I owned a white doll when I was two years old. Like any self-respecting tiny caretaker, I had a miniature stroller to tote the doll around in. I made crop circles on the rug of my living room as I wheeled back and forth busily. My parents later bought the doll a companion, but this one looked like me. They propped the new black doll up in the stroller beside her white equivalent.
1. Asking the sheriff if there was a law against him eating in Hope, Washington. 2. Dressing in a manner the sheriff found displeasing. 3. Asking the sheriff why he pushed him. 4. Not leaving Hope, Washington when the sheriff told him they didn't want his kind there and dropped him off at the bridge. 5. Failing to show ID on request when walking and not operating a motor vehicle. 6. Passively resisting his unlawful…
Feel free to ask Aunt Acid a variety of questions at advice@the-toast.net at any time. Previous installments can be found here. Dear Aunt Acid, As my understanding of racism and white privilege has grown over the years, I have learned to recognise subtle behaviours and microaggressions that are, despite declarations of "not racist," definitely racist. I grew up remarkably liberal and free from overt racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and general…
Sarah Miller's previous work for The Toast, including other sestinas by David Brooks, can be found here. Before I talk about you, Ta-Nehisi Coates, I want to say how interesting it is to be white, and what a kick I get out of receiving actual cash money to reflect upon the lives of people. And, although I enjoy my written meditations on all Americans, there’s something extra special about the African-American experience. Your whole…
Here are the reasons I make an annual trip out to San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC): a) To get my picture taken by multitudes while dressed in costume (cosplaying) as my favourite characters from comics, television, and film. b) To order drinks that match the designer dresses I have no other opportunity to wear while eating delicious, bacon-wrapped, finger-sized appetizers and catching glimpses of celebrities at star-studded parties that I, a weirdo commoner from New Jersey, have…
Carla Bruce's previous work for The Toast can be found here.
Like many English majors during their college years, I scoffed with disdain when met with the all-too familiar, well-meaning query: Do you plan to teach?
And like many English majors post-graduation, I ended up becoming a teacher.
My feelings about my profession toss and turn as wildly as the tiny human in my uterus. How
The good Indian friend is always up for “curry”. She will take you to a faraway Indian restaurant in East London for “curry”, even though she wanted dosas. She is a veritable mine of recommendations for the best Indian restaurants in Brick Lane, or Chapel Market, or indeed, wherever one happens to be. The good Indian friend ignores, on such occasions, her own cravings for grocery-store hummus. The good Indian friend knows all about the…
Previously by Morgan Jerkins: Writing, Trans Identity, Race, and All the Poetry: An Interview with Meredith Talusan On June 27th, I saw the image of activist and filmmaker Bree Newsome clinging to a pole with the Confederate Flag held out triumphantly in her right hand. The South Carolina State Capitol building was behind her, adding a powerful element to her legendary act of civil disobedience. As Newsome was escorted away from the State Capitol grounds…
Manisha Aggarwal-Schifellite's previous work for The Toast can be found here.
I don’t remember when I first learned about the idea of “model minorities,” but when I was younger, it seemed like a good thing that people would assume I was smart, high achieving, and loyal to my family. My first thought was always “Look, there we are!” when I saw brown people on TV, even if it was another nerdy
Of the now-seven black churches that have burned in the week since the Charleston massacre, at least three are currently being investigated by the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau as possible arsons. The latest church, Mount Zion AME in Greeleyville, was burned by KKK members already in 1995. (The WhoIsBurningBlackChurches tag on Twitter is a particularly helpful tool.)…
The Toast will be running a few pieces on Canada's missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) this summer; this is the first.
My seven siblings and I grew up in a Christian household, which was strict in some sense. We didn’t own a television, and we sat around the table to read The Bible every night and recited scripture. My sisters and I couldn’t wear pants or cut our hair. It might
When I asked an employee at a hotel in Richmond, Virginia for directions to the Museum of the Confederacy, he gave me a strange look. “Are you sure you want to go there?” I understood the skepticism of this African American man in his smart bellman’s uniform. Black folks generally tend to stay away from memorials to the “Lost Cause.” “Yes, I’m sure. Can you please tell me how to get there?” I said with…
I used to hate my skin colour. If you described it as a foundation shade, I’d be Mocha or Tan+++. I’d always felt like the dark one in most school or family photos, a feeling that was accentuated when I moved from London to Vancouver, where I was often the only brown person in my circle of friends. Coming from a Punjabi family, I felt like an anomaly standing next to my parents and sister,…
