"The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Emancipation"

[My Name Is Kate]

When it comes to sexual slavery, the mind can work in strange ways. Mothers blaming (instead of protecting) their daughters who are victimized by their mother's husband (i.e.: their "father"). Victimized daughters who hated the victimization, yet turn out to be prostitutes. So it is not too hard for me to believe that some of the black mothers who against their will were forced to give birth to mulatto children, tried to find ways to ease the pain of the experience. It is also not too hard for me to believe that some slaves, both male and female, hated their own race and blamed it for their enslavement. I used to believe that women were inferior because they were weak and had no control, no power, no self-respect, etc., etc. I did not (in those days) think of myself as a woman (nor as a man).

As for all this attraction between sexes of different races having much, if anything, to do with "love", I find that extremely hard to believe, although in rare cases I suppose anything is possible. I do not even think that "love" between sexes of the same race is anything but a one in a million shot, without being complicated a hundredfold by the race factor. And when I say "sexes" I mean either opposite sexes or same sex, makes no difference.

So now you all can pity me for my warped view of life and the "wonderful" things I've missed in it. I certainly had no intention of discussing any of this...