The Transracials

Like the transgenders, the transracials are people who feel they are born into the wrong race, and do all necessary to join and belong to another race.
The Urban Dictionary defines transracial as ‘a person who is born of one race, makes the decision to become or represent themselves as another race.’
Wikipedia gives a more social definition, referring more to transracial adoption: ‘a child of one racial or ethnic group with adoptive parents of another racial or ethnic group’
For example, some white think they belong to the black race, and feel they are born into the wrong skin color.
Those white who wish to be black are mostly women, but few white men also consider themselves black with the wrong skin.
About 15% of black men think they are born into the wrong race, and feel that they are indeed white but with the wrong skin colors.
Black women are also affected by the transracial feeling, but very much less than black men.
Some of those transracials would use surgery, cosmetics, chemicals, disguises, to alter their physical appearance, to look like the desired race.
However the most prevalent attitude is a rejection of the culture and codes associated with their biological race, and adoption in various manners the culture and codes the desired race.
It’s not sure if like transgenders, transracials phenomenon has some genetics origins, or represents only a prime evolutionary process activated by Social and economical constrains.
Probably, society should provision some specific rights to transracials like the freedom to declare themselves as belonging to a different race than how they look externally.
Currently, transracials are mocked, ridiculed, and ostracized the same as transgenders few decades ago.
Most transracials have to hide their feelings and are careful to open up about their stress, for fear of social disapproval.
I know few black transracials and some white and Indian transracials.
Do you also know some transracials? What do you think about the phenomenon? Do you think it’s genetic or social construct?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *