Different than what? Is the question you may be asking. We're not sure how to answer that. We mentioned in one of our last posts that we no longer live in Maryland. For the past almost eight months now we've been living in downtown Salt lake City. Still trying to navigate the city socially and professionally, we've met a lot of "interesting" people. A couple months ago we met a guy named Jack who said something to us that we've never heard before. The conversation went something like this:
Jack: Black people smell different.How do you all feel about this conversation? I mean, you never want to label someone as a racist because it's such an emotionally charged word. Was I wrong? Do Black/Asian/Mexican/White/Native American etc etc people have a distinct smell because of the color of their skin?
Gwen: What?
Jack: Like their actual skin. I remember the first time I was close to a black person, I could smell the difference in their skin.
Gwen: People don't have smells based on their race. How do you know it wasn't his/her hair product? Or the food that he/she ate for lunch? Or people just have different smells in general.
Jack: No, all black people have this smell.
Gwen: That's racist.
Jack: No it's not, I'm telling you the facts, Gwen.
Gwen: Okay so is this just a Black people thing? Or does every race have a distinct smell?
Jack: I don't know--
Gwen: For example, you're half Venezuelan and half White. So which race do you smell like?
:::Jack smells his arm, then smells his shirt:::
Jack: I smell like a White person. Can I smell you?
Gwen: No.
What would you have said?
Everyone has their own distinct smell, and I've noticed that depending upon what race they are, there is a similar smell. It's not bad or good. It's kind of like how boys and girls smell differently. Different pheromones. But also,the person who had the conversation with Gwen was obviously brutal and tactless.
ReplyDeleteSee... I don't know if I agree with this. People have different smells obviously. But if I'm Asian that doesn't mean that I am going to smell like another Asian person simply because I'm Asian. Maybe I will smell the same way if I'm eating the same stuff.. but that's the smell of the food, not the smell of my actual skin.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about this race stuff...but I know for sure that old people smell. I even call it that "old person smell." Babies smell too...they smell sweet except for when they poop themselves, but old folks smell even when they haven't pooped themselves. You know what children smell too! You stick a bunch children in a room and I promise you will find yourself knocked out by the order. The rest off us fall somewhere in between. So I guess I'm an ageist; but I love me some old people and some babies, children and the 13-60 gang are on a case by case basis.
ReplyDeleteHahaha. We embrace the smells of all ages and races here on YogueIN.
ReplyDeleteCanadians and Americans smell to Europeans.
ReplyDeleteOK. Here's the deal. Yes! People smell different. And 'yes' sometimes it has to do with race. (Most racists think that anything that is not their race smells). But usually it has to do with diet and cultural habits. Let me explain: Koreans (mainland) have a distinct smell of 'garlic' in their women which although I don't mind the smell, it's not exactly an 'aphrodisiac'. From what I understand, this has to do with their diet. The smell of the 'Nigerian' element (usually men)comes from the fact that they aren't in the habit of washing their clothes, rather they prefer to 'air them out!' Some blacks from the states just 'stink' because they have perspired in their clothes and haven't changed yet! Some women like this. Me? It's burns the hair out of my nostrils. Old people tend to wear lotions or use ointments for skin maintenance. This is what you are smelling. But the most elusive of all odors comes from between the legs. Male or female, take a piece of absorbent cottom, wet it with alcohol, and wipe the crotch/inner thigh area adjacent to the vagina and testicles for about 30 seconds. Then look at the cotton. Surprised? Well, you should be. And this is the source of odor in many people in hot inland climates, especially if you don't wear underwear. It is also the source of bacteria which leads to infections like gonorrhea. I hope that this dialogue sheds some light on this subject.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your friend Jack that you met in Salt Lake City...you have to understand his origins. Venezuela is a latin American country that practices 'classism'. It's a form of separation based on skin color. Most Latin Americans look white and supposedly have their origins in Europe. Argentina is the whitest country in South America. But a normal indian from Central or So. Am. has brown skin (Hugo Chavez?). If you go to any of the Latin American countries and watch tv or read newspapers or look at the racial makeup of government as it pertains to the racial mix percentages of the population, you will find that the whites are the most exposed to magazines, better jobs, education, better opportunities. This is how 'classism' manifests itself. Your Venezualan friend was raised in that sort of environment and has carried the disease with him throughout his travels and life. He doesn't really mean any harm. He just doesn't know any better OR he's clinging to what he believes is his right as a white skinned person. In our eyes, he's a racist. In his eyes, just superior because he's white. As far as smells, he's probably never been close enough to anyone two-shades or more darker than himself. Imagine...'I smell like a white person' as if that was the norm. He's obviously very centered in his own world.
ReplyDeleteMmm.... interesting....
ReplyDeleteWell, Black people smell different. Period. and I am not a racist.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that allot of black people have an odor and I don,t think its what they had to eat. Why can't people understand that just because people of a certain race smell a certain way dress a certain way believe different things does not make them strange or weird it just makes them different or as a group unique. The world would be really boring if we were all the same. Whites, Asians ect. All have attributes unique to there race and some of those attributes are not so positive. I would like to live in a place where I could talk about these things freely and not be automatically labeled a racist.
ReplyDeleteThere is a distinct odor that can be attributed to black people. it is easily recognizable, and incredibly potent. I don't understand the debate about this. I have smelled it countless times, as I deal with the public daily at my place of employment. I too am so sick of everyone striving for 100% political correctness. There is a foul smell (to me). It is not hair products. It is a bacteria. I wish there was a way to market a product that could resolve this problem, but it will never happen, until people stop being so afraid of acknowledging an obvious fact. I have smelled it, it is real, and only black people can grow this strain of bacteria. If everyone would stop pussyfooting around the facts, maybe science could find a solution. Perhaps lasers could treat the ares of the body that create this bacterias growth medium?
ReplyDeleteDumb.
DeleteI am white. I went searching for.this topic because I have the same question. I noticed, when I was very young that very dark skinned people had a musky sweet smell. I always found the smell warm and comforting.
ReplyDelete