The Monkey Song

This is a story that took place earlier in the school year. I had a leading role in the school play, and one of the songs was about how my character was a "monkey." Originally, the song was about a white person and was not used a racial insult, rather a take on "monkey see, monkey do." Obviously, once the directors had casted a black person in this role, it would be appropriate to have that line changed to a different animal. Right? Nope, not in my town. Even when I specifically brought it to their attention, it was totally brushed under the rug. When it came to the night of the performance, my parents were furious, and went and talked to the directors. The whole situation was then blamed on me, as if I never spoke up about it, and they told my parents they gave me the chance to have the song removed entirely. The whole situation was a total mess, but they ended up changing the lyric to a different animal.

All in all, I decided to share this story because it is okay to need assistance. I was facing racial issues and felt isolated, and I honestly did not want to ostracize myself from the other students by making a scene. I also did not want to cut the song from the show entirely because that would mean one of my good friends would not get to sing her song. I realized that it was okay to be unsure, but it is always neccessary to stand up for yourself. And remember, you are not alone. You will always have support.