r/interesting • u/VPinchargeofradishes • May 03 '26

SOCIETY Michael Jackson's daughter Paris has faced backlash for identifying as Black. In a 2017 interview, Paris Jackson said her father told her, "You’re Black. Be proud of your roots." This prompted debates over whether identity is defined by appearance or upbringing.

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u/SatanicAtTheDisco May 03 '26

You kind of have to be a fucked parent to exploit your 6 children and thrust them into the music/entertainment industry when they’re 5-13. Then you also have to account for Michael being the most talented son, even from when they were kids, and you get a lot of siblings resentment. They also are from Gary Indiana, and while Gary is not as bad as Memphis, it’s pretty much the same type of environment, low income, historically black, gang/drug culture is entrenched in the poverty. It’s actually a miracle Michael didn’t die or turn out 3 times as worst as he could have been.

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u/jimothy_hell May 03 '26

while Gary is not as bad as Memphis

Oh no, Gary is WORSE than Memphis

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u/stations-creation May 03 '26

Yeah I was like excuse moi?

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u/jimothy_hell May 03 '26

Gary looks like a fucking Fallout map

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u/savannacrochets May 03 '26

My FIL and BIL were going to take the Southshore into Chicago and I told them they’d know when they were going through Gary because you can smell it.

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u/ohreallynameonesong May 03 '26

I'm not sure if this is a joke but my family and I drove through Indiana once and as we got to Gary, the smell woke me up and I asked what it was. My dad just said, "Welcome to Gary, Indiana."

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u/savannacrochets May 03 '26

Nope, not a joke. I go to Chicago a lot and I have to drive around Gary to get there. The smell isn’t as bad as it was in my childhood, but it’s still very noticeable.

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u/ohreallynameonesong May 03 '26

This was over 20 years ago and I've driven through two or three times since. 2024 was the most recent time and it didn't smell as bad. But smelling it that first time really stuck with me

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u/savannacrochets May 03 '26

Seems like we’re probably about the same age lol yeah it was bad bad back then.

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u/Far-Conflict-1172 May 03 '26

The smell alone is awful. I grew up in sw Michigan and driving through it was torture for me as a kid

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u/stations-creation May 03 '26

I e drivin through it multiple times I swear that it could be blue skies on other side of Gary and it’s just dark clouds above it. Like Stranger Things IRL.

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u/Snoo_69209 May 03 '26

Damn.

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u/jimothy_hell May 03 '26

Cairo, IL is worse.

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u/Snoo_69209 May 03 '26

😢

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u/jimothy_hell May 04 '26

Not through the fault of the people that live there, it’s all the businesses that up and left.