The Skeptic Movement surely could use more People of Color
A little over three years ago, I wrote a piece entitled “Why Aren’t More Women Atheists?“. After attending The Amazing Meeting this year and receiving a comment from my friend Wendy (pictured just below, center) reminding me of this, I decided to revisit this notion. There have been a great deal of lady atheist and skeptic bloggers and readers that have come to be known since I first wrote that post in May of 2007. You can see many women in these photos:
So what do I notice in a photo such as this?
That is one pale crowd. Look! Eric and I with one of the few non-whites at The Skepchick Party. BTW, Hemant truly is a Friendly Atheist. 
So, yes, the skeptic and atheist crowds could use a few more people of color. I do realize that this could be a very expensive trip (it’s even expensive for locals) so that would subtract a large number of people of skeptics from the actual attendees at TAM. But c’mon. It’s true, a lot more women have come out and have their faces shown. But they’re still mostly white faces. Quite frankly, it was the most tolerant room full of white people I’ve ever seen.
Related posts:
Well, I found a website that defines what I thought I remembered… race in terms of the color of skin is not what defines differences between populations.
http://www.answers.com/topic/race-classification-of-human-beings
I can’t deny that happens in the United States, but it’s much more complicated than that, and there is something called phenotypes, the expression of genes, that tells a lot more about what your genetic inheritance is, even the migration patterns of your ancestors. Of course this has nothing to do with the variety of types that showed up at TAM8, but I love the story of the red headed people that were found mummified in China, and we can see at Mummies of the World…
http://www.mummiesoftheworld.com/exhibition-preview/
and I am concerned, too, that we can generate communities of skeptics/atheists that feel safe to express themselves in highly religious countries all over the world.
Right here in California, I feel completely safe to be an “out” Jewmanist… but I know that is probably not true everywhere, and I know about the term, “white skin privilege,” that in the United States, anyway, a Caucasian can go into a Hispanic, Asian or African American community and expect to be comfortable, but it’s not necessarily true the other way around. There are a few people of color who come to IIG meetings and CFI-LA, and I hope that number grows.
Very interesting point to bring up.
I’m African-American and I meet with a local atheist meetup group in my area. I feel like a double minority often, because mostly Caucasians come to the meetings. But, I agree–they’re among the most easy going and accepting Caucasians I’ve ever been around.
Now, other minorities do come. We have people who have migrated from India, South America, China, and even an occasional visitor from Iran. But for a long while I was the only black person in our group. One other black person has finally joined our group and she was so excited to find another black person admitting to be an atheist.
Why is it different for blacks? In most ways, it’s not different. We all have the same kind of “coming out” stories, same fears, and same frustrations. The only real difference I suppose is that African-American history is steeped in religion. The Civil Rights movement thrived largely on the sense of community generated by church. And like a meme, church has embedded itself in African-American heritage. So, to be non-religious is frowned upon; to be an atheist is insane.
So, I think that for African-Americans, it’s particularly harder for us to openly embrace skepticism and atheism. Either the culture is too thick with religion for most, and for others, like me, we’re too afraid to come out and call ourselves atheists or skeptics.
After all, “Gawd” was the one who finally set us free from slavery. We owe him the glory, honor, and praise!
See what I mean?