I am definitely able to admit when I like a Top 40 song, and I can enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Episode 3
I love when people read my writing but it’s hard because I don’t know when to correct people when they simply just don’t “get” it.

Episode 4
My thing is, if you’re having such a great time at the party, what I do with my body should be the least of your concern.

Episode 5
Well we aren’t really friends anymore, but now we have the same class, who just always said racially ignorant statements, and was the queen of the microagression.

Literally every single day she would emphasize to me the fact that she would not date a black guy. If she even found one attractive, she would say “Iwouldntdateablackguy but he was really cute.”

Kay.

Well anyways we were studying, and this guy with dreads walked by. She looked at him with disdain and was like “Would you ever date a guy with dreads?” 

And idk. The question, our past, everything about it rubbed me the wrong way. It was like this vibe like wow, not only is he black, but he has this “scary” looking hairstyle.

 I just said, “I’m not going to make blanket statements about who I would or wouldnt date, without getting to know the person first.” 

Episode 6
It breaks my heart sitting here in these classes, being around people who think the way they do. Even the fake feminists and activists are draining me.

 I can’t wait to graduate, and go to a place where I can just be myself and not have to keep everything bottled up.

Episode 7
Now that I’m older I’m realizing I don’t have to grin and bare people’s problematic statements.

 I have enough friends.

 If you’re going to say crappy comments I’m not losing anything by calling you out.

Episode 8
Is it appropriate to contact people you’ve kissed in the past and ask how you can improve?

Because my biggest fear is that I suck at kissing.

Episode 9
We fight for huge issues like people being oppressed and inequalities, but whatever happened to just simple common courtesy and treating people with respect.

 What happened to not lying, and saying please and thank you?

Episode 10
Black friends making fun of your darker complexion is still wrong and anti-black.

The thing is, I’m still cute. 

Not in spite of my complexion, but because of it.

Episode 11
It’s so cool that people are on board with this new trendy thing called feminism now. 

But if you are willing to accept that male privilege exists then how are you not able to accept that white and heterosexual privilege exists as well?

Episode 12
Sometimes too many horrible things happen in our world at once and I just take a break from commenting or feeling just get by.

 It’s not because I don’t care. It’s because I care too much, and in order for me to not self-destruct I need to process these feelings in my own time.

People often discount the feeling of worthlessness associated with realizing that your body (your black body) does not count as something worthy of living, in this country. 

This is not a joke. 

This is not the social justice warriors on tumblr. This is me, a black woman asking how many more people have to die before we realize that this is a problem.

I wish the answers were right in front of us, and I wish the people and families hurting didn’t have to hurt anymore. 
But I just get so discouraged.

Episode 13
I can definitely identify with how hard it is to go against your parent's values in support of members of the GSM community. But let's not compare that to actually coming out.

I am enough.

Since I've started college, I don't think I've ever been completely content with my accomplishments. 

When I made the SOAR team I was proud of myself, and I celebrated for a day or two. But then I needed to focus on another job I was applying for.

I have this intense fear of being viewed as average. 

Which is a normal fear to have, but it completely consumes my life. It's something I spend entirely too much time worrying about.

I was talking to my Mom earlier this week and she basically told me that I didn't have to try anymore. I mean, I could try if I wanted to. But I didnt need to keep joining activities and doing extracurriculars because I felt like I was behind. I'm allowed to do things that I actually want to do, and things that I find fun. She was saying it out of concern because I don't sound that happy anymore. 

"Kristina, if you just stopped today, your resume would be good enough. It would blow people's socks off still. So there's no need. You can stop."

I was on the bus. All I could do was roll my eyes...

and have a conversation with myself. Which is something I need to stop doing because it's weird as hell. 

She doesn't understand what it's like to be me. I have to keep doing things or I'm going to be behind.

Behind who?

Who the hell knows. But I'm just going to be behind them.

Behind them in terms of what?

Who the hell knows that either.

But I'm just going to be behind them, I just am. 

Well last week I did end up being behind some people. It freaking sucked so I only told three people, because if I told anymore then I couldn't pretend to be perfect anymore. 

One of the people I shared my story with offered some insight. They said a  friend  had helped them recently with a very simple phrase.

"You are enough."

I think when you read it, it sounds obvious. But it's something I had never stopped to consider. The fact that I could be perfectly fine, just the way I am.

I had to sit for a while and think about it. 

I am enough. 

I am enough?

 Am I enough? 

Yeah, you know what, I am enough.

Why am I trying to impress people who don't give a rat's ass about what I am doing?

Why am I breaking my neck competing with these non-existent people that I believe are coming for my non-existent title? 

This isn't fun anymore. 

This is me torturing myself to gain approval from people that I most likely won't see after graduation.

Are these people really worried about what Kristina is doing?

No.

I am fine. I am content.

I'm not perfect, but I'm good enough.

 I am enough.