It's a Southern Thing, Or Not

I had a lively debate with someone the other night about whether or not Maryland is southern. She maintained that the Mason-Dixon Line separates the south from the north. It was an indisputable geographic fact, she insisted. I should note she is from the middle of America.

That may be true on a technical level but it is not culturally apt. Being southern is more than just a location and a label. It’s about a culture and an attitude; about customs and traditions.

There’s the famous southern hospitality. A lot of folks I’ve met from the Deep South will ma’am you to death they are so polite. There’s also more of an authoritative structure to the family. You answer to and respect your elders. The southern matriarch is not just a token movie character; she’s absolutely real. There’s also more of a focus on being a ‘proper’ southern lady or gentleman. 

Food is a huge part of being southern. Go into any book store and I promise you will find dozens of books dedicated to southern cooking. Because of the Bible Belt, you get a lot of country and gospel music. Different regions have their own genres and sub-genres that identify their history and contributions. 

This next one doesn’t apply to everyone but most southerners I know grew up around and have an affection for guns. And when was the last time you saw northerners nostalgic for the Civil War? Not all southerners do it and the north’s got historical re-enactments but it’s different. Another non-universal is the drawl. Not everyone has it and it varies depending on where in the south you’re from. 

Growing up with any of the above is a big part of being southern. Loving them helps convert you but hating them doesn’t automatically take the south out of you. Sometimes being southern is about how we choose to identify ourselves.

Florida is absolutely a southern state but I wouldn’t call a lot of its cities culturally southern. If you go toward the part of Maryland that’s near DC, Baltimore, and Annapolis those are not southern places. If you go far enough west or south, you’ll find it. 

I’ve always considered Maryland a transition state. It’s not completely one or the other.  If you ask New Yorkers, we’re the south. If you ask folks from Georgia or Louisiana, we’re the north. If people from the north and the south can’t agree, we’re definitely not one or the other. Personally, I’m way too aggressive and mouthy to be a proper southern lady. 

Current Tunes: It’s a Southern Thing by Better than Ezra