So, I posted this article about Sarah Palin earlier today. If you haven't read it, check it out, it makes some damn good points. But, the purpose of today's post isn't really to rehash Tuesday's Palin-infected discussion. Hilarious though she may be, I would rather not have to speak of her ever again. (I can dream...)

Today I want to focus on being the so-called right kind of person. What I mean by that is, in America (and certain similar countries) if you are not a straight, white male (and you could throw Christian and not disabled in there too), in order to reach the upper echelons of influence, you have to be the right kind of black/gay/woman/etc. There are exceptions to every rule, but, by and large, if you are not a member of the group in power, you can go far, you just can't be the wrong kind.

You all know what I'm talking about. It's why, if you're black, you better make damn sure you pronounce every single "G" at the end of your gerunds, unless you're a rapper (...ridin' dirty...), in which case they'll let you make your money but look down on you at the same time.

It's why, if you're gay, you better be Will, not Jack. Oscar-hosting Ellen, not the Ellen whose homosexuality was national news.

You need people to almost forget that you're "other" in order to fully embrace you. You can talk about your otherness sometimes, but they can just change the channel if you talk about it too long. Or maybe you can share your mild otherness with similar people classified as mildly other. Which is part of the reason why Barack was appearing on Oprah long before he was in the national race.

Now, look. I don't have a problem with Barack or Oprah (well, not for these reasons). And Ellen certainly speaks out for the pro-LGBT causes she believes in, and does so well. And, looking at myself here, I'd probably be that "right kind" of black that could go places without making too many waves. I'm basically Carlton fucking Banks. I don't have to change a whole lot to be the "right kind." I'm not sure how much of this was conscious and how much was osmosis, but the fact is that it's true of me.

This is not to say you can't have a measure of success if you're the "wrong kind." But that success will be limited. It will be niche. And it most likely not last particularly long.

The point I want to raise here is that this is the status quo, and it is far, far too accepted by everyone who doesn't have to deal with it. Palin and Georgie B are counterexamples, people who can just sort of be (or act like) mental fuckups and traipse along to glory. Many of us othered folk may indeed get second chances in life, but if we screw up under the spotlight, that door slams right shut.

As always, there is no immediate solution to the issues I've posed. This is simply part of America as currently constructed. It's part of other societies as well, albeit with different groups and ethnicities involved.

Perhaps one day an unapologetically black lesbian can step onto the national stage and not get immediately cast aside. But until that pipe dream comes true, keep your eyes open, folks.

As the article says, the Palin story would be very different if she were black. She would have had to do a whole lot of work before she could have been considered the "right kind." Most likely, they would have spoken to her for a second and decided that this "ghetto" (ie "folsky") black woman was way too much of a risk to put on the national stage. Indeed the Palin story would be very different if she were black, because it wouldn't exist at all.

I leave it to you, folks.

Peace and love,
Justin PBG