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JLeslie's avatar

What do you think about the heritage months, and do you want a heritage month about your group?

Asked by JLeslie (65719points) February 19th, 2022 from iPhone

I really enjoy Black history month. Without much effort I learn so much about people in history and get to see many great films and documentaries. Often Black history month is a double learning about women in history too. Black women I often focus on the person being a woman, like in Hidden Figures what stood out to me most was they were women. Maybe that’s because I’m a white woman and I’m taking some things for granted.

I’m not Black, so I’d be interested if most Black people are happy to have the focus on their group; it seems to me they are; but that could be a bad assumption.

I would guess most Jewish people (I’m Jewish) wouldn’t be so keen on Jewish month, but actually it seems there is one in May. It usually happens without much mention, or I’ve just been very unaware of the mention. When I googled I saw it on some university calendars. I really don’t know how most people feel about it, I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it.

Asian American month is another. Latin American, Native American, to name some more.

The list goes on.

What do you think about it all?

Are all minority groups “equal” in needing to be recognized this way?

Do you think there is some possible backfire effect from these type of months?

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6 Answers

rebbel's avatar

Yes, I think it is high time to install a “Celebrate White Middle Aged Males” months (May, June, July)

cookieman's avatar

This reminds me of how I feel about roadside memorials complete with homemade wooden crosses and fake flowers.

I understand the need to remember and to commemorate. I also think there is value in impermanence and prioritizing the moment. The now. I am not sure what the balance should be.

Should every identified and labeled group get a heritage month when those very same identifiers are used to divide us? When self-identifying with one makes you an ‘us’ and everyone else ‘them’.

Haven’t we learned that race is a construct? So, does that dilute a recognized heritage?

If we define it by shared experience, then the recognized group is more of a patchwork of people and each group would certainly ven diagram itself over to multiple heritage months.

I don’t see the benefit.

smudges's avatar

Yes, I think there should be a ‘Mutt’ heritage month because, when you come right down to it, isn’t that what we all are? No one is 1 single heritage – maybe that would help us get past the ‘us’ and ‘them’ way of thinking. or a ‘Human’ heritage month. We’re so busy trying to honor and make groups feel special and valued that it’s inevitable that some will be left out, and not just races, either, but parents, grandparents, etc. I mean, I’m adopted and yes, there’s a National Adoption Day, but it’s not to celebrate being adopted, it’s to bring awareness to the thousands of kids in foster care. So although I never even heard about it until just now, I think I’m offended. <sarcasm>

Yeah, I think National Human Month is the way to go, and do away with all those other ones, some of which are just downright silly.

Chestnut's avatar

I refuse to participate and no. I avoid considering race when making decisions. Meaningless.

raum's avatar

^privilege

seawulf575's avatar

@rebbel I’m with you, though I’d settle for just one month. Wanna bet that idea would be called racist?

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