How Does Society Define an Oreo
An Oreo may be a milk’s favorite cookie, but it is also a term used to describe a particular type of person. This particular person is defined as black on the outside and white on the inside. A person that has black skin but the characteristics of a white person.
This is a term that I have heard frequently throughout my lifetime that has been used to describe me. The reasons that people have used to call me this I wholeheartedly disagree with.
I’ve been called an Oreo because I have an unpopular opinion, I like to listen to pop music, and I tend to like dry humor. These are just a few reasons.
I’ve talked about this before but people often misinterpret my stances on societal issues.
My strong opinions should be used to shed light on the less popular side of things, instead people interpret my strong opinions as being ignorant. Rather than taking the time to understand where I’m coming from.
When I say things like, “In America this has been the best minorities have been treated throughout history. While I do realize that things can be a lot better for minorities, I still acknowledge that we have come a long way from where we once were.”
Some people will take this statement as “Pro White” or “Ignorant.” When in reality it is neither. Statements like this lead some people to refer to me as an Oreo. It seems as though to be truly “black” you have to agree with all black people.
It also seems as though the same people that cry out for unity within the black race seem to exclude certain “kinds” of black people. It’s almost as though you have to fit their version of what it is to be black.
They want to exclude the rich black people unless they rap, or a black guy in an interracial relationship, or a black guy who’s a Trump supporter. I’m not claiming to be an advocate for any of the black people that fit into these categories, but I feel as though if you claim to want race unity that you shouldn’t exclude people in that race based on their views.
If it is true unity that you’re looking for then you should include any and all people within that race… unless you have a different definition of unity.
I just don’t see how you want so-called “unity” and then won’t accept certain black people as truly black, and then claim that you want black people to be more inclusive in the world and society.
It would be pretty hard to believe that you want your race to be all inclusive, yet the race themselves doesn’t include everyone.
Movements within the black community don’t include Oreos.
To be classified as an Oreo by your own race based on your music taste seems ridiculous right? Imagine being seen as less black because you don’t want to hear Hip-Hop in the car, or all the time.
I like to listen to Taylor Swift, Ed Sheridan, and Katy Perry. I don’t understand why I can’t just like quality music. Whether or not you believe that they make quality music is totally your opinion and I respect that, but to say I’m white on the inside because I like a particular music genre is outlandish.
Things like this are very stereotypical which is what I thought many people in the black community want to eradicate. Some people within the black community don’t like stereotypes when it’s about black people, but when stereotypes about white people are mentioned no one bats an eyelash. I don’t understand that.
We shouldn’t associate music to a race because I’m sure that we can find a variety of races that enjoy several genres of music.
The things that I like I don’t necessarily consider them white or black, I consider them things that I enjoy. Yes I know Shake it Off by Taylor Swift word for word, and I also can quote Biggie Smalls. Am I less black because of this?
It doesn’t make sense to me that a guy like me likes pop music and I take so much ridicule from my own race, but if a white person was to try to be actively involved in rap culture they would call them a cultural appropriator and ridicule them. Such hypocrisy.
I’ve also run into several African American people that have said I act and speak “white” because I have an extensive vocabulary. This truly does not make sense to me because this statement basically says that you are equating intelligence and manners to that of the Caucasian race.
I guess I just hold myself to a different standard than some people.
The very same people that would say that I speak and act white, will then turn around and scrutinize some white people for speaking slang. So you’re pushing me away from my race claiming that I belong with another, yet you don’t want any other race pushed towards your own?
Why do we have to talk and act a specific way to be accepted by people of our race?
I feel like you can’t say you want unity when you only want a specific type of black person to fight the battles with you.
Things like this are holding society back because this promotes segregation. Whether we realize it or not it does. The message being sent here is that we should “act” like our race to fit in and to avoid backlash. “Acting” like our race promotes the idea that we should just stay with our race.
We shouldn’t feel the necessity to be fully immersed in the black community in order to feel fully black. At the end of the day no one is really fully immersed.
I enjoy shows like Friends, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and King of Queens. I’ve had certain black friends in my life say that I should watch more BET shows. I can’t even have a TV show preference??
I watch a variety of shows that incorporate many different races. I watch what I want to watch.
At this rate I’ll never be black enough.
I like dry humor therefore I’m white, I speak proper therefore I’m white, I like pop music therefore I’m white. What can I do to actually be black because when people see me on the street I’m still a black person. I still go through what every black person goes through.
If I sag my pants, wear a durag, put my hat backwards, and throw on some Jordans, I’ll be black enough to everybody? I have to dress and speak stereotypically for my own race to accept me? But then if a white person says something negative about some black people that fit this description it’s an issue?
So in order to be accepted by my own race I have to “speak” more black, but maybe not too black? After all I wouldn’t want to fall into that stereotype category.
I am more than black enough. I refuse to be anything else other than myself, and if myself in your mind is equivalent to that of a white person, then so be it.
If you consider me white, I can’t change your mind. My skin color will forever be black, and if my actions don’t coincide with that of a black person in your eyes, then there’s nothing that I can do.
The term “Oreo” is perpetuating the stereotype that I thought we all were trying to get rid of.
Terms like this will lead people to feel pressured into liking or enjoying a specific type of thing based on the idea that only a particular race likes certain things.
I don’t want the next generation to feel obligated to like things only because they are taught to think that’s what black people like.
I don’t want the next generation to think that I can’t do that because that’s too “white.”
I promote individualism.
I want to live in a world where you can like anything you want to without any backlash.
Enjoying certain things shouldn’t be associated with a race, it should be associated with your character.
