>but i think the black man thing hasn't held me back b/c...i
>just haven't let it.
>
same here. I'm black and there's no excaping it. I got a crazy black people ass name, but shit, that's all part of me. it doesn't stop me from doing things to move forward.

>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.

props. thanks for the thorough explanation.