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Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 3054
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 08, 2008 - 05:12 pm: | 
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...Since prostitution is all you all want to talk about these days  :
...The recently published book, Don't Blame It on Rio: The Real Deal Behind Why Men Go to Brazil for Sex, by Jewel Woods and Karen Hunter, an infamous Essence magazine article by William Jelani Cobb, and Web forums have now focused on the new explanation why African American women are having problems with black men: Brazil or more specifically Brazilian women.
In this new storyline, all the eligible black men are slipping off to Rio where they're having such an amazing time that they permanently trade relationships back home for a series of "Girl Friend Experiences" (GFE) with Brazilian semi-pros and professional sex workers. This new argument casts Brazilian women as servile, sexual superwomen with all the right assets and skill to use them. The rift between black men and women can be laid at the feet of these eager-to-please women, who look like a cross between Halle Berry and J-Lo and are luring black men to Rio de Janeiro in droves to re-enact their most base Snoop Dogg video fantasies.
Aside from the fact that this narrative demonizes these women on the international stage much in the way rap videos do black American women, the danger in the persistence of this myth is that it ignores the real, more important issues surrounding global inequalities, race and gender among our Brazilian brethren.
Sex tourism is nothing new. Men have long traveled to exotic locales to have sexual liaisons with prostitutes. But this privilege was typically reserved for wealthy and/or military men. Now that international travel is more accessible, sex tourism has been democratized (so much so that recent reports show middle-class, middle-aged European women touring Kenya for sex with young African men, and professional African-American women voyage to Italy on Bella Donna tours billed as the "Black Women's Brazil.") The free flow and ease of travel means that sex in foreign locales is now also available to men and women of different classes and races—including, yes, a growing class of African-American men with disposable income...
One problem I have with the work in these places is: None of the popular authors speak Portuguese or it seems even bother to hire and interpreter. In fact, neither do the men who visit. Sex tourism of this variety is based on the profound income disparity in the world. The minimum wage in Brazil is $248 a month. For young, poor but beautiful women in Brazil, sex work is a way out. There is a substantial allure for them to help support their families but also have access to items and luxuries that are not imaginable in their neighborhoods. Thus, these women make the trek to Copacabana Beach and sell what is now a global commodity for free trade: their bodies. This disparity in income means that for a relatively small amount of money requested for "gifts," "food," "tuition" or to help a sick mother, men can have a girlfriend (or several) in Brazil for a week or so.
...These books and articles largely miss the point. People should be free to sleep with whomever they choose. Those who are married or in relationships, have their own conscience to answer to, but that is not my business. I have heard of no case where some otherwise married man leaves his happy home for a Brazilian "girlfriend" met on the beach. The real problem with sex tourism isn't sex at all. It's that it exposes the glaring problem of inequality and exploitation in the global economy. We rarely hear the stories of poverty and desperation from the women who must choose sex work as a route to a better life. Even the tourists never really hear their stories because of the substantial language barriers and the true tales of poverty and inequality are too depressing for revelers on vacation.
...Black Brazilians welcome African Americans, but too many of us buy into the myth and go there focused on their sexual fantasies learn nothing of these struggles. Activists resent the perceptions of Afro-Brazilians as oversexed, hedonistic people who have no concerns or struggles. Those of us who do serious work in Brazil resent the continued suggestion that our travels there are for sexual tourism. Many of us are involved in bilateral efforts like the organization "Levantamos"or "Uplift" that encourages educational and economic development in African-American and Afro-Brazilian communities. These organizations get scant attention compared to the focus on sex...
http://www.theroot.com/id/47107 |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 10125
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 08:10 am: |
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Yvettep,
I am SO happy you created this thread. Because I’ve been looking to get at this Brazilian cQQchie issue for some time now.
Interesting how EVERYONE else is getting his-his international BONE-on yet when American African MEN do such it is deemed to be some sort of evil and deviant act of imperialism.
But then that shouldn’t surprise anyone. It has for a very long time now been very PROFITABLE to many to singularly blame and punish AA MEN for sheht either they didn’t do or that everyone else is doing.
You recall books and articles written by AA MEN b*tchin' about how Stella (and many other Black and non-Black women) were/are traipsing down to the Caribbean to get her groove back? Notice any AA MEN b*tchin' about AA women sashaying their horny behinds to Italy to score them some Italian dykk?
Of course you don’t. Because brothas could hardly give a dayam about sistas traveling overseas for sex. Hell, if anything, many brothas are just hoping that might briefly distracted you from all your fallaciously tiresome Black men Ain’t Sheht cant.
And this entire dayam world is an economic pyramid scheme whereby the richer, more powerful nations control, manipulate and coerce weaker nations.
MOST goods we ALL enjoy in America – be it our produce, clothing, machinery, etc. – is the product of some exploitation of disadvantaged people of Asia, Central/South America, the Caribbean and/or Africa.
