but i think the black man thing hasn't held me back b/c...i just haven't let it.

i didn't have bad experiences as a shorty that i'd blame on race. though i learned much about the history of racism and race prejudice in school and at church and at home i didn't internalize that stuff and apply it to me. i heard what my parents said about needing to be 2x as good as white folks to get half as far and i guess b/c i did as well in school as any white kid w/o really having to try too hard i never really knew or worried about what they meant w/that. and then i went to a PWI (one of the best in the nation) and got along w/white students and was accepted by enough of them that i never felt ostracized due to my race. and i did well enough in class and where i didn't i didn't blame it on race. after college i was out in the working world and for my first job i was hired by the richest black person on the planet (just about). i guess there i DID feel that i'd be better off if i'd been white - specifically a white woman. b/c those were the folks who got the promotions there mostly b/c most of the viewers on that tv show were white women and the execs wanted the production staff to mirror the viewers. so yeah, i felt my being a black man held me back there. and i left that job. meanwhile, i was out and about dating and living and having fun and i had plenty friends and never felt like i couldn't make them b/c i was black. however, at times when i was dating i did notice some dudes i wanted didn't want me back and that was b/c i'm black. but that was only some of the dudes, i didn't feel like that meant very much. at my next job i wasn't harmed by being black. i chose a career as a lawyer and i don't think being black hurt me in law school. if i struggled in law school it was for reasons other than my race, i say. now as a lawyer there are times when i get frustrated w/clients who don't trust me b/c i'm black. that sux. but then other clients trust B/C i'm black. so i dunno. the jury is still out on that one.

overall in answer to the question i'd say no, being black hasn't held me back.

and i still say no to the suggestion that being gay has helped ease the black thing. are there ppl who treat me differently socially b/c i'm black and gay? sure. there are ppl who think the gay thing makes me extra cool along w/the black thing. it's silly and i lol @ them when they think i'm lol'ing w/them. but whatever - when i can i use it to get what i want. but that's rare. it hasn't helped me in any meaningful ways.