My Own Beautiful

What does it mean to “act white”?

What does it mean to “act black”?

What does it mean to “act” any race?

Because from what I understand,a race does NOT define you,

You, and who you are is what defines you.

All I’ve heard was how I “act white”

Or how I’m the “whitest black girl they know.”

But as I get older I start to ask,

Why?

Their response.

“Oh, you just don’t act black.”

I just don’t “act black”.

So, what I’m hearing is I don’t “act” like a stereotype.

They think this, because I’m not that stereotypical “Mad Black Woman” that’s plastered all over your T.V. screens.

No.

Instead I’m all smiles.

And that, in the eye’s of society is not how a black person “should” act.

They say that a black girl can’t be perky, that they can’t be bubbly, because that’s not “acting black”.

Instead, in society’s eye’s it’s “acting white”.

And you know what, maybe I am in the eyes of other people.

But in my eyes, I’m My Own black girl.

And My Black Is Beautiful.