The Black Shopping Experience

The nytpicker is upset because The New York Times Holiday Gift Guide has a shopping guide specialized for people of color. The nytpicker's point being that certain groups should not be distinguished by color. The article states, "Can you imagine the NYT designating a section... to presents made 'for and by white people?'"

The nytpicker makes a reasonable point, and I must admit, when it comes to topics such as these it can be pretty confusing for all those involved. Colleges have African-American studies courses, and there doesn't seem to be much argument against them. On the other hand, I get fuming when I have to search through a grocery store for black hair care products because they're not in the hair care section, but in some corner next to vitamin supplements or something else equally inappropriate.

I get frustrated at the book store when I see that black authors are separated from the general fiction section and set off in the "African American literature" section. Are people worried that if Toni Morrison is in general fiction, I won't find her?

I understand the need and desire by companies to say, "Look, we have products for everyone." I think the problem comes in the way this is demonstrated. Separating products in a store and designating it as "African-American" or "of color" does not help anyone. It's alienating, patronizing, and offensive.

I'm interested in products that represent my culture and my race. I just don't want to go to the "black island" section of the store, web site, or whatever to find the products I need. I want to find my shampoo in the shampoo section. If I'm looking for the latest collection of poems by Wanda Coleman, I want to find the books in poetry, not "black poetry".

I want equality not speciality. This brings me back to the New York Times "Of Color" gift guides. Color is just that. A color. In looking at this gift guide, I might be interested in Iman's "The Beauty of Color" book, but that's about it. I confess that while blacks often have a commonality of experience and history, this goes nowhere to tell you what we'd like as gifts. Pretty much the best way to find that out is to get to know us as people.

My husband took me to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center this past weekend for our anniversary. I can pretty much guarantee that he did not get that idea from some gift guide for black women. He just knew that I loved the Peanuts comic strip and thought I'd get a kick out of it which I did.

So, if you're shopping for that special person "of color" out there, and you don't know what to get, remember this. That person "of color" is more than a person of color. Think about what makes that person unique and go from there.

Happy Shopping