Warning: Video = NSFW unless your boss is the kind of person who is okay with explicit lyrics…
Ennis tipped me off to ‘Indian Girl,’ a song by 24-year old Canadian rapper Peter Jackson (no, not the LOTR guy) featuring Patrick Christopher. From what I recall of my childhood trips to Canada, desis had all but taken over certain parts of the communities I visited. When we strolled down the streets of Toronto, I felt like I was more in Pakistan than Canada. So it’s hardly a surprise that a song like this would emerge from Canada. It’s safe to say that I really, really dislike this song. Words like “fetishism” and “objectification” came to mind as soon as I saw it. The chorus, “Girl do that Indian dance/Dance for me now/Dance for me now” is nauseating enough, but “Ma got hair like Pocahotantas/Hands on the ass of an Indian goddess” induce further vomiting. As does ” shake, wiggle it , slither like a snake, mama.” In short this video reinforces every stereotype already out there about South Asian women. Servile? Check. Exotic? Check. Kama-Sutra-fantasy? Check. And yes, I know it’s not very different from any other misogynistic hip-hop song out there, but really? Really? And ode to brown fever?
Over on his site, Bobby Friction writes “I just wish I was a singer, so I could write ‘English Girl’ and make a video that consisted of me gettin my grind on (from behind) with a fit young blonde ting!” Perhaps, Bobby. But then there should be another one about yellow guys who like blacks girls or blue girls who like pink men or fuschia men who like green men. I’m all about people dating the rainbow, but somehow I don’t think this video contributed much to a thoughtful interracial dating dialogue, eh?
Don’t hang around white/black guys too often eh? Seems to me, youre just an Indian guy who’s upset that no one is paying attention to you, or writing demeaning songs about you.
Gross. I’m sure that unattractive gross guy “PJ” really gets all the ladies. Second, it’s sad when songs like this are part of our culture. Same on us for letting this misogynous drivel be part of our world. The women aren’t even shown as people but rather as various sexy parts for men to get horny on. I would be upset for any song that portrays ANY woman as these guys are portraying an “Indian Woman”.
Also, the song just sucks.
” 46 · Darth Paul
BM (hah!) – have you actually LOOKED at the white girls in filmi numbers? They never cast pretty ones! “
That’s because most of them are random dirty hippies they find wandering in Colaba.
Hello
Those girls dont look indian to me and they not attractive at all! and the song is talking abt hip shaking and figure 8’s but those girls in the video are clearly incapable of doing it!
“Those girls dont look indian to me and they not attractive at all! and the song is talking abt hip shaking and figure 8’s but those girls in the video are clearly incapable of doing it!”
So if they WERE attractive and could shake their hips then it would be okay to treat them like pieces of meat?
AnotherArt, please keep the conversation on the topic on hand.
We shouldnt leave our arab,chinese, and mexican brothers (and sisters?). They have hopes and dreams as well you know…
The skinny one is cute and knows how to dance… FOR ME! The girls barely move at all – no masti!!
Yes, I get the colonial implications…. but it’s not the worst objectification/appreciation. If you want to see shitty objectification, watch out guys treat native-american women!! Hard to believe, but it’s alot worse than even black or east-asians – at least they publicly admit their fervor for the latter. I don’t even want to get into what happens/treatment of native-american women, because it’s truly depressing. I’ve been occassionally mistaken for native-american (usually by working class white dudes) and my gawd – the comments from these men are horrid and disgusting. The secret pick-ups, expecting me to be a free prostitute… in broad daylight, when I’m dressed in jeans and a sweater!!!! I can’t imagine what native-american women have to deal with on a daily basis.
Re: comment 56 – slightly off topic, but I’ve NEVER had any east-asian or arab descent people hit on me. It might mean going down in their self-perceived race-hierarchy; even if they do have the hawts, their momma’s wouldn’t accept it. Especially if you already have some kind of complex! It’s alot of white caucasian, and then some black and indian (less due to lesser population). Just my two cents.
Question: How do you feel about black guys who love your hair? Is that also a fetish? I get that comment alot, though I’ve yet to see Chris Rock’s new movie.
Bottom line, I wish people would just acknowledge and figure out for themselves, WHY they have the preferences they do, and then from there, date whoever the hell they want to. I have a friend for which any two asian women are interchangeable, even if they have vastly different interests and personalities (and attractiveness). That’s just dumb! You can’t ONLY date Indian women, or asian or x woman and actively go out and seek that unless that’s already your cultural background. It’s okay to find x group generally attractive (like in this song) but at the end of the day, you need to have something in common because we are not interchangeable.
