Black people: Whats a "sell out"?

Question

Like...when I was dating my black boyfriend his sister didn't like me and gave me dirty looks and stuff and people on the street would give us dirty looks. His sister called him a "sell out" all the time and when I asked my boyfriend what it means he wouldn't answer me. So there are Black people on YA! right? Care to inform me?

Why do you think he didn't answer me though? Seems like a simple question to me.

Answer 1

OH MY! Most of the answers you've received so far are, well, I'll just say amazing.

Firstly, the term isn't always used by black people. Nor does it always apply to black people.

Secondly, black people don't have some kind of single universal mind. They don't all think alike, speak alike, have the same opinions, and so forth.

A sell out is generally accepted as meaning someone who is a traitor - someone who has committed an act or acts of betrayal. But what people perceive as acts of betrayal depend upon various factors- personal viewpoints, cultural norms of certain areas, "rules" among friends/family, and so forth.

Yes, some black people do refer to other blacks who date/marry inter-racially as sell outs. And, yes, some black people do refer to other blacks who ONLY date inter-racially (never dating other black people) as sell outs. (And either of these may be why your boyfriend's sister called your boyfriend a sell out. But I can't say one way or the other with any certainty since I don't have enough information about either of you in order to form an opinion.)

There are any number of other reasons why a black person might call another black person a sell out:

A black person who sells drugs to other black people might be called a sell out by some.
A black person who others see as "sucking up" to white people on the job might be called a sell out by some.
Others may refer to a black person who is a "dead beat parent" as a sell out.
Some folks may label a black person who "snitches" on another black person as a sell out. Then again, there are others who might refer to a black person who "snitches" to the cops on ANYONE as a sell out.

Those are just a few examples. Like I said, there are any number of reasons why a black person might call another black person a sell out.


As for where I live --

It's common around here for black men who date/marry white women to be referred to as sell outs by some of the ignorant black women. Please, black women, don't take offense! I have enough common sense to know that not all black women are like this- probably not even most. I'm merely describing my environment, and the black women whom I am speaking of are just a few compared to the entire population here. MUCH RESPECT TO MY FELLOW WOMEN- PLEASE DON'T MISINTERPRET WHAT I'VE SAID AS BEING INTENDED TO GENERALIZE, DISRESPECT, OR OFFEND.

There are also some black people here who use the word sell out to refer to any black person who doesn't speak or behave in the stereotypical white racist version of how black people speak or behave.

But there are also a lot of kind, respectful, generous, hard-working black people in my area who view sell out behavior as anything which harms or hinders (or might potentially harm or hinder) the safety, well-being, self-improvement, etc.. of others. [examples: criminal activity (whether black on black or black on another group), failure to support one's children (whether financially or emotionally), habitual support of big business rather than lending a hand to the several near-by "little people", and so on....

Like I said, not all black people think alike. (Not all of ANY of us think alike.) So you'd have better luck finding an answer to your question if you asked people where you live. But, of course, don't ask random people. Ask people you know and people who you feel won't be put off or offended by the question.

Answer 2

So many meanies today...

A sell out is a person who conforms to the ways of the majority instead of sticking to their own. It could be in politics, music or race relations.

EX: 1) A super hard rockin metal(lica) band has been together jammin for 10+yrs, with several albums, made good $$$, but never got radio play because their music was too "hard". SO, they write a few "power ballads" get on the radio, and get cheesy. They "SOLD OUT".
2) A black guy grows up in a good strong black family and knows how his family feels about mixing races, and the white man in general. He goes off to school, falls for a hot blonde, begins listening to her side of the story and believing some of it, repeats a little bit in conversation with his family and now HE's a sell out.

Answer 3

I'm not Black ,but I know what she means. If your not the same race , how would you know what life has been for theses people. I'm Mexican American and have always been judge by my race ,not by myself .Example my son works in a hospital ,makes great money, one day he's was stopped ,because he has a nice car and right away they thought he was a gang banger or drug dealer . Have you been treated like that? Try to understand where she's coming from,then she might get to know you.You never know until you are on the other side.

Answer 4

A sellout is somebody that is ashamed of their own race and they will express this by only dating people of other races, saying they are ashamed of their race, refusing to befriend anyone of their race, lying and saying they are mixed with something else, etc.

Answer 5

It means that they don't like nor approve of your choice of a partner, and want to punish you by making it seem like you somehow betrayed your whole race by being with a Black man. In the end it comes down to one thing...control. People want to control who you choose to be with.

Being called race traitor is a ridiculous idea when it comes down to choosing someone to be with, also keep in mind that interracial relationships don't usually work out too well and it is not because of the two, different colored people who decided to get together. It is the people who they meet, or their friends, or their co-workers that keep leaving hints that they do not approve of your union.

Being in an interracial relationship means that you and your partner are going to have to listen to everyone's reasons why you two should not be together. Most interracial relations ships are destroyed by the surrounding society.

My advice to you is to make sure; make certain that you and your partner really love or like one another, and then hold on to each other and tell everyone to go fish up a tree.

You are not a sell out nor a traitor.

Answer 6

it's not just for black people, it can be used in anything. Sell out basically means that one has forgotten their roots and just gone with what seems to be the superior option. Example: In the Simpsons episode where Lisa becomes school president. She was originally for the student body but sold out and conformed to what the teachers wanted of her and lost her ways. She then became hated by her original supporters.

in this case with you however, your boyfriend's sisters is upset that her brother isn't dating a black girl. It's just ignorance really.

to answer your question as to why your boyfriend didn't answer your question. maybe he wants to ignore that topic. Maybe he just wants to be with you, forget what others say.

Answer 7

A sell out is someone who dates outside their race.
But don't worry, I'm all for interracial relationships. Haters can kiss @$$.

Answer 8

They think he's only suppose to stay in his race and alot of people feel that way, and maybe his sister is like that as well if I was you I wouldn't dwell on it, just focus on your realtionship with me.

Answer 9

In his sister's twisted view, dating a person of another race is somehow hurting or "selling out" African Americans. Any way you cut it, it's racism pure and simple.

Answer 10

Oh my God Becky, look at her butt! I mean it's soooo big!
She looks like one of those black guys girlfriends!


Oh I'm sorry were you asking a question?
(turning the radio up louder)


Peace!