Open Letter to the Boxercise Racist
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If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I attend a Boxercise class. It is a class with which I have a love/hate relationship; I hate the act of going but love it when I’m there. It’s a fun if intense workout and my instructor is not only friendly but also rather hot so you know…win.
Part of the class involves pairing up, doing some sparring and then running through some drills. 99.9% of the class are very mature about this and partner off pretty easily; either with friends/workout buddies or introducing themselves to strangers and just getting on with it. I think is because we are all supposed to be adults as opposed to ignorant, childish little fuckwits.
Dear Racist Lady at Boxercise,
During last week’s class, I stepped out for a minute to use the bathroom and when I got back, almost everyone was partnered up. This wasn’t a problem for me because I, like all the other normal non-idiotic people attending just thought I’d partner with anyone; this is, after all, just exercise and not a choice of who to spend eternity with on a desert island.
I bent to tie my shoelace and happened to hear you voice to your friend (who ironically had teamed someone else) that you “didn’t want to partner the black bitch” and what I want to know, my dear foolish classmate, is:
- Why you’d say something so bigoted out loud in front of witnesses
- Why you thought I wasn’t going to say anything back
You see it’s unfortunate for you that after years of being bullied, taunted and discriminated against because of my skin colour, I don’t take that shit lying down any more. Gone are the days I would lower my eyes and retreat to a corner to lick my wounds and I guess you caught me during a particularly racist week what with all the Save the Pearls debates and what not because you certainly seemed shocked when I in turn called you a racist sack of shit.
I get it. It was perhaps a harsh invective. On a normal day, I might have taken you to one side to explain that your words were not only hurtful but extremely ignorant and also that yes, I happen to already know that I am black and don’t need some helpful lady with “Shannyn” tattooed across her cleavage to point it out. I might also have taken the time to reassure you that I am aware that I can be a total bitch at times but that I usually reserve such behaviour for deserving individuals and you, love, are Exhibit-motherfucking-A.
I think it threw you that I stood up for myself; that I opened my mouth and told you in no uncertain terms how partnering with a racist person didn’t exactly fill me with joy and that I’d rather mash salt into an open head wound than so much as touch you. And so I understand why you went lolloping off to the instructor to tell tales on me. HOW SAD IT MUST HAVE BEEN FOR YOU WHEN HE THREW YOU OUT.
Hot and intolerant of bigots. Boxercise instructor, if you are single, holla at me.
I can’t end this letter, racist lady, without dropping some knowledge on you and I will even bullet it so that when you leaf through what must be the numerous folds of your vast cranium (/sarcasm), you will have a succinct list:
- Contrary to what you may believe, black people are no different to any other people on earth. We eat, sleep, win trophies, make babies, write books and win Presidential elections same as you.
- If you’re going to be racist – and that is your right as a human and an asshole – and you choose to voice your racism in front of people, please don’t be surprised when people react.
In conclusion, I just want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to defend myself and let any other closet racists in the class know that I am not the one for that BS.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my disappointment on not seeing you in class this week. I have been perfecting my uppercut and would have loved a chance to show it to you.
Yours,
Stereo
PS. Bitches be trippin’ and you, my friend, are one of them
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Stereo. 20-something aspiring bon vivant. London based. Exceptionally Nigerian. Partial to snark. My default setting is "wry". Jeans and blazers are my uniform. Landlady. Speed reader, tuneless singer, hoarder of words, drinker of Schloer; I am suspicious of most people, have zero tolerance for tomfoolery, have a vast DVD collection, worship at the altar of Al Green, own too many bottles of nail polish, have small eyes, small ears and giant hair and owe approximately 86% of my awesome to the Parents Typewriter.
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I’m so glad the instructor booted her and I’m so sorry you had to put up with that shit to begin with. I hope you get a chance to show Shannynynynynyny your uppercut.
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I hear that boxing can burn up to 1000 calories per hour. Maybe I should look into it. I could definitely stand to blow some aggression.
Sometimes, I’m amazed by how people can go through their day without murder. There are people out there that seem placed on this Earth for no reason other than to push us into killing them…
I’m rambling…
Good for you, Stereo* for not taking any more shit from crazy bitches!
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Sara Rose Reply:
August 15th, 2012 at 22:15
I second Brotherton. Also, may I remind the universe that people are assholes. Yes oh yes they are.
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Sara Rose Reply:
August 15th, 2012 at 22:16
Also, her neat-o tattoo really shows her classy-ass-ness, yes?
