I'm a bisexual, biracial (black and Jewish) teenager. For the past year or so, I have been trying to reconcile my standards of beauty with my politics. whatshername, I suppose I am your opposite, in that I am attracted to men of all colors but mostly white and Asian women.

I think that racist, specifically white supremacist, is the perfect descriptor for this attraction. Being exclusively or mostly attracted to certain races or ethnicity is racist not because it is discriminatory, but because this discrimination reflects the values of society.

SnowdropExplodes, the label "racist" carries tremendous negative connotations, and I understand why you would avoid the label. Still, I think it is important that we are honest with ourselves. My standards of beauty are racist. I am racist. It's not a huge deal, but it's true. I'm also anti-racist, and I would like to stop being racist. I want to change my sexuality. This runs counter to the acceptance narrative of sex-positivity, and I realize that I walk a fine line.

Like most queer kids, I had a phase where I rejected my same-sex attractions. It didn't work. But I'm convinced that race is different. I think that I have progressed since I started integrating non-Asian women of color into my sexual attractions.

re: I don't think that there is a great deal to be gained by saying "I must change my desires".

I think that this is a privileged viewpoint. As a black man, I realize that my race plays an important part in my desirability. I don't want to be rejected because of it, and I don't want to be attractive because of it (particularly because of certain stereotypes. . . .). Racist sexuality is less innocent (and certainly doesn't "[m]ake [me] happy") from the perspectives of people of color.

The problem is not that his family and friends consider him a "normal guy," it's that the media consider him a "normal guy."

That you were able to use this post to blame blacks for slavery is an incredible accomplishment. Now go back to Stormfront.

Wow I didn't know Letterman would be so critical. Much respect.

Women laugh at this portrayal of masculinity as well, but I bet they do for different reasons. To men, it's funny that their dumb wives will pick up after them; to women, it's funny that their dumb husbands can't pick up after themselves. On reflection, I doubt women actually find this funny. The female reaction to Homer Simpson must be a depressed laugh, because he hits all too close to home.

For the sake of clarity, I recommend that you just write womanism/feminism. Just as alternating between female and male pronouns is confusing, alternating between W/F and F/W is confusing. For the same reason we use female pronouns to denote generic humans (men oppress women), use W/F (white feminists silence WoC).

I agree that diminished portrayals of men in media are oppressive to women. When boys watch TV-husbands drink beer on the couch while dinner is being cooked, while dinner is being cleaned-up-after, while the kids are put to bed, etc., they are learning what to expect when they become husbands.

These portrayals are on popular comedy shows; millions of people think that a middle-aged drunk baby is funny. I suspect many of these people are women who are married to such a man. If not for the sake of men, then for women, we must demand more from men. We must spread the message that this is not funny. The continued depiction of this behavior is approval of it, so we must lobby to stop it.

Disassociating this behavior with masculinity is not and cannot be the responsibility of women. It it up to me and other male allies.