Oh my bad. But it’s mostly white and black guys that hit on me. I don’t even live around a lot black people, so it’s mostly just white guys creepin. Arab, chinese and mexican really love their “own” women anyways.
Umm, I never see attractive white girls in general. Sorry. Maybe once in a while, but on day-to-day basis, not really. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right?
I agree. Actively seeking out females or males of another race does imply objectification–or even self esteem issues. A lot of (East) Asian women I know refuse to date anyone who is not white and many do not see the horror in being seen as objects by (mostly) white males, although I’m sure there are some that do. Or we can talk about something that applies to “our community” — the many (I say many, cause there are exceptions)Indian guys who flat out reject women who don’t have pale skin (and sometimes hair) and pink nipples (lol) and go as far as to berate Indian women for being inferior to white women.. . Why is this rarely brought up, but east Asian female/ white male relationships are, when they are none of our concern? I mean date whoever you want, but it ticks me off a little when people make their self-hatred issues too obvious.
Because the majority of indian men overwhelmingly prefer indian women–no offense to other ethnicities. The asian-nation statistics for interracial marriage among indian men alone is indicative of that. Even that small majority that may fancy the non-subcontinental qualities (not everybody has those preferences) you mention typically end up marrying indian girls anyway. More anecdotally, most abd men prefer abd women not for chauvinist reasons, but because they practically worship women who have the right balance of both worlds. The real question is why are there some indian girls (obv not all) who say they only date white guys. I imagine the rationale is probably the same as that of their east asian counterparts, but since we’re ticking off self-hatred issues, I thought it would only be fair if we pointed this out in the spirit of equal opportunity.
Ah.
Again, why is it that some desis (you) feel the need to abstract hollow stereotypes based on east asians, that have developed over decades of east asian/white interaction, into those that are applicable to desis? I have never understood this. Please explain this as I am interested in the logic.
I have no
to abstract anything. Since the previous poster was discussing anecdotes, I thought it was wholly relevant to discuss my own. I have had plenty of desi friends, over the decades, who have been rebuffed by desi girls with precisely that response: “I only date white guys”. As such, why is it that some desis (you) feel the need to avoid considering that what the other side has to say might…just might…have some actual validity? I too would be interested to hear the logic.
Ever heard of family pressure?
Besides, I doubt that’s even true.
Again, I’m almost certain that’s not true- for reasons I already mentioned. Every once in a while I’ll run into an Indian guy who loves Indian women-but that’s every once in a while.
I knew someone (an Indian guy trying to get attention away from his complex) would bring that up. A lot of the Indian girls I know worship Indian guys. I know exactly one who doesn’t date Indian guys (that doesn’t mean she only goes for white guys) but she’s a total eyesore and I’m sure only a white loser would take her anyways. (the very FEW) Indian girls who date white guys, the ones I know, have been treated like crap by Indian guys who worship white women or have daddy issues or are just simply in love. Check your stats, even they’ll tell you that there are more Indian guys with white women-who prefer them than there are Indian women that prefer and are dating white guys.
What a load of shit.
I am intrigued by your ideas madam, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
No it’s not. I have east asian friends, whose mothers encourage them to marry white men so they’ll have “beautiful” (less Asian looking) children. Half Indian/white children look full Indian. Also, I am not claiming east Asian women are all gold diggers, but financial security is a deal breaker for most and white people are viewed as affluent.
The financial thing- I think it’s the same for Indian ladies, not me though, I’ll be okay with a broke guy. BUT Indian men make more money than white men
Jenna, I have never heard of an indian dude express color preferences regarding certain areas pertaining to mammary organs–but I’m at least willing to consider your perspective and accept your story. My anecdotes were all true stories. That you can’t even consider the possibility of their veracity just goes to show why that minority of indian men that marry non-indian women end up doing so. Your dishing out on that poor, beauty-deprived acquaintance alone goes to show your open-mindedness. Also, what complex am I apparently afflicted with? I wholeheartedly admit my overwhelming and exclusive preference for indian women, have no obsession with pigmentation (light not = white btw, and even still, bipasha basu over kareena kapoor any day), and singularly prefer women of intellect. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how you’d rank in that final department, so please don’t consider this to be the prelims before an inevitable biodata request.
Yoga Fire, sarcasm’s a refuge for angry people. Lighten up yeah?
🙂
BLARGH!
“Actively seeking out females or males of another race does imply objectification–or even self esteem issues.”
So if you do it for your own race it’s ok?
Haha ouch. I’ll be okay if indian guys marry non indian women, it’s just a little interesting why they almost always choose white women. I considered the possibility (and I told you why Indian girls MIGHT only date white guys, why don’t you re read #64?) and called you out on your BS.
