Token Struggles

 In the last post I defined a token is. In case you are still wondering if you are or aren't a token I will describe some of the struggles

In high school, did you find yourself conflicted over what table to sit at because all your "black friends" sat at one table and your "white friends" at another one? 

Were you in advanced classes and a significant portion of your friends not represented in those classes?

Have you ever had to restrict your vocabulary around your two separate groups of friends in order to be understood? (and sometimes accepted)

Do you regularly get invited to places where you are the only black person there? When you invite others to places where they are the only white person there do they make it known that it's uncomfortable?

Has anyone ever told you that you are well spoken?

Have you ever been called on to give the opinion of your ENTIRE race during a conversation that involves black people?

Have you ever been reluctant to order Hennessy in a bar out of fear of being labled?

Have you ever gone to a bar and been saddened that they didn't have Hennessy?

Do you not understand why it's a black stereotype to like fried chicken and watermelon when everybody agrees that fried chicken and watermelon are delicious? <~~~ That I just don't understand... AT ALL

   *** STORY TIIIIIIIIMMMMMEEEEEEE*** During my first deployment, I REFUSED to eat watermelon. I didn't eat it because I didn't want people to make fun of me... Even as they ate watermelon themselves. This stood for the entire deployment except when we were at a farm and a farmer gave us slices of watermelon. I don't care who you are, if a farmer gives you some FRESH off the vine watermelon and it's 120+ you will EAT THAT ISH!!!!

Have people ever made fun of you for getting good grades or speaking properly?

Do you have two entirely different sets of vocabulary to use with your two friend sets? (This is less so for me because more and more I seem to not hang out with degree less people)

Have you ever been accused of being "angry" when you're just speaking normally?

All of these (and probably more) are the struggles that I've gone through and go through as this token travels. I'm willing to be there are some non black tokens that experienced, are experiencing and will experience as those tokens travel.