Comments on: What white feminism looks like

By: Rotto

Rotto — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:33:32 +0000

You people are absolutely nuts. You would deny this child a home because the mother adopting her is white? I hope you see how selfish you are and yes I am black and educated.

Grow up. This child will see other blacks in more demanding roles as she grows. She’ll come in contact with black teachers, doctors, black friends. What is wrong with being a nanny? Plenty of white women do it. And I think you are being classist and elitist by putting this black woman down for earning an honest living as a nanny.

You adopt all of the black children who need good homes, until then I say let competent people who can love them and afford them have them. All you do is point fingers without trying to find solutions!

Mary-Louise Parker is a SINGLE MOTHER. Yes she has managed to have a good career as an actress as time has gone on but I’m sure she struggled too. This bird’s eye view is crap when you are missing the point. This child has a loving home and a black person who is a care giver so SHE CAN have favorable views of black people.

People in the world aren’t very smart these days.

By: flabbyabby

flabbyabby — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:51:20 +0000

It was an HBO film starring Hillary Swank,Frances O’Connor, and Patrick Dempsey about the suffergate movement it’s probably out on DVD.

By: Dawn Babs Davenport

Dawn Babs Davenport — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:33:00 +0000

Come on you guys, isn’t this a bit harsh? She is clearly a good samaritan who is just too busy making dinner plans with Brad and Angelina to push her own stroller.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:12:34 +0000

Luce, I used to be a list member of an online group of African Americans who adopted from China and according to them, Korea doesn’t accept African American applicants, Russia will only refer a child of gypsy descent, and further, some applicants were turned down by US agencies for the China program, even though China accepts African American applicants. The fact that race is even an issue should tell you that the playing field is not even close to even or fair, and that’s why I think the question is silly. Every time someone tries to turn the tables, it doesn’t make sense to me because of this factor.

By: Luce

Luce — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:50:46 +0000

The question isn’t silly– does it make you uncomfortable? If it is racist then I want to know why? If it isn’t then how can the above scenario be held to be so?

Also I see MASSIVE generalisation on this page about what “white” feminism looks like. No- this is what a wealthy white American actress who adopts a baby from overseas looks like. It doesn’t reflect a vast and diverse social movement. Why don’t I post a picture of Oprah and say that this is what “Black” feminism looks like? (FYI- I’m not that ignorant!)

Why & how have African American been restricted from adopting in other countries? That hasn’t been my experience, I have African friends in Europe who have successfully adopted from Sri Lanka.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:53:11 +0000

Luce,
I know you are trying hard to debate this subject, but your question is sorta silly. Did it ever occur to you that African Americans have been restricted from adopting in other countries? Your question about international adoption might be valid, except, it’s not.

By: luce

luce — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:01:29 +0000

Because there would be an equal lack of cultural contact for the child. Or would it be more acceptable if the family employed a poor white Romanian nanny?

I have a problem with the “globe-trotting baby snatchers”on the grounds that there are many children in the USA that need adopting, but I fail to see why this adoption is racist per se. (Unless all cross cultural adoptions are, i.e a form of exotic child shopping). I have much more sympathy with your point that these women can work because they exploit other women to care for their children. They are contracting out a big part of their lives.

I don’t know that film, I thought identity politics, at least in Europe only really became divisive in the late seventies and early eighties. Until then there was much more unification among the social movements.

If she really believes that she is remedying global inequality/racial division by adopting a child of another ethnicity, I pity her self delusion. It will be very hard for the infant, very difficult.

By: flabbyabby

flabbyabby — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:09:58 +0000

How in the HELL would that be racist?!! Anyway that’s not even the issue luce the issue is her trying to seem like a giving person yet throwing her privilege in this woman’s face which happens ALL THE TIME with the feminots. It’s just like in the HBO movie “Iron Jawed Angels” it’s ok if you march with us just as long as you’re ’separate’ and in the back this picture is just more of the same. That somehow she’s doing her ‘part’ because she’s playing white woman to the rescue and that she doesn’t mind the ‘nanny’[more like mammy] in her home to care for her child some compassion!

By: luce

luce — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:53:36 +0000

I have a question– would it be racist for a an African American family to adopt a Caucasian baby from Russia or Eastern Europe ?

By: Wondering

Wondering — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:52:47 +0000

I have that same look of boredom when I’m out with my sister and she’s rude enough to answer cell phone calls. I have a different take on that picture. Maybe it’s important to MLP to have people of color around her (not just friends and coworkers) who can have a formative influence on her child as the child grows up.

Cross-cultural adoptions (of primarily African/African-American) children are often criticized because of a lack of cultural contact for the children. I guess I’m applauding MLP of having people of color around to help her raise her child. I don’t know what her relationship is with her child’s nanny (whether it’s good or bad, engaged or dismissive) just from the photo.