i need to make some strong racial statements here. mostly because i continue to be disgusted by men who look like my brother and father and cousins. and no. i do not think that ALL whatevers are like whatever. this is just about the new york city cubway system and my personal observations in riding from brooklyn to manhattan. this all may fall apart when you get to Queens. I have no idea.

what the fuck is it about white men that makes them think the entire fucking world revolves around them?

oh wait. maybe because it does.

i know i have broken this down before but it is REALLY making me crazy now that i'm pregnant and tired and just want a seat on the subway. here are some broad generalizations about who will and will not get up for another human being:

• A dying 110 year old blind and deaf woman with one leg could be standing in front of a white man over the age of 16 and he will not get up. He will simply put his Financial Times higher in front of his face.

• Youngish and middle aged white women will almost always get up for a white pregnant woman. But not for a black pregnant woman. And only after eyeing their ring finger.

• Old white women will never give up their seat.

• Orthodox jews from outer Brooklyn will not give up their seat. Some young men might but only about 20% of the time.

• Chinese immigrants from Sunset Park would slay their own mother for a seat.

• Black women give up their seat for a white woman about 40% of the time. But only if the woman is absolutely popping pregnant.

• Black men give up their seat pretty readily for any pregnant woman.

• Hispanic men give up their seat pretty readily as well.

• Hispanic women under the age of 60 almost always get up for pregnant women.

• Teenage/Early 20s black and hispanic men will ALWAYS get up...especially if they look like gang bangers. ESPECIALLY if they look like what the news teaches you to fear. They will get up if you look tired. They will get up if you just look like your feet hurt. They will get up if they only have one or two stops to go.

What have we learned from this? Basically that white men suck. They are self-centered people who would rather kill their mother than help someone.

Lots of people don't even notice. I get that. I mean, you don't always look up. But there are a lot of people who look at my belly, catch my eye, and then look back down really fast. "Like...ACK! She saw me. She knows I know! Now what? Am I a complete asshole if I don't get up? She doesn't look THAT pregnant...what now? I will just read my book."

Well, that's some people. White men will look at my stomach, look me in the eye, then look at my hand, then look at their paper. Calmly. Like. "Hey. A pregnant woman. Good, she's at least married. Now what about Enron again?"

As I've said before, I did this to myself. It's not like my leg got blown off in a freak accident. So I don't expect special treatment. But honestly, I am a little surprised at how unwilling people are to be helpful. Or, rather, who is and who isn't and what it takes to get them to stand up.

Just my racist rant for the day.

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