I'm thinking about race, racial politics, and racism. This week we discussed _This Bridge Called My Back_ in the Feminist Political Thought seminar. It's also Black History Month, and I was just reading about the comments to the latest _Vanity Fair_ issue with young Hollywood on the cover (all white women).

Race is and discussions about race can be problematic, but are necessary. Oh, where to begin...problematic due to the fear of discussing the issue honestly, and problematic due to at times the sorts of opinions that are espoused. Sarah Petrescu, _Times Colonist_ reporter, has referred to comments on line similar to graffiti in a public washroom. I share this, as the comments in response to the VF issue have varied from learned to racist.

VF, which I subscribe to, has a particular demographic who they know constitute their target market. The previous issue of the magazine had a bare chested Tiger Woods, who we all know is mixed race. However, particular to this issue, certainly Zoe Saldana could have graced the cover. And, maybe even _Precious_ actress, Gabourey Sidibe. There are, of course, other young actresses of color to choose from. But, by and small (note the use of this word)--attractive, thin, white women will be showcased. This is problematic, since this isn't representative of the diversity available, even in Hollywood. And, what is more problematic is the knee jerk reactions to the criticism.

How can one really say that it's then unfair that _Ebony_ doesn't have white people on their magazine? First of all--you'd be hard pressed to find most African Americans in the US, who do not have a drop of white blood flowing in their veins. Secondly, _Ebony_ is not a mainstream magazine with the sort of subscription or purchase rates that the powerhouse VF is. _Ebony_ is a niche market magazine.

So, here we are at Black History Month, the US has a mixed-race President, and we must continue our discussions and thoughts about race and racism. They need to be more nuanced than what we will see on the public washroom or on the blogosphere. This doesn't mean that these conversations must take place in the university classroom. No, these converstations need to take place on TV, in our movies, magazines, living rooms, coffee shops, cars, buses, and most importantly between one another.

I was quite happy with the level of conversation in the seminar on Tuesday evening. I am hopeful that it will continue and that each student left wanting to talk more about feminisms, race, and racialization.