racial profiling

Race is a huge issue here. 

I have spent the first two months here living in an area called Ridgewood. And as I have said before it is a largely Puerto Rican area. I am forced to think about my whiteness. My difference. My stand-outness. There are a few whities around, more and more...my flatmates were quite the trailblazers moving there 3 years ago.

The subway stop we get off at is Myrtle-Wykoff...it is on the L train which is nicknamed 'The Hipster Express'. This because the first stop when you cross over the river into Brooklyn is Bedford Ave. Think scene, think bad 80s gear, boys who perfectly waiver between gay and straight - so mysterious in their blurred lines! So the hipsters mostly haul out at Bedford, a few stick around to get off on the following stops but they don't like to stray too far, better to huddle around your hipster roots. This white settlement is so literal that my friend and I often play 'The L Train Game'.

How to play:

1. Get on the L Train, preferably in Manhattan so you can take some time to settle in. Remember if there are no seats (high probability) that most of the people will get off at Bedford Ave. Also remember to stand near a seated white person because they are getting off quickly, all other nationalities are in for the long haul.

2. Once everyone gets off at Bedford Ave. the game begins. Look around, what whities are left?

The majority of them are going to get off at the next stop Lorimer St. After that it is going to get a little more interesting.

3. You have 8 options:

Graham Ave.

Grand St.

Montrose Ave.

Morgan Ave.

Jefferson St.

DeKalb Ave.

Myrtle - Wykoff Aves.

After us (hardly ever comes into the game)

So look hard. Body language is important, you can sense the movement of someone ready to get off at the next stop. Dress, sexuality (there are gay stops), friends/no friends, children/no children. It is very complicated. Ooooo, but so much fun!

4. Name a person. Green hat = Morgan Ave. Lock in your bet and wait for the stop. The person with the most whitie wins, wins!

5. So try it for yourself. But remember practice makes perfect. My friend has been travelling to Myrtle-Wykoff for 3 years - she is well practised in the art of picking courageous whities and needless to say - she always wins.