So Professor Sawyer (the author of this article) will have to pardon my being no more inclined to lament comely Brazilian women trading cash-4-a$s than do MOST of us consider the possibly (40 – 50%) that the chocolate we have recently eaten had been made of cocoa plants that were handpicked by kidnapped, enslaved African children.
If you shop at Wal-Mart, Macy’s, Costco, or, hell, ANY other major, multinational merchandiser, department store or grocer and you mourn brothas screwing poor, hustling Brazilian chicks you are one of the biggest gotdayam hypocrites around.
PS: And I wonder when some of the Brazilian pv$$y bashers are going to grow the cajones to admit that the biggest problems they have with brothas traveling to Brazil are...A) Some of those Brazilian chicks are freakishly FIONE (I mean, dayam, it can be difficult to just LOOK at some of’em without salivating.).
B) And many AA women are hatin’ because they are NOT being able to control and corner-the-market on when and how brothas get laid. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 12403
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 10:48 am: |
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The day that women can grow "cajones", is the day they won't have to worry about men going to Brazil.
Personally I consider this a non-issue. Black men going to Brazil to sample the local sexual delicacies is not a primary concern of the average black women. |
Troy
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 1402
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 11:46 am: |
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Cynique, women would also need the beecho as well...
I read Jewel's book and was disappointed (#3 current best sellers list http://books.aalbc.com/mayjune_2008.htm)
If was too shallow treatment of the subject matter. I could see brother wanting to go to Rio after reading the book.
Abm's description of "freakishly FIONE" is typically one of the many ancedotes of the Brother's describing the fun in Rio.
Typically, Brothers have so much fun in Rio that they find it hard to have fun in the US.
I know of a Brother that found a woman in Rio brought her back and got marrried.
A common refrain is that US Black women simply do not know how to treat there partners. A topic, or least how we treat each other, is certainly worthy of deeper discussion... |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 10132
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 12:33 pm: |
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Troy,
You think the average brotha who visits Brazil does so as some sort of indictment of African American women?
I don't.
I think it is mostly just some sort of fantasy excursion guys enjoy and then returns home and comfortably settles back into being with African American women.
Again, I think this whole Brazil thing is just another of a fairly LONG list of fallacious reasons and tools for vilifying brothas.
There may indeed be MANY major problems between African American Men and Women. But brazilian cQQchie, however enticing, AIN'T one of'em. |
Troy
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Troy
Post Number: 1403
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 01:16 pm: |
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Abm, a number of the Brothers interviewed in the book stated that African American women were a good reason many some suggested they would have nothing more to do with them.
Given the state of our rleationshio, who'd have to admit something is disfunctional...
Sure, there is a long list of reason for vilifying Brother, but you have to admit many of them are warranted.
However I do believe many of the people (some Black women included) critizing Brothers have no interest in correcting the situation...
Of course, the few of us going to Brazil for some nukkey is inconsequential in the scheme of things. |
Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 3062
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 11, 2008 - 10:48 am: |
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Black men going to Brazil to sample the local sexual delicacies is not a primary concern of the average black women.
I agree, Cynique. Nor should this "phenomenon" be considered some sort of civil rights issue for Black men as I have heard it discussed in some quarters. We have "overcome" as a people when Black men (or women) have as much right to travel the world to exploit the poor for sex as anyone else? Um. OK. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 10140
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 11, 2008 - 03:05 pm: |
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Troy,
Dysfunctional we may be. But I don't know how much the musings of a few nuggas cited in a (fallacious) book represent greater brothadom as a whole.
And while I agree much of the criticism of BM is justified, that does not necessarily mean that ALL manners of such are ALWAYS necessary and/or helpful. If anything, much of demonization of BM is becoming and/or leading to some very unfortunate self-fulfilling prophecies.
So I would agree with you that many who complain about BM have NO interest in helping to remedy the problems they lament. And the few of those who want to help do not know how, probably because they can hardly think straight from all the noise being whipped up by the Black Man Bashing that going on around them. |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 3268
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 03:58 am: |
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"Interesting how EVERYONE else is getting his-his international BONE-on yet when American African MEN do such it is deemed to be some sort of evil and deviant act of imperialism.'
Good point. The brothers are doing what is globally universal. But as long as the women they seek are happy and the brothers are satisfying their traveling fantasies, well....why hate? I could personally careless what happens between consenting adults.
"You recall books and articles written by AA MEN b*tchin' about how Stella (and many other Black and non-Black women) were/are traipsing down to the Caribbean to get her groove back? Notice any AA MEN b*tchin' about AA women sashaying their horny behinds to Italy to score them some Italian dykk?".
Ha! Ha! Ha! I have two female friends who brag about the fun they had in the Caribbean with those foine brothers and all their smooth talk and the endless attention they got. My response: Good! Do your thing!
"Of course you don’t. Because brothas could hardly give a dayam about sistas traveling overseas for sex."
