A Running List of Expectations People Have When They Peg You “Pro Black” OR Y’all Looking at Me But Y’all Don’t Really See Me

***This list will be edited as needed***

1. That I want to watch and discuss the latest recorded killing of a Black person
2. That I hate White people
3. That I shouldn’t hate White people
4. That White people are important enough for me to hate
5. That I solely have romantic interests that fail the brown paper bag test
6. That I shouldn’t grow weary
7. That Black is my favorite color
8. That I’ve watched Five Heartbeats all the way through
9. Or Roots
10. That I should want to see slave movies.
11. That I shouldn’t enjoy White media
12. That I should enjoy White media
13. That I buy Black
14. That I can’t be sexual and focused
15. That I want an expensive ass wedding and government-stamped nuclear family in the name of Insta-flexing and “Black love”
16. That I can’t hate people who look like me
17. That I can’t change my mind
18. That I don’t enjoy life
19. That I should enjoy life more
20. That my lack of code-switching means I don’t know how
21. That I need tips on how to interact with White people
22. That I don’t want “their” money
23. That I shouldn’t take “their” money
24. That I should take “their” money and give it back to us
25. That I admire MLK and want to be compared to him
26. That I admire Malcolm X and want to be compared to him
27. That I want to be a “Black leader”
28. That I shouldn’t be religious to the White man’s God
29. That I should be praising Black Jesus for getting us over
30. That I somehow have a brand even when I don’t sell nothing
31. That I withhold public criticism of other Black folks
32. That I tolerate various forms abuse from those same Black folk in the name of faux  unity
33. That you can’t just ask me what you want to know
34. That I’m obligated to answer
35. That my lack of answer means it’s okay to go on assuming
36. That I don’t understand the complexities and potential goodness of individual White folks
37. That I shouldn’t want to
38. That I should want to
39. That I want to go to Africa
40. That I enjoy all Black sitcoms… even Tyler Perry’s
41. That I hate Tyler Perry
42. That I don’t enjoy White sitcoms
43. That I like reading books
44. That I dabble in Hoteppery or know what ankh means
45. That I have mixtape or podcast
46. That I do spoken word or play drums
47. That I use shea butter
48. That my lack of drug or alcohol use means I’m a Muslim, NOI specifically
49. That I’m a Black Nationalist, Black Socialist, Black Capitalist or subscribe to any ideology with Black tagged to it
50. (insert whatever y’all come up with this week)

Can I live?