Do you think cotillion is racist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cotillion is southern, and anything southern is RaCiSt.

/s

Right

..
So if someone moves to Austin to join the tech boom and they're originally from Ohio, once they cross the Mason-Dixon line their brain transforms into a racist one? Tell me more.

Especially curious how this happens if they are black, like me. Or Indian, or Latino, or Asian, or a first generation immigrant from any country not involved in historical slavery based on color (I say this because many countries were involved in enslaving their own people of the same color). Inquiring minds want to know!

[Anonymous]

Different kids connect with different types of programs. As long as the programs are open to all, they are fine.

My son's Army JROTC teaches table manners, including which utensils to use, every year to cadets. They work on it before their annual military ball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cotillion is southern, and anything southern is RaCiSt.

/s

Right

..
So if someone moves to Austin to join the tech boom and they're originally from Ohio, once they cross the Mason-Dixon line their brain transforms into a racist one? Tell me more.

Especially curious how this happens if they are black, like me. Or Indian, or Latino, or Asian, or a first generation immigrant from any country not involved in historical slavery based on color (I say this because many countries were involved in enslaving their own people of the same color). Inquiring minds want to know!

Someone from Ohio was already racist to begin with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cotillion is southern, and anything southern is RaCiSt.

/s

Right

..
So if someone moves to Austin to join the tech boom and they're originally from Ohio, once they cross the Mason-Dixon line their brain transforms into a racist one? Tell me more.

Especially curious how this happens if they are black, like me. Or Indian, or Latino, or Asian, or a first generation immigrant from any country not involved in historical slavery based on color (I say this because many countries were involved in enslaving their own people of the same color). Inquiring minds want to know!

Someone from Ohio was already racist to begin with.

And someone on DCUM is bigoted to their bones.

[Anonymous]

Just stop. Get a life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cotillion is southern, and anything southern is RaCiSt.

/s

Right

..
So if someone moves to Austin to join the tech boom and they're originally from Ohio, once they cross the Mason-Dixon line their brain transforms into a racist one? Tell me more.

Especially curious how this happens if they are black, like me. Or Indian, or Latino, or Asian, or a first generation immigrant from any country not involved in historical slavery based on color (I say this because many countries were involved in enslaving their own people of the same color). Inquiring minds want to know!

Kindly, you missed the /s.

[Anonymous]

Yet another race-related troll post. We're such easy marks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's steeped in a troubling race and class history, and that there are more contemporary and progressive ways to teach "manners" and "sophistication" but that most people who send their kids to cotillion are people who are not terribly concerned with being progressive and don't value (or are icked out by) the alternatives.

So, yeah? But more likely in a ignorant or micro-agression or insular bubble way than an overtly racist way. But I am sure there are a few racists in every cotillion class.

Thoughtful and well-said -- thank you for redeeming my faith in DCUM!

[Anonymous]

Cotillion is not racist.

Some of the people that attend might be. And certainly some of the people that judge the people that attend because they attend are racist too.

[Anonymous]

It's not in and of itself racist. It is troubling and kind of distasteful, though. It has its roots in the traditions of a white, slaveholding class. It romanticizes that class and their traditions. That's kind of gross.

[Anonymous]

I wish they did it at school because they teach far more than manners at cotillion.

Kids don’t know how to properly dance or chat with strangers.

Lots of kids don’t have positive role models to show them how to carry themselves in a dignified way.

We need more of this sort of thing…desperately.

The black community realizes this and there are programs designed and led by them. (Read this thread for examples.)

It’s ridiculous to label the entire construct as racist when kids from all walks of life participate.

And if you didn’t participate in cotillion, then your opinion simply isn’t an informed one. You are just assuming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cotillion is southern, and anything southern is RaCiSt.

/s

Right

..
So if someone moves to Austin to join the tech boom and they're originally from Ohio, once they cross the Mason-Dixon line their brain transforms into a racist one? Tell me more.

Especially curious how this happens if they are black, like me. Or Indian, or Latino, or Asian, or a first generation immigrant from any country not involved in historical slavery based on color (I say this because many countries were involved in enslaving their own people of the same color). Inquiring minds want to know!

Np
/s means sarcasm
Np means new poster to the thread
I am curious since I've heard Austinites say they would never move to Ohio because it's too racist. Do you think that's fair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish they did it at school because they teach far more than manners at cotillion.

Kids don’t know how to properly dance or chat with strangers.

Lots of kids don’t have positive role models to show them how to carry themselves in a dignified way.

We need more of this sort of thing…desperately.

The black community realizes this and there are programs designed and led by them. (Read this thread for examples.)

It’s ridiculous to label the entire construct as racist when kids from all walks of life participate.

And if you didn’t participate in cotillion, then your opinion simply isn’t an informed one. You are just assuming.

Yes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not in and of itself racist. It is troubling and kind of distasteful, though. It has its roots in the traditions of a white, slaveholding class. It romanticizes that class and their traditions. That's kind of gross.

There's more to history than a white slaveholding class, you know. History isn't divided into a white slaveholder versus everyone else. Brown people owned slaves in many cultures and rich nonwhite elites in many cultures developed their own elite traditions to clearly distinguish themselves from the hoi polloi.

Cotillion is definitely out of a mannered tradition, they were just as utilized in Northern and midwestern states and have comparisons in debutante / high society balls of Europe. The slaveholders didn't invent cotillion, they were aping a much older European tradition of dances and society events.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Richmond and my sibling and I did cotillion in the 80s.

I have been surprised to see so many of my childhood friends on FB sending their kids. It definitely seems outdated. My kids are busy with sports and other activities and I can't imagine making time for this one.