Nick from Africa

Nick is from Africa

And so we get looks

We get looks

Because he’s from Africa

And he doesn’t

Uh

He doesn’t look—

Well, so, obviously

There’s no look

There’s no look to any, uh

Certain

Continent

But obviously

People expect, you know

They hear

That I’m dating a—

And usually

The first thing they say is—

Nick?  
His name is Nick?
Is Nick an African name?

Which is so stupid

Which is so fucking stupid

I mean, yes, uh

His actual name

Isn’t Nick

But it’s a, a nick—

It’s what we call him

And there’s a story behind that

That’s really—

It’s a funny story

But so first

They’re like—

Oh, his name is Nick?

And then they meet him

And then they get this look

Because he doesn’t—

Uh, he’s just not—

He’s not

What they’re expecting

Which is—

I mean, you know
Not white
They're not expecting him
To be white

Which is really racist

Nick doesn’t think it’s racist

Because he’s really nice

He’s really nice

About all that stuff

And how people are
When they meet him

But I’m like—

Are you kidding?

They have white people in Africa

A lot of them

You can be white

And still be an African

It’s a continent

And what is that anyway?
What is a continent?
It’s just huge chunk of the earth
It's, uh, geological
It's a rock
It's just a big rock
With people on it

And to have a perception about how those people
On that particular rock should look

Thinking that everybody who lives there

Or comes from there

Should look the same way is—

It might not be racist

But it’s something

It’s some kind of problem

You know?

That there’s an assumption?

I just find that

To be a huge problem

…I mean, I’m not sure why

But it has to be

Some kind of problem

Nick tells me not to worry about it

That it’s really not a big deal

Or that, you know

If it bothers me that much
I should just stop telling people

That my boyfriend’s from Africa

But why?

Why should I have to stop doing that?

I’m proud of Nick

And his heritage

Where he comes from
You know?

I’m proud to be dating

An African man

I don’t see why

I should have to, you know

Shy away from that

I want to embrace it

I want to own it

I want to be proud

And these, you know

Puzzling looks

Are just like—

It’s like they’re saying—

He’s not really African

You’re not really dating an African

You’re just another white girl

Dating another white guy

And that is just not fair

And also, not true

I am dating an African

And I just want people to, you know

Respect me for that

I want them

To acknowledge

That I am doing something

That, uh, you know

Not everybody, uh,

I guess—does?

Just some respect, you know?

Not for me, even

But, you know, for Nick

It’s really more about him

I mean, I don’t even really care

To be honest

It doesn’t bother me

That much

At all