Culture and discrimination are significant components of the lives of racial minorities in the United States. Racial minorities comprise of a wide plethora of races, including African Americans, Native Americans, Indian Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics. The only qualifier that places an individual in a racial minority is the color of their skin. However, the different racial minorities all face a common sense of discrimination and disenfranchisement. They have to work against all odds in a system that discriminates against them purely on the basis of the color of their skin. Different racial minorities have numerous differences. For instance, African Americans have a darker skin tone than Latinos or Indians. However, the darkness or lightness of the skin is a non-issue because, as long as the individual is not a Caucasian, they are considered Black and treated as such. The play, Master of None, discusses the cultural influences that stem from belonging to a racial minority and how intersecting factors such as being LGBTQ could cause further negative influence on the life of an individual belonging to a racial minority.
Racial minorities are severely disenfranchised by American institutions and often have to put in more effort to get as far in life as their Caucasian contemporaries. The opening of the play is set in 1991 on Thanksgiving Day. Kind Denise and Kid Dev are running around the house causing mayhem. Catherine asks Kid Dev, who is an Indian, if they celebrate Thanksgiving in their house as she is unsure if it is against Indian culture. Kid Dev explains that they eat lunch together and their father watches the television and falls asleep. The mention of the Indian culture sparks curiosity in Kid Denise, who believed that Kid Dev was black. Kid Dev states that he is Black. Catherine corrects them and explains that though they have different skin colors they are both minorities. Catherine explains a minority as, “It’s a group of people that have to work twice as hard in life to get half as far. And Denise, you a black woman, so you gonna have to work three times as hard” (Ansari and Waithe 5). Catherine explains that they are both disenfranchised. Her statement indicates that even though they are both going to suffer from institutional exclusion, the situation will be worse for Denise as she is a Black woman. Homan and Brown (2022) explain that structural racism affects African Americans more than individuals from other racial minorities. The likely causes are historical as African Americans were enslaved in America. An event that no other racial minority endured.
Catherine’s statement indicates the intersectionality of factors that cause double disadvantage for Denise. The two intersecting factors are that she is black and that she is a woman. The two are protected categories and an individual belonging to both could be doubly disadvantaged. The intersectionality of factors for black women was first coined by Kimberle Crenshaw as she noted the perception among white individuals of the black woman as being ‘The Black Venus’ (Crenshaw 146). The excessive sexualization of African American women resulted in them being raped, tortured, and abused under the assumption that they felt no pain. The rape and abuse came not only from white slave owners, but also from their black partners. It was an assumption that the black woman could not be raped because she is so seductive that she innately provokes the attack. The combination of the two factors result in an even harder experience for African American women and the conversation is indicative of the same.
Intersectionality extends to include belonging to the LGBTQ community. The culture of most racial minorities is not very welcoming to individuals of the LGBTQ community. Parents in racial minorities are always hesitant to accept their children as belonging to the LGBTQ community. Part of the reason for their reluctance is they already know that their children will have a hard time as it is because of the color of their skin. They are reluctant to add external factors that would make their lives even harder. Another reason is the innate competition among minority parents to have the best-behaved and most socially adjusted child in the community. As Denise explains, “Yeah, but it’s more intense for black folks. All right, so everything’s a contest for us, and your kids are like trophies. Me being gay is like tarnishing her trophy.” (Ansari and Waithe 12). For that reason, Denise is reluctant to tell her parents that she is a Lesbian out of fear for the reaction they would have.
In conclusion, culture and discrimination play a role in the lives of racial minorities in America. Racial minorities are severely disenfranchised with the most disenfranchised group being African Americans. Intersectionality indicates that additional factors could cause further discrimination such as being a woman or belonging to the LGBTQ community. Denise demonstrates both factors and it would worry her mother about her future. This causes her to be reluctant to tell her parents.
Works Cited
Ansari, Aziz and Lena Waithe. Master of None. “Thanksgiving”. (#208 ‘As-Aired’). 2016.
Crenshaw, Kimberle. “‘Difference’Through Intersectionality 1.” Dalit Feminist Theory. Routledge India, 2019. 139-149.
Homan, Patricia A., and Tyson H. Brown. “Sick And Tired Of Being Excluded: Structural Racism In Disenfranchisement As A Threat To Population Health Equity: Study Examines Structural Racism in Disenfranchisement as a Threat to Population Health Equity.” Health Affairs 41.2 (2022): 219-227.