A common phrase we’re all used to by now is ‘context matters’.
This is true for certain situations. Sometimes, depending on the issue at hand, context matters, in other situations--context offers nothing. However, in the specific cases I’m going to be discussing in this article--context is a heavy component and can make the difference between a normal conversation and anti-black words.
To be clear, some words and phrases are indeed anti-black if used in a specific context toward a specific situation. By default the words aren’t, nor are the phrases , hurtful in everyday conversations and it’s harmful to promote such ideas. Especially given a lot of the words that I plan to bring up are cultural words; words people of specific, usually non-white majority ethnicities use to separate themselves from people who may be their oppressors.
By default, there isn’t anything wrong with the usage of these words or phrases. However, context matters and if you are taking words usually meant to describe outsiders from your marginalized community, and using said words in antiblack ways--then that is an issue.
Some words, for example?
Gringo, non ‘x ethnicity’ (a derivative of nonblack), and even more recently the term, ‘westerner’.
For the sake of this article, let’s stick to Gringo.
Before I begin, let me state by saying that no--gringo is not a slur.
Read that, and read it again. Gringo is NOT a slur by default. There is nothing wrong with the word when being used in normal conversations. Gringo in short is a word used to describe foreigners, especially Americans to Latin American countries or communities. It can also be used to describe someone who isn’t Latine or Hispanic (according to dictionary.com.) However, the gist of the word is used to describe a foreigner, primarily an American person.
What is an American person in general?
Well that can encompass many things. White Americans, Black Americas, Latino and Latina Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans. The list really goes on. By default, calling one of those groups a gringo isn’t an issue because to many from Latine countries, we are gringos.
The issue however, comes with the context and how you choose to use is. This is where many have decided to see it as a slur.
When Black people are discussing issues of cultural appropriation, police brutality, anti-blackness, etc., and instead of listening to us your first response is to shut us down with the use of the word ‘gringo’--then that is a concern. When a Black person is explaining the oppression they are going through, and your first action is to be antiblack, deny Black people their anger while using derogatory language along with the word ‘gringo’ , then at that moment--just as your response is antiblack, ‘gringo’ has become antiblack as well.
Here are some examples below.
(Reply is in response to a blogger who was known for using Black Hairstyles in Animal Crossing New Horizons and accumulated a racist, white supremacist fanbase by doing so)
(This is in response to a Black user asking people in other countries not to be racist toward BLM and Black people when bringing up issues in their communities.)
These are just a few examples of why the word “gringo” is antiblack given the context.
Let me again, break things down as to why.
First and foremost, all of these responses are antiblack. The first one is silencing black people for speaking out against cultural appropriation coming from a blogger with a large white supremciasts following. The second is someone dismissing the struggles and brutalities of Black people as “a gringo movement” , and the third is someone telling a Black person to #ShutUpGringo2020.
To make matters worse, during the usage of the #ShutUpGringo2020 tag--the vast majority of tweets tagged in such a manner were going specifically after Black users for calling out antiblackness.
In these instances, there are nonblack latines speaking over Black people in harmful, antiblack ways in an effort to silence them. Using the word ‘gringo’ in these instances both minimizes the struggles Black people face by improperly lumping them in with nonblack Americans. The word also in these instances, are taken so far from their original context (a non latine person) and used to shame, demean and in general, be harmful and offensive to Black people for...speaking out about Black issues.
Because why, when a Black person is discussing racism or oppression they are facing, is there a need to call them a ‘gringo’ while being antiblack? Why is gringo being used in a situation where it is not needed? Why is being used with such violent, antiblack undertones in an effort to silence, shame or act derogatory to Black people?
The simple answer is because it is in these situations, being used as an antiblack slur, in place of another slur unique to Black people, as various Black people have mentioned.
The slur in question is the n - slur.
Looking at the examples above, it is clear to see how such a word can be racist coupled with the language, but perhaps the comparison to the n - slur may be more difficult to see. Hopefully, these examples below will show you.
(For their protection I blocked out the person iivvss86 is responding to. The bulk of this conversation: iivvss and another nonblack latine saying that Black Americans deserve mistreatment by the government. Iivvss calls Black americans “Black Gringos )
And then of course--there is this:
These examples are a little more clear. “Black Gringo” and “Niggringo” make it extremely clear the intention, feelings and initial idea behind the word “gringo”. Saying “Black Gringo” in an anti-black manner, while still separating Gringo so far from it’s actual definition makes it clear just what word iivvss was thinking of before they wrote the tweet.
Agternnl’s use of ‘niggringo’ is just a bit more specific and it’s easy to grasp the idea behind the word and how it is indeed a slur.
That said, we can see how all of the examples above are used in ways that are antiblack and how in those instances, the group using them is doing so in ways to silence Black people or be racist to them. Even though gringo is not a slur by default, it is specifically used as one in these instances to target Black people.
These phrases and words highlight the antiblackness in nonblack latine communities, and also speak to how antiblackness is very universal.
We see this with the word ‘gringo’ of course, but have also started to see nonblack fans in certain fandoms use the word ‘westerner’ to shut down Black people when they discuss things like antiblackness in anime and even Kpop communities. Though this is something I will touch up on another time
The point of this is to recognize how easily antiblackness evolves in ways where it makes it difficult for Black people to discuss or call it out. Gringo, as I’ve stated countless times before--is not a slur on its own. In normal context, calling someone a gringo isn’t harmful or racist. When most people see the word gringo, a slur isn’t the first thing to come to mind.
This is why it makes it very difficult for Black people it speak out when it is used in an antiblack way. Because it is not known for antiblackness, even if it is clearly being used in that context. This is what is meant by antiblackness evolving and manifesting itself in ways that allow nonblack people to get away with racism.
With this all in mind, I hope it’s clear to readers why given the context, some Black people find the word gringo offensive. Like I have stated so many times before, it is not by default, a racist or antiblack slur. However, context matters, and if you are choosing to use gringo, or any other word in an effort to harm or speak over Black people then perhaps evaluate your own views.
Finally, it’s important to understand that anti blackness is always evolving. When a word, term, or phrase that is usually used to describe an outsider to a certain community is being used harmfully toward Black people, then that word in that moment is antiblack. As is the user.
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