Ya got that right! I never could understand how anyone could get their panties tied up in Boatswain Mate knots about the personal adult exploits of other people they know nothing about. Can anyone explain why they feel it is their business to rail and rant about what adults do on their personal vacations?
"PS: And I wonder when some of the Brazilian pv$$y bashers are going to grow the cajones to admit that the biggest problems they have with brothas traveling to Brazil are...A) Some of those Brazilian chicks are freakishly FIONE (I mean, dayam, it can be difficult to just LOOK at some of’em without salivating.)."
Roger that! I knew some Brazilian women and they are a totally different breed. All the stories your hear about....well, believe them. It's true! The women are gorgeous, very friendly, great personalities, greatest bodies and booties on the planet (no exceptions!) and they are not into the chickenshit mind games, materialism and egomania that is common in the American dating scene. And for the haters, this is not just my opinion -any single man (or married for that matter) who travels to Brazil will tell you the exact same thing.
"And many AA women are hatin’ because they are NOT being able to control and corner-the-market on when and how brothas get laid."
Well, I guess that puts the final nails in the coffin on this subject.....Da end!
"Typically, Brothers have so much fun in Rio that they find it hard to have fun in the US." You think the average brotha who visits Brazil does so as some sort of indictment of African American women?" I don't."
And you are so correct. It has nothing to do with slamming American black women. It's just a fact that men who meet Brazilian women find themselves interacting and having access to women that they do not normally experience or find approachable. Again, much to the angst, hypersensitivity and bitterness of BAM, this is a fact. One that many take personal and cannot control their misguided toxic cynicism and groundless retaliatory vitriol.
"Again, I think this whole Brazil thing is just another of a fairly LONG list of fallacious reasons and tools for vilifying brothas."
Thank you. Next thread...... |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 10142
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 09:47 am: |
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Yvettep,
Yvettep: "Nor should this "phenomenon" be considered some sort of civil rights issue for Black men as I have heard it discussed in some quarters. We have "overcome" as a people when Black men (or women) have as much right to travel the world to exploit the poor for sex as anyone else? Um. OK."
You mean like how the "poor" all over the world are exploited to make the clothing, produce and machinery ALL Americans – Black WOMEN included - consume and use?
Next time you shop for clothes, take a look at the "Made in [Whatever County]" tags attached to them then see if you can prove that some hapless Chinese or Venesulan woman or child was NOT enslaved or browbeaten into making that outfit you thinks would really look good on you. |
Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 3064
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: 
Votes: 4 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2008 - 04:52 pm: |
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Yes, ABM. Exploitation is exploitation. Traveling specifically to exploit the poor for sex is not justified by any other exploitation. It is, by some, rationalization for it. But it is not justified.
A while back there was a special about sex tourism and child prostitution. If I recall correctly, an upstanding U.S. businessman who frequently travels to [where ever it was] to have sex with children rationalized his behavior by saying, "Well it is not illegal there." I suppose we could also rationalize it by noting that children are exploited in sweat shops making clothes we buy here in the U.S. Or we could say, "Oh, but in this case we are talking about adults, not children."
Whatever. Wrong is wrong.
On a personal note--to the extent that anyone can be "personal" with folks that they only "know" in a virtual sense:
I hope all is going well with you and your family. Your usual happy-go-lucky posting tone has been largely absent as of late, IMO. Further your topic choice and comments have been along a certain trajectory that is, to me, a little alarming. I hope this just reflects a change in interests and not some difficulties that you may be having. I always find it nice when old names pop up on the board and enjoy engaging with folks who've been here for a minute--even ones with whom I disagree sometimes. (Or almost all the time )
Anyway, that's all. I'll shut up on all these topics of prostitution, pimping, spousal rape, statutory rape, greedy baby-mommas, and the evils of Black women generally. I've had enough of it. Feel free to tell me to mind my own daggon business, or stop trying to be a thread nanny, or if I don't like it stop coming here, or whatever; I'd understand and I can take it.
Peace, y'all. |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 3280
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2008 - 09:16 pm: |
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"I'll shut up on all these topics of prostitution, pimping, spousal rape, statutory rape, greedy baby-mommas, and the evils of Black women generally."
Awwwww....Comon' Yvettep, ya can't take any of this seriously or personal. It's just controversial stuff that gets folks going. That's all. And you comments are always welcomed.
"I've had enough of it."
I'm sure you have. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
"Feel free to tell me to mind my own daggon business, or stop trying to be a thread nanny, or if I don't like it stop coming here, or whatever; I'd understand and I can take it."
Naw! Nothing like that my dear. You always submit wonderful intelligent commentary and opinions, whether I or anyone else agrees. Please continue..... |
Yvettep
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 3066
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 14, 2008 - 11:17 am: |
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Well thanks, Ntfs. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to comment any more on the pimps/hos/blackwomenaintsh** threads. |
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