Being black in white Australia

Being black in white Australia is walking down the streets of Liverpool with seas of people staring after you and you wonder whether you look extra ravenous today or maybe, just maybe, because you’re black. But then again if people stare at you morning, noon and night, when you think you look as hot as Beyonce or Christina Hendricks and when you know you are as scary as Jocelyn Wildenstein or MJ then I think we both know why.

Being a black woman in white Australia you notice there are three types of men, men that jump on any African woman they see because they are absolutely in love with bedding African women (creepy i know); men that would probably be willing to sleep with an African woman to cross it off their “to do” list; and men that will be nauseated to imagine sex with an African woman. But then there are men who have no clue that African women are in fact women, that they have feelings, hand, foot, toe nails, boobs, a vagina...they live in a world where they have never met black people, they live in a society that has made them believe black people are not human enough, that they are inferior to white people. But if we are inferior to you why do we all need to be loved and cared for and cherished, why do we all love sex, make babies and fall in love? Why do both black and white women suffer from abusive relationships? Why do we both commit suicide and give up when life knocks us down? Why do I feel the same pain, suffering and disappointment as you do?

We aren’t that different now, are we?

Being black in white Australia means everyone around you is a nurse. I am sick and tired of hearing that the occupation God made for black people is Nursing (mum always told me that!) Nursing is so special because the white man needs so many nurses he doesn't care who he employs. I may not make it as a writer because I am black, I may not get work because I am black, society may not accept me because I am black!

Shouldn't I dream because I am black!

Being black in white Australia means that if you have a white boyfriend, you become that girl that wants to be white.

Being black in white Australia is when your sister knows all the African people in Sydney and when you are walking past an African chick on the street you don’t stop to chat to her because you probably don’t know her but you are secretly looking at her, checking out her hair (where did she get it done?), my God she is ugly! she is fat! I am hotter!

Being black in white Australia, I have travelled to Coffs Harbour, Ballina, Byron Bay, Lismore etc and I don’t even need to tell people I am not a local, it is very obvious.

Being black in white Australia my family is afraid to use their native names because it will be absolutely murdered! And let’s face it, why would you want to be called Ifeanyichukwu Anyimba (my brother’s name) in a class where everyone’s name is either Smith, Peter, Jack, David or Nicole.

Being black in white Australia means that in history class in primary school, high school, or University, you dread the topic “black history” or even worse “slavery” because you know you are the one being talked about, your people, your past. You feel the eyes of the whole class on you and you are ready, ready to tackle anyone who insinuates or suggests anything that does not sit well with you.

Being black in white Australia is watching channel ten news and cringing if you hear anything abominable about Nigerian’s or African’s as a whole because you know that anything they do in any part of the world will come back to bite you. For instance, the 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab who tried to blow up a plane on Christmas day has made travelling hard for African people. I dread the day I will have to travel to another country because I will feel absolutely humiliated when I get searched. I know that African’s are now profiled as terrorists which is absolutely ridiculous because African’s looooove life, life would need to be really really tough for an African to take their own life. I was so infuriated with that kid I blogged about it. Another example is the Nigerian scam popularly known as 419 in Nigeria. History has it that scamming began after the white man settled in Africa and took their youth, mothers and fathers in exchange for sugar. A movement began in Africa after this, a form of retaliation, the belief that the white man was the first scammer was widespread, hence, it was imperative to scam the scammer. I used to work as a marketer for the charity “Save the Children”, it was business-to-business marketing and as soon as anyone was privy to the fact that I’m Nigerian (not that I hide it) they don’t want to hear from me again because they believe I have come to steal their credit card details. It is extremely frustrating and not even my sweet, innocent disposition can save me.

Being black in white Australia means that even if you’re born in Australia you never really are Australian. For instance:
Enquirer: Hey Kid, where are you from?
Black kid: Australia.
Enquirer: Yeah but originally.

Being black in white Australia means tolerating stereotypes such as these:
 African’s absolutely adore sex and are good at it.
 All African have HIV/AIDS.
 Africa is a wilderness (I say this because I get asked how many lions I’ve seen when I tell people where I’m from. It’s almost as if you walk to an intersection, see a lion, pat his head, say hello and then walk on) Not true.
 All Africans are sporty/talented. This can be very annoying especially if you’re me and cannot long jump, run, dance, sing, play table tennis, soccer or netball!

Being black in white Australia can be demanding and requires a lot of patience and understanding, however, I will never give it up for anything in the world because when it boils down to it, Australia is my home.