Obama, Race and Gender

I have been frankly obsessed with the news since the U.S. election. I have been watching not only the French news, but also American news podcasts and reading all the major papers and journals online. I cannot turn the T.V. - or internet off. I am still so overwhelmed.

There has been much talk about the effect the Obama election will have in France (and Europe). Diversity just doesn't exist in French politics. Except for Sarkozy's appointment (notably Rama Yade and Rachida Dati) there are few non-white or women in the highest levels of French government. This is due in large part to France's inability to acknowledge a multi-cultural nation (which it is!) Again, we are all French first. However, this unwillingness to address race or ethnicity means that discrimination continues relentlessly. This is fueled by the peculiar French tradition of requiring a picture or age or ethnicity on one's C.V. (as if name alone was not enough to alert the racist/sexist police). It is time France started taking account of the level of participation of ethnic minorities. Of course, the case in Germany is much more egregious, but that is another story.

We live in a diverse neighborhood. Which I am thankful for. There are signs on our Mairie and the local schools that proclaim their solidarité with students and parents which are "sans-papiers" - meaning without official residency (or in the jargon of the states, illegal immigrants). We are legal residents of France and pay an extraordinary amount of taxes (upwards of 40%). And we do so gladly, especially for the services we receive. But my partner is still harassed (as he was in his trips to Germany and London) because he does not look French. I am never stopped by the police. I am white and thus pass for French (or "European")

And this is what concerns me. This is not personal (or maybe somewhat). I have always considered myself to be a strident feminist (and still am), but now I have a window on what it means to be racially discriminated against. Obviously my children are "biracial". This is not something I considered them to be or labeled them as, as I certainly did not view my husband to be a "minority". But as Althusser has demonstrated, it is not one's self-construction or self - identity that is in play but that of the "other" (what they call you or name you).

In the States, at least today (it certainly was not the case when I was in High School and Vietnamese refugees came by the thousands to Orange County) to be Asian is a "positive" stereotype (clean, hardworking, etc). My partner, when we lived in NY, was always very defensive against these "positive" stereotypes (and quite often was abrasive and obnoxious in return). In Paris we live in an immigrant neighborhood, specifically a Chinese working class neighborhood.

I look at my children and I see two little, gorgeous kids with very distinct characters. I do not see gender. I do not see race. The issue of gender has provoked me incessantly and I have been defensive and combative (but this is another post). Race has been something I have not really considered until recently. My children have been innocently and not so innocently been asked if they are "Chinoise". Because to be "Chinoise" is to be lesser. My oldest daughter has adamantly denied to her friends that she is "Chinoise". She has even made fun of those who are "Chinois" in order to distance herself from what she believes is undesirable. She has professed her love for blond hair "princesses". Needless to say this has left me dismayed. Lately this racial bias has been somewhat diminished. I have tried to instill in her (and her younger sister) a different view. When she talks about the "Chinois", I reply, "look at your father", "look at your sister", "look at your cousin" - they are all beautiful and yet look different. Lately, this has changed and my eldest has begun to proudly proclaim her ability to speak Chinese (which, thankfully is being taught at her school).

What is funny is that she has never thought of herself as Asian - just French or American. And what is even funnier is she isn't Chinoise (but really close enough). But what it has taught me is that regardless of how one views oneself others will always have a say (often detrimental). I have lived my whole life with the question of gender as a defining factor (not for myself but for others) and now I know the implications of race (not for us but for others). President-elect Barack Obama gives us hope, as a French friend of mine said, "Il changera la visage de pouvoir". Hopefully he will change the unstated standard that white is good, beautiful and intelligent. It is not - and I have two great examples.