Addicted to Race

I know it's been a little while since the last post, but I've sort of been unsure as to how to go about this (still!). Still, little things have been collecting in my head, so I figure, better to write something than nothing.

There's a podcast that I listen to at work called Addicted to Race. It was started by Jen Chau and Carmen Van Kerckhove sometime in 2004 (I think?), two bloggers and founders of the NY-based firm New Demographic. Addicted to Race is a weekly podcast dedicated to "exploring America's obsession with race" -- discussing media, pop culture, current events, literary works - basically whatever's current and relevant to race issues. Jen Chau left a little while ago, but Carmen is still hosting the podcast weekly with revolving guest hosts, usually activists or authors.

What I like about Addicted to Race is their focus on mixed-race issues --- I've taken my fair share of ethnic studies courses and attended activist groups, but most of the time hapa issues or any mixed identity discussion is pretty marginalized. I'll admit my own prejudices - most of the time I never really considered hapas (part Asians, for those of you not hip to the lingo) *that much* of a part of the Asian American community -- I tended to scorn them (especially half white half Asians) as trying to reconcile white privilege by embracing their "ethnic" sides. And honestly, I think a lot of others think this way about a lot of mixed race people too -- everyone's always all up on Mariah Carey's case for "acting black" or fighting about Barack Obama's blackness, etc. But Addicted to Race lays out the facts pretty plainly - gripes about people always asking, "what are you?", fetishizing mixed people (since the stereotype goes, they're supposed to be super hot), being out with a parent and being stared at, the way people treat you differently if they discover you're in an interracial relationship, the portrayal of the "tragic mulatto" in movies. I think for the most part, mixed people don't have much of a voice in mainstream society to express any mixed identity --- most of them get lumped into one category or another --- and the mixed people that I do know tend to not be very vocal about these issues either. I think my perspective has been broadened just a little bit in that regard.

What I don't like about Addicted to Race is sort of the same gripe I've always had with most of the ethnic studies courses or activist groups I've gone to. Everyone agrees on all the same things. In the early episodes when both Carmen and Jen hosted, they always had the same opinions --- there was plenty of discussion, insightful analysis, but usually no real debate. Usually, the one segment where there is real disagreement and explanation of views is during their "listener feedback" sessions, which take up about 5 minutes at the beginning of the podcasts (and sometimes whole episodes!). I really have to applaud Addicted to Race for really taking the time to read their listener feedback and respond to it on-air; most podcasts or radio shows probably would just ignore them or respond pretty haphazardly. But I find that any time there's some listener feedback that calls the hosts out on something they said, or criticizes some analysis, both hosts shut them down again. Obviously, it's their show and they have the last word, but there is legitimacy to these criticisms -- any criticisms.

I know race is a touchy subject for everyone, but I feel like there's a very hegemonic environment going on within this little podcast microcosm of Addicted to Race --- if you're not tapped into it, you leave yourself open to being attacked and shut down. There are racial minorities who feel differently than what the hosts and guests on Addicted to Race say. A lot that don't get offended by many of the same things, or who have conservative views. But a lot of them who do choose to speak out on the podcast, or even other activist-y venues tend to be pegged as self-loathing or uneducated. After all though, isn't the point of these outlets to be a microphone for minorities who don't get a chance to express their views through mainstream means? I think everyone would benefit a lot if there was a real diversity of opinion between minorities to discuss how they feel about issues among themselves. Yes, it's a much broader discussion and yes, it would be hard to maintain focus and have everyone keep their temper. But that's what a community is - diverse.