Where is your tail?

I have always been interested in the topic of diversity issues/affairs…..basically how the people of the world get along with each other. My motto has always been the more we know about each other, the less fear there will be between us. Of course, fear often leads to hate, stereotyping etc….. I was recently told a great story by one of my relatives, Emma Jean, that was so great I have to share!

When Emma was a teenager (I’m guessing this would be in the 1960’s), she won a cooking competition here in NC that took her to the international level, held in Maryland. While in Maryland, she met other young people from around the world. A particular girl from Germany stuck in her memory. This girl “curled up” in fear each time she saw Emma Jean. One piece of background information, Emma was what she says, “a fly in the milk” at this conference. Meaning that she was the most obvious black person there ( relatives that came with her where black , but appeared white as they were light skinned).
At some point during the competition, Emma and the girl met in the bathroom. The girl looked at her again frightened. Emma finally told her that she wouldn’t bite and that there was no reason to be afraid. At that point the girl loosed up and told Emma that she had never seen a black person up close before. Feeling less timid, the girl asked her, “Where is your tail?” She had evidently been told that black people grew tails, like animals. Emma told her, “ I have a hind part with a split down the middle just like you and the only difference between them is that yours is white and mine is black!” Emma and this girl continued on at the competition as good friends and the girl was no longer afraid of her. She even told Emma that she would tell everyone back home in Germany what she had learned.

I just adore this story because it makes a great point and because I love that moment when people find out that certain assumptions and stereotypes that they have held are not what they origionally thought. I welcome discussion about myself for this very reason! It also makes me wonder about other superstitions or folk tales about black people that are commonly held in different parts of the world.......I'll have to do some research about that :)

Countdown to Turkey......5 more days!