tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post752826372365854984..comments2023-10-13T09:36:32.202-07:00Comments on Sister Serendip: Why Can't I Just Shut Up?Sister Serendiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03203971150929819955noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-21618568049725063692013-05-01T10:31:50.467-07:002013-05-01T10:31:50.467-07:00Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. The...Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. The positive feedback only serves to make me feel even more secure in sharing my story.Sister Serendiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203971150929819955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-2141611726984025822013-05-01T10:21:41.236-07:002013-05-01T10:21:41.236-07:00Gina, thank you for sharing your survivor story......Gina, thank you for sharing your survivor story... never shut up, especially among teenagers... at that age and even older, we think we are not vulnerable to many things. I enjoyed your wonderful stories of family... you are indeed lucky to have such a beautiful family. May your little ones keep you laughing and smiling. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-27982254180735954292013-04-10T12:04:22.808-07:002013-04-10T12:04:22.808-07:00All good points, Gina. I do know Nina faces tough...All good points, Gina. I do know Nina faces tough identity issues as she is being raised in an all-white family (for example, her family only buys her Barbies and when I bought her a black doll, she wanted to know why it wasn't as pretty as her other dolls). We talk about equality and how all colors are pretty, but I don't get too worked up about it. The kids are little, I want them to grow up happy and carefree - then as you say, we'll be there for them when they face the harder questions.Jay Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01592280612055255470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-9071428647031137052013-04-10T04:03:17.172-07:002013-04-10T04:03:17.172-07:00Whenever I find myself in a situation in the kids ...Whenever I find myself in a situation in the kids like that--when they say something that absolutely breaks my heart or makes me cringe or want to overreact--I take a minute and breathe. Then I wonder if I'm only hearing it through and adult filter and the child filter has a completely different meaning. Then I ask my child for clarification and take it from there...for example Nina's child filter might really just have meant that her skin looks BROWN to her and not the crayon-color black. (We say brown skin all the time in this house.) And as for Lenny's question...just keep talking and fielding those hard ones. These are the practice questions for us parents because they are only going to get harder.<br />Sister Serendiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203971150929819955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-88106838392763039652013-04-09T21:55:31.654-07:002013-04-09T21:55:31.654-07:00I hate it too. On Saturday Nina, Lenny and I were...I hate it too. On Saturday Nina, Lenny and I were talking about Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery and Nina said, "I'm not black, I'm BROWN." What do you say to a little girl who already senses enough around her to not want to identify as black? And then today Lenny said at the dinner table, "Do some white people still want slaves? But you won't take me to where those people are, right?" I teach the children a lot about equality and respect for all, but I know they will encounter situations where they will have to fight for that equality and respect. Jay Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01592280612055255470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-63785382524838787682013-04-09T11:46:12.336-07:002013-04-09T11:46:12.336-07:00I hate that these are things we still need to teac...I hate that these are things we still need to teach our children.Sister Serendiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203971150929819955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-23688932523418066502013-04-09T09:57:59.601-07:002013-04-09T09:57:59.601-07:00Thank you Gina. I should have known what you were...Thank you Gina. I should have known what you were going to say, given that I am raising a son who is black, I have a former foster daughter who I am very close with who also is black, and I usually am acutely aware of the stereotyped notions and unequal treatment they can expect to face in their lives. Yet I needed to be reminded of it, so thank you.<br /><br />I wish you continued healing as you carry on inspiring people!Jay Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01592280612055255470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-19076863528511401092013-04-09T09:14:10.768-07:002013-04-09T09:14:10.768-07:00I'd love to expound....as an educated young wh...I'd love to expound....as an educated young white woman I understood that there was racism in the world, but I hadn't ever witnessed it before. When my cousin flat out asked me, "Was he black???" and never, ever once asked me if I was okay...well it started to open my eyes. Another relative said to me "It was bad enough what happened to you but that it was done by someone of ANOTHER RACE!" (I told her "yeah I wish it was a white asshole that did it to me" and that shut her up).<br /><br />I always thought the police and the court were particularly kind to me. Now that I'm older and have learned even more about racism and white privilege, I cannot help but wonder how much of that could be attributed to the color of my skin.<br />Sister Serendiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203971150929819955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-42857883798310019162013-04-09T09:09:26.692-07:002013-04-09T09:09:26.692-07:00Wow Gina, you took my breath away. I am so sorry ...Wow Gina, you took my breath away. I am so sorry you were invaded in this brutal manner - but my goodness you have prevailed, and have you ever! I am so glad you included high schoolers among your rapt audiences. We so want our children to be safe and, as you point out, their sense of immortality often prevents them from staying safe.<br /><br />I did not quite understand how you experienced racism after you were raped. If you feel comfortable explaining, I would like to become more aware of that angle.Jay Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01592280612055255470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-42904339230870543632013-04-04T11:54:18.672-07:002013-04-04T11:54:18.672-07:00Thanks Evey. Thanks Evey. Sister Serendiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03203971150929819955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608105305112033629.post-68146793521582651472013-04-04T10:42:02.546-07:002013-04-04T10:42:02.546-07:00NEVER shut up, Gina. You are the voice of those wh...NEVER shut up, Gina. You are the voice of those who can't speak up. You ARE a survivor, and no matter how many times you tell your story, it will always touch someone. <3 Thank you.Evey's Creationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09231815798697798166noreply@blogger.com