Summer Fun Different for Blacks and Whites?

. 10/19/2010 . 16 Comments

Dear Ms. HeartBeat:
Growing up, swimming was such a huge part of my summer fun. I can’t remember ever not knowing how to swim. It’s as natural to me as walking and to my White friends and family. It never ceases to amaze me when I meet adults who can’t swim, especially Black people.  I date Black women and wanted my girlfriends to go swimming with me. But my Black friends never had much interest in swimming when we were kids, and as adults they have no interest in swimming at all. Other than something traumatic that caused deep phobias, why would someone never learn how to swim or even want to?

Ms. HeartBeat Responds:
Believe it or not, people DIE in water. It’s called drowning. Not only that, people with high muscularity, dense skeletal systems, and low levels of body fat sink in water.  Swimming is not fun at all for Black people that are not overweight (as the fat helps keep you afloat).  Notice that you don’t see Black folks involved in swimming competitions! Lean, muscular African Americans struggle to stay on top of the water and generally sink like rocks.

There may also be some cellular level genetically based repulsion with water. Lots of our ancestors jumped off slave ships and committed suicide in the water, were picked up and returned to the ship, or made it to shore half dead rather than live in slavery in the U.S.  Even those that stayed on the ship suffered horribly and saw nothing but ocean for weeks.

Historically, African Americans don’t have fond memories of large bodies of water, okay?

Another factor to consider is that chlorine dries out Black hair and causes severe breakage if not washed and conditioned thoroughly soon after exposure.  If a woman wears her hair in a press (hot combed), the water will undo her hairstyle within seconds. Even if she wears her hair straight from a relaxer, repeated exposure to chlorine will cause her hair some serious problems.  We love pool parties though! Black women will sit by the pool or river and look cute, or may stand in the water (while keeping our hair dry).  We are not very likely to jump in and start swimming.

Anyway, swimming is not the fun you describe. Being in lake or pond or river water with fungus and single celled parasites and disgusting fish and God knows what else decaying upstream is not fun! Being in public pools with urine and poopy diaper toddlers and adults that should know better than to blow snot in the water is even nastier!

If one is aware of such bacteria and nastiness and does not find pleasure in putting one’s body and exposing ones skin, mouth, eyes or body orifices to such disgusting nonsense, why would you even question why someone would not want to learn to swim?

Under the circumstances the better question is why would anyone want to!

MsHeartBeat

Dating expert and advice columnist since 1993, writing as Ms. HeartBeat. Author of the hilarious street smart dating guide "Sucka Free Love - How to Avoid Dating The Dumb, The Deceitful, The Dastardly, The Dysfunctional & The Deranged."

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