My point is- the # indian guys who prefer white women> # indian women who prefer white men
well not YOU personally, but I think you know.
Well that’s great, you’re one in a million.
“Umm, I never see attractive white girls in general. “
Oh. OK.
Not really, but I can kind of understand why people do it. Most people like others who look like themselves. Not me personally, I just like men.
As I see it you seem to be confused vis-a-vis anecdotal vs validity… i.e “yanszxcsdsdkbleh’s amusing experiences” vs reality.
“I imagine the rationale is probably the same as that of their east asian counterparts, but since we’re ticking off self-hatred issues”
Because liking a white dude MUST mean you hate yourself… I mean, just look at those ugly….
That means there are over a thousand people in India just like him!
Comments 71 & 73 != All “Anons” before. Please do not hijack my nickname in an ongoing post.
“Half Indian/white children look full Indian.”
Actuall most half Indian/half white children look… 1/2 white and 1/2 Indian. Genetics are crazy like that.
I am not hijacking a name. Anon = Anonymous. As in, I don’t want to be named.
And here I thought you had named yourself after the guy in Bartlett’s who rattled off all those pithy quotations.
So the various “Anons” in the current thread didnt make you pause. Ok buddy, you take Anon, ill take (Anon.).
Indian people are very diverse. Some look white, some look black, some look east Asian, many look hispanic etc. Genetics are crazy like that.
Actually Jenna, according to the statistics, Indian boys do marry non white, non indos at a higher rate than Indian girls . So I suppose one could ask why Indian women manage to edge their male counterparts out in the ghora-love sweepstakes, but I’ll be a gentleman and just leave it at that.
I’m not so sure about that, while you attempted to insulate yourself from accusations of being a gold-digger, you essentially conceded that indian girls might be motivated by that when you pointed out that indian american men have one of the highest (and the highest according to some studies) average incomes in the united states. indeed, perhaps the lady doth protest too much.
Why thank you. I like to think so….
originally I was uncapitalized. I accidentally capitalized myself. If that helps.
Fair enough. Easy mistake.
“Indian people are very diverse. Some look white, some look black, some look east Asian, many look hispanic etc. Genetics are crazy like that.”
Thanks for the very unprecise lesson. But if ARE an Indian don’t you LOOK like an Indian? I mean if we assume that all Indians ARE Indians, can we then also assume that an Indian must LOOK like an Indian? Hence, regardless of your skin tone, facial features, etc you should always, by being Indian, LOOK Indian. na?
And by the way, I know many half white/half Indian people, and generally they do end up looking… half Indian and half white.
Is this the part where we all hug?
yes. I think so.
Doesn’t matter. When Indian guys marry “out” it’s almost always to a white woman. I didn’t say it was always a white woman. we’re talking about in America. I grew up in Jamaica (high Indian population), where every Indian woman I knew, besides my mother and one of our neighbors* (who just moved from India to Jamaica), was with a black man, although I’m sure there were some (like my mother) who weren’t.. Indian women with white men (there are also many Irish people in Jamaica) was almost unheard of, but Indian men with white women were common.
Somewhere down the line I think I lost the point of this discussion. Are we trying to settle on which extreme stereotype based on anecdotal evidence we’re going to use to unfairly judge a large and diverse swath of people? Is that it?
Jenna, I’m not sure what your point is here. You say that when Indian men marry out it’s almost always to a white woman–fair enough– but you ignore the point about how, ceteris paribus, indian woman marry white men at even higher rates than their male counterparts. As for jamaica, i think we’re talking a smaller population with completely different demographics. Regardless of ethnic majority, the sheer ethnic diversity in the united states, as well as sample size, makes those statistics more pertinent than your anecdotal evidence. Nevertheless, your point about jamaica is duly noted, and I will refer my african american friends to the island nation next time another indian american girl shuts them down…
“I’ll be okay if indian guys marry non indian women, it’s just a little interesting why they almost always choose white women”
I have a friend who has an Indian dad and an African American mom. People were really racist towards him in India.
yajna, you’re getting dangerously close to breaking the first commandment of abcd existence: abcd’s are exempt from the white man’s colonial fetishes.
Woman, just go and put that melting pot on the fire, whydontcha? Dinner isn’t going to cook itself, y’ know?
So, she drank the kool-aid too?
it’s really hot and bubbling mon. wanna try it?
Jenna = PG
“Jenna = PG”
Ahem, sorry Detective Sigh!, I only comment under my actual handle-name 😛 Jenna grew up in Jamaica. I grew up in….Philadelphia.