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bitches DO be trippin’ all up in this joint. JESUS H, what the fuck with people? i’m sorry you had to deal with this, but from the way you dealt with it, you don’t need my sorrow. you’re a force. i adore you.
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You are a much nicer person that I.
I would’ve deliberately partnered her- make it impossible for her to refuse to partner me- every week. And I would have punched the crap out of her for a few weeks straight.
Yeah. I’m a vindictive brown bitch. I’ll take that.
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I should really have calmed down about this story by now–it was days ago and it didn’t happen to me–but just thinking about it makes my blood boil. And I wish I could write a huge comment filled with analysis, but I’m just stumped that human beings feel entitled to behave this way in public.
I hope she never darkens the doorstep of that gym ever again. She picked the wrong person to insult.
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Roxanne Reply:
August 15th, 2012 at 14:53
Kim really said it all for me too. It’s stories like this that deplete my faith in humanity, and it’s words like yours and courage like yours and your way of exposing this ugliness that refuels that very same faith. I am so sorry that this happened to you, and I am so sorry that this continues to happen to anyone. Sending love and vicarious anger from here! [PS. my first comment from Harvard Square on your blog... eeeek transitions!]
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I’m with Kim. I was about ready to head for bed and I might not sleep tonight. I am SO GLAD you have found your voice. The world needs more Stereo.
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I can think of so many nasty, NASTY names to call that bitch (that’s the mildest of them), but it sounds like you already handled the situation perfectly. She doesn’t deserve a personal explanation as to why that offends you (it should be blatantly fucking obvious). She should be called names and humiliated. Ah, revenge. My blood boils for you.
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My dad was a racist and I put up with his BS because, well, he was my dad. Finally, one day when he was pretty damned old, we were walking into the grocery store and he said something about “some n***er” I said “Dad, one of these days, someone is going to beat your racist butt and you know what? You are going to deserve it.”
Not exactly the pinnacle of cutting rhetoric, but my brain doesn’t always work so fast.
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Stereo Reply:
August 13th, 2012 at 12:45
It’s harder to say what needs to be said when it’s someone you love but you did it anyway so you get ALL the props, Suebob. All of them.
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Found you today via schmutzie’s Pinterest feed. Holy amazeballs, I am speechless! I want to hug you, high five you, and hunt that bitch down and hold her arms while you pummel her-all at once. Then buy you some drinks! I’m with your other commenters. Simply flabbergasted other humans take it upon themselves to think/give voice to such ugly things. I can only shake my head.
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Stereo Reply:
August 13th, 2012 at 12:44
Jen, you sound like my kind of lady. Welcome and thank you
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my god. MY GOD! i really don’t know what to type right here – i really don’t. i am proud as hell of you, but pissed off beyond words that you had to deal with this woman, with this crap. proud of you, proud of you, but hate that it must’ve hurt you somewhere. proud that you can knock that hurt back and come out swinging if necessary. you are indeed what the world needs more of.
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Stereo Reply:
August 13th, 2012 at 12:43
You know, it really was hurtful (as well as embarrassing and just plain puzzling). I thought that at this point, I would be able to brush things like this off but then realised that I shouldn’t be brushing things like this off. Your support means a lot to me
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There really are no words. Kudos to you for putting that tasteless piece of crap where she belongs…
How I laughed when she went telling tales and got her racist butt kicked out the door. I am trying to imagine the conversation…
Woman: Excuse me, I want to report some abusive behaviour by someone in the class
Instructor: Please point her out to me
Woman (pointing to you): That one over there:
Instructor: What did she do exactly?
Woman: She called me a racist sack of shit and said that she would rather rub salt into an open wound than touch me…
Instructor: You are so right, no one deserves to be on the end of such behaviour and I will not tolerate that in my class
Woman *smug* Thank you
Instructor: So get the hell out of my class…
Woman *confused* I don’t….
Instructor: and take your ignorant twittery with you…
**Cue applause**
Long live Stereo!
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Stereo Reply:
August 13th, 2012 at 12:42
I was actually really shocked that she was asked to leave. Although I really shouldn’t have been. Instructor is cool people.
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Un-fucking-real. You are my hero for standing up to her right there. I tend to get flummoxed and speechless when people do something incredibly bigoted and stupid. I don’t know why it surprised me.
But you know what? I’m sad that it wasn’t surprising to you. That makes me saddest of all–knowing the bullshit you face because of the colour of your skin.
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