The Black Tax #1 -- The intangibles can be expensive

    In the last few Sundays, I've read several news stories about the difficulties black men face in America for no reason other than they are black. For example, The Washington Post began a series called "Being A Black Man" in June. I read another article two Sundays ago about black men just "going along to get along," and how it may or may not work.
    It made me look at the phenomenon -- known as The Black Tax -- from a personal finance perspective.
    Just being black makes it more expensive to live.

    An article from the Associated Press called "Black men quietly combating stereotypes," is about adjusting every aspect of their lives just to break even:

"Every day, African-American men consciously work to offset stereotypes about them — that they are dangerous, aggressive, angry. Some smile a lot, dress conservatively and speak with deference: "Yes, sir," or "No, ma'am." They are mindful of their bodies, careful not to dart into closing elevators or stand too close in grocery stores.
  It's all about surviving, and trying to thrive, in a nation where biased views of black men stubbornly hang on decades after segregation and where statistics show a yawning gap between the lives of white men and black men. Black men's median wages are barely three-fourths those of whites; nearly 1 in 3 black men will spend time behind bars during his life; and, on average, black men die six years earlier than whites.
  Sure, everyone has ways of coping with other people's perceptions: Who acts the same at work as they do with their kids, or their high school friends?
  But for black men, there's more at stake. If they don't carefully calculate how to handle everyday situations — in ways that usually go unnoticed — they can end up out of a job, in jail or dead."

    So, just being black could cost us clients, promotions and income, regardless of our performance on the job.

  I can identify. I'm constantly measuring how I speak. I have a very deep voice and I talk loudly (my grandmother is southern and my mother is a no-nonsense New Yorker. We shout when we talk. That's how we do). I often kick my voice up an octave or two and smile when I speak. I'm over six feet tall and I wear my hair in an afro. When I'm in a suit and heels, I dwarf people. I always try to sit down when I speak to other people or otherwise make myself seem less intimidating. Never mind that I am the least intimidating person I know. My problem is that I'm a cream puff! But I have to go through the motions anyway. It's annoying and frustrating, but it's also a reflex.
    I have gotten the look on job interviews. You know, all the interviewer has is your resume. They like it and you get called in. But then you show up and they're flustered.
    I like to think that they just weren't expecting me to be so beautiful...
  Remember the skit "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong" on Dave Chappelle's show? He played a young, black executive who was successful and well liked on the job until one of his colleagues said something stupid like "Slap me some skin. You're the man!" Seems harmless and innocuous, doesn't it?
    Well, the character snapped, started shouting profanity at his supervisors, threw up gang signs and chanted "Wu-Tang!"
Next, he was working at a gas station and living at home with his nasty grandmother.
  Silly, maybe, but the point is obvious. People don't understand what we have to put up with and keep smiling like nothing happened. Everybody has their difficult situations and co-workers who drive them nuts, but for us it's ratcheted up a notch. Even if we play it cool, and most of us do, it still hurts us and there's no guarantee that years of good behavior will pay off. We're the only people who worry about losing our jobs or credibility when another black person does something stupid whether we had anything to do with them or not.
    
  I have been very blessed. I have not had a problem getting the jobs I want. I haven't been hindered at work. But I think that makes me an exception, not the rule. You have to start wondering how much more money could you be making if all things were actually equal...

Comments

[College Graduate]

Funny you should post about this. When interviewing in Tokyo last week, I wondered how my being an AA woman would impact my outcome. Interesting thing I found here-- my being an American carries more weight than my being AA. Of course- that's regarding getting the job. We'll see how things go when working :).

--CollegeGrad

[D]

Thank you for this - it is an eye opener. Although, even though I am a white Polish American, who observes these things, it is good for all people to hear on a sort-of 1 to 1 basis.
The thing that I see is through my children. I grew up in and about Chicago. I don't recall ever thinking about white, black, or hispanic when out hanging with my friends. Sometimes we mimiced each other but mostly we just had fun. We didn't get in trouble, like you would probably think if you looked at us. We didn't have a lot of money - so I'm sure we scared a bunch of people. Not to mention we were loud - I am still the loudest..Hello..I have a Polish Grandmother, this is just talking.
Anyway, now that I am raising my kids a couple hours outside of Chicago, I have just started to notice how I have segregated them from the real world (prior to your writing). This is terrible. Although we do go to the city every week, they are so missing out on the cultures that they could be experiencing. Especially the food!
All this mess is leading to the fact that looking around my area - I am lead to believe that there is an ignorance for others that these people have and dare I say, my kids. The only conclusion I can come to is that they fear what they don't know - but I don't think it is fear. My kids are big mouths like me and speak to EVERYONE. It's the family curse & blessing.
There are mostly white and hispanic in our area and in my house. We do have a couple of African American familys, but they are far and few between. My daughter went shopping with me a couple months ago and there was a large black family in the store (our families size) and she at 15, just ignorantly said "mom, look". I was so immbarrassed, I never realized till that moment that she was lost. I have to believe this is all my fault. I wish I knew what to do to open her eyes. I just didn't even pay attention earlier. I hope she never makes someone feel like your article describes.
I guess exposure is everything. My only advice to you is to understand that people are ignorant. Don't back down, be yourself. The truth will always win. I just keep praying that I do the right thing to enlighten my kids - but this is something I took for granted - how do I teach it?
-d

[mapgirl]

I don't think there's just a Black Tax either. I have the distinct underprivilege of working for a sexist pig. It's rather disgusting to play along and smile and nod, but really, it's borderline sexual harrassment. It's one thing to be riding in a private car away from lunch and talk about boob jobs and strip clubs and another thing entirely to be with the entire department at lunch discussing pr0n. (I even made hand signals to cut it out. I had lost my appetite at that point.)

Women put up with a lot so they don't get dinged at work for being a stick in the mud. How do you walk that fine line?

[Single Ma]

AMEN AMEN AMEN!! We have to work twice as hard (always on our Ps and Qs) to achieve half of what others have.

LOL @ being loud. Me too! Born/raised in NJ with southern roots. I try to talk quietly but I can't help it!!! Can you tell in my writing? LOL I think we'd have so much fun together.

[Tiffany in Houston]

On point. I love it!!

[newsgirly]

I hear you. I am white but my fiance and daughter are not. I hope by the time she goes to work things are easier than they are now. Sometimes, things work the other way. In my business, unfortunately, minority folks are scarce. After a great tryout for my dream job, I was told flat out (but told they'd deny it if I made a stink) that they wanted to hire me, but they were required to fill the position with a minority. One year later, it's still vacant. I understand, but I was heart-broken. By the way, your self-description reminds me of Maya Angelou's, and she is ABSOLUTELY STRIKING.

[missymartinez]

Maybe I'm just an optimist, but I think the interviewers were surprised you are so beautiful, because you are. I wish I were 6 feet tall and imposing! Best of luck to you and your financial dreams -- it was a really interesting post.