CourtWatchers Observations

Over the past couple internships, and more so in this current service learning project, I have noticed something that has bugged me, and as this is a social justice class, don't just it's just what I've seen.

Male African American lawyers dress way better that Caucasian lawyers.

The actual order of "best dressed" goes
1. Black Male
2. White Female
3. Black Female
4. White Male

I first noticed this having seen an African-American's really friggin' nice 3 piece suit, and I thought to myself "Damn. I want to tell him that's a nice suit." Then I kind've backed up and was thought is it wrong to tell him that he's wearing a nice suit? I realized what I had said to myself originally was "Damn, that black dude's wearing a really nice suit." From that point on there was no coming back from being, maybe not racist, but definitely stereotyping.

I noticed it having seen all these white guys suits being rumpled or having tons of creases in them, and since the black lawyers stand together and the white lawyers tend to stand together, the difference was very apparent.

But, my compliment to the man would've come off racially to myself, having subconsciously led in with "that black dude's...." even though he would've never known, I felt like I couldn't say anything since I felt already "outted?"

Then I started thinking what might be the underlying implications of this?

The obvious answers came up:
1. White men assume that they will be taken seriously as opposed to blacks who feel they must have to "dress the part" in order to have the same respect.
2. White women are generally seen as "less strong willed" than Black women, so they have to dress to the look the part as well. Which leads White women to come in at #2 and Black women at #3.

So what do you think? Am I wrong? Am I a racist?
What I observed was definitely obvious, my fellow intern independently noticed the same thing.
Black guys wearing 3 piece pressed suits, white guys walking in with the same jacket they'd been wearing for the past 2 years without it being dry cleaned.