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(If this is the wrong area, I'm happy to repost)

Most examples of transracialism seem to only go one way, White-to-POC, with Dolezal being the most famous example.

I've kinda wondered if the opposite example, POC-to-White would ever be acceptable to the general public, mostly liberals, if you framed it in a way that harkens back to the passing phenomenon under Jim Crow, mixed race/multiracial people who assimilated into the large White majority share many parallels with modern trans people. If you played on the pity angle of just wanting to be normal.

Personally, I doubt this would become a phenomenon with the decreasing White population in America. Nor will surgery, make-up or aesthetic treatments come close to creating a person who can pass into any race. Or maybe, seeing how ambiguous the concept of race actually is.

I'm not condoning the practice but I am curious to hear your thoughts.
(If this is the wrong area, I'm happy to repost) Most examples of transracialism seem to only go one way, White-to-POC, with Dolezal being the most famous example. I've kinda wondered if the opposite example, POC-to-White would ever be acceptable to the general public, mostly liberals, if you framed it in a way that harkens back to the passing phenomenon under Jim Crow, mixed race/multiracial people who assimilated into the large White majority share many parallels with modern trans people. If you played on the pity angle of just wanting to be normal. Personally, I doubt this would become a phenomenon with the decreasing White population in America. Nor will surgery, make-up or aesthetic treatments come close to creating a person who can pass into any race. Or maybe, seeing how ambiguous the concept of race actually is. I'm not condoning the practice but I am curious to hear your thoughts.

16 comments

[–] HalfMentalAlchemist 13 points

In South and East Asia it's not transracialism but colourism is rife with many girls and young women buying dangerous products to lighten their skin.
[–] LilianH 8 points

It already has to some degree. A lot of people identify as a race when they only have the slimests of ancestral links to that race. This is especially the case if they look white, but identifying as another race gives them some benefit.

[–] Intuiterf 9 points

they only have the slimests of ancestral links to that race

At least they have that. Someone can be 30% this, 30% that, 30% one race, 10% another, even 2% and it can all realistically be a part of their identity that nobody can say they're lying about. But nobody is only 30% a male or female, everyone is either 100% male or 100% female, there is no in-between. In that way, transrace is arguably more valid than transgender.

[–] readfreak 1 points

like Liz Warren claiming to be Native American to get votes.
[–] eire 0 points

It doesn't matter how much milk you add to tea or coffee, it is still tea or coffed.

Blood quantums are problematic, particularly with indigenous American Indians who might not be able to prove their enrolled status in a federally recognised tribe. People might also have surnames that mark them out from others. Yes, people can change their name by deed poll by why should they?

Just some thoughts on it.

[–] Gladys_Kravitz 2 points Edited

POC-to-White would ever be acceptable to the general public

Does Lil Kim count?

Edit: also "blackfishing" seems to be pretty popular on social media. They technically aren't claiming to be another race, but they sure are attempting to look like it.

I'm thinking of Miona from the current season of 90 Day Fiancé.

Comparison 1

Comparison 2

Pic where I think she looks super fake and obvious

I just liked their outfits in this one & wanted to share

[–] ovaryacting Dilatemadaboutit 4 points

Historically, there have always been people of colour who passed enough as a White to live as such. Happened in the British Raj with mixed people, and in the States. I don't think it would take off now as at the heart of the social justice movements for people of colour is that we shouldn't have to.

https://armstronghistoryjournal.wordpress.com/2021/04/18/the-legal-question-of-being-an-anglo-indian-race-identity-and-law-in-colonial-india/

https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/passing-passing-peculiarly-american-racial-tradition-approaches-irrelevance/

[–] FemmeLesbian 2 points

To build off of this, if I recall correctly only one of Sally Hemings' children identified as black while the rest identified as white. For those unfamiliar with early American history, Sally Hemings was a mixed black slave owned (and raped) by Thomas Jefferson.
[–] suupersami 4 points

Honestly, I don't necessarily see POC-to-White taking off, at least not before White-to-POC really starts taking off in the mainstream; and I give it 5-10 years before that happens. As we're witness to, there's people out there that fetishized skinwalking oppressed groups, especially if those groups have designated or community-formed spaces and/or hardwon roles. I would not be surprised if, in the next few years, we saw more TIMs claiming that they're black women and/or indigenous women. I do know one who's adamant that he's both a woman and a member of the first nations, even though he absolutely is neither.

[–] Eava 2 points

I've engaged with very woke people, white and POC, about transracialism vs transgenderism and in most people's mind, it comes down to passing, which begs the question of why trans self-id is ok. Now this was a few years ago before the "you don't have to look/act like a stereotypical woman to be a woman" school of thought took over, so they may have come up with other reasons why transgenderism is ok but transracialism isn't. But at the time it really came down to there being no way to change all of your skin from black to white and white to black (I know there are some medications that taken in incredibly large doses can make white skin much darker, but it isn't something sustainable). It was about the inability to really present as another race. When I said what happens when that technology/medication is developed and people can change skin color, I got no response. Now there was also lot of outrage at the idea of white people claiming the black experience, but somehow they could not understand why women would be outraged by men claiming women's experience.

[–] ElleGeeBee 2 points Edited

Well, in many countries (Latin American countries, and India, from articles I've sporadically read here and there), whitening/bleaching creams/products are certainly a big industry, and that's more to do with racism than anything else.

Off the top of my head, Michael Jackson and Sammy Sosa come to mind. It's my understanding Michael had a condition called vitiligo--but it's unclear if he's bleached his skin to "make it even."

Sammy Sosa, on the other hand, is pretty blatant, and both Dominicans and black people make a lot fun of him for it.

[–] nopenottoday 1 points

It's okay for men to do it right now. Not okay for women to do it.
[–] Queenofdogs 2 points

I've always said transracialism will be the next thing. I've already seen a few people on reddit saying they 'identify' as a race, and there was that white kid who got surgery to look Korean
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