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Experts: white woman identifying as African American is highly unusual Rachel Dolezal identifying as African American is highly unusual, experts say
(about 2 hours later)
It is not uncommon for a white teenager to adopt the music, slang or clothes of black culture, psychologists say, but for a white woman to present herself as African American is highly unusual.It is not uncommon for a white teenager to adopt the music, slang or clothes of black culture, psychologists say, but for a white woman to present herself as African American is highly unusual.
The parents of Rachel Dolezal, 37, an academic and president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Spokane, Washington, said in an interview this week that their daughter has been misrepresenting herself as an African American, while actually having German and Czech heritage with traces of Native American ancestry.The parents of Rachel Dolezal, 37, an academic and president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Spokane, Washington, said in an interview this week that their daughter has been misrepresenting herself as an African American, while actually having German and Czech heritage with traces of Native American ancestry.
“In some ways it’s normal, but not at her age,” said Anita Thomas, an associate professor of counseling psychology at Loyola University.“In some ways it’s normal, but not at her age,” said Anita Thomas, an associate professor of counseling psychology at Loyola University.
Thomas said that it was common for adolescents, especially white children, to take on the characteristics of another race while they explored their racial and sexual identities. “For white [American] youth, who are disconnected from European heritage or legacy, it often feels like whiteness as a concept is empty,” Thomas said.Thomas said that it was common for adolescents, especially white children, to take on the characteristics of another race while they explored their racial and sexual identities. “For white [American] youth, who are disconnected from European heritage or legacy, it often feels like whiteness as a concept is empty,” Thomas said.
Dolezal’s parents said their daughter took on this behavior after divorcing an African American man. She also had black adopted siblings and while at the primarily black school Howard University - which she attended with a full scholarship - her social circle was primarily African American, her parents said.Dolezal’s parents said their daughter took on this behavior after divorcing an African American man. She also had black adopted siblings and while at the primarily black school Howard University - which she attended with a full scholarship - her social circle was primarily African American, her parents said.
But this does not explain why an adult would portray herself in this way, said Thomas. She said that there were no diagnosable mental health issues associated with this type of unusual behavior. In an effort to explain it, Thomas speculated that Dolezal’s divorce could have led her to question her identity or question whether she felt that the divorce came from not being black enough.But this does not explain why an adult would portray herself in this way, said Thomas. She said that there were no diagnosable mental health issues associated with this type of unusual behavior. In an effort to explain it, Thomas speculated that Dolezal’s divorce could have led her to question her identity or question whether she felt that the divorce came from not being black enough.
Dolezal said that she was not in contact with her parents, Ruthanne and Larry , because of an ongoing lawsuit and that she did not consider them to be her real parents. She said she would not address the media until after she spoke with the executive committee at the Spokane NAACP and called the situation a “multilayered issue”.Dolezal said that she was not in contact with her parents, Ruthanne and Larry , because of an ongoing lawsuit and that she did not consider them to be her real parents. She said she would not address the media until after she spoke with the executive committee at the Spokane NAACP and called the situation a “multilayered issue”.
Due to the injustices faced by the black population in US history, and the privileges afforded to white people, some light-skinned people of African ancestry have been known to “pass” as white to escape racism, especially when slavery was legal. Literary critic Anatole Broyard hid his black ancestry from the public and his children until he died in October 1990.Due to the injustices faced by the black population in US history, and the privileges afforded to white people, some light-skinned people of African ancestry have been known to “pass” as white to escape racism, especially when slavery was legal. Literary critic Anatole Broyard hid his black ancestry from the public and his children until he died in October 1990.
The brother of actress Mindy Kaling, Vijay Chokalingam, is pitching a book about his experience of pretending to be a black man to get into medical school. Chokalingam, who is Indian American, said he changed his appearance and used a different name to get into UCLA medical school, and is writing the book to show the problems with affirmative action.The brother of actress Mindy Kaling, Vijay Chokalingam, is pitching a book about his experience of pretending to be a black man to get into medical school. Chokalingam, who is Indian American, said he changed his appearance and used a different name to get into UCLA medical school, and is writing the book to show the problems with affirmative action.
Halford Fairchild, a professor of psychology and Africana studies at Pitzer College and the former president of the Association of Black Psychologists, said that Dolezal’s behavior is the opposite of passing.Halford Fairchild, a professor of psychology and Africana studies at Pitzer College and the former president of the Association of Black Psychologists, said that Dolezal’s behavior is the opposite of passing.
“To ‘pass’ as black is comparatively unheard of,” Fairchild said in an email. “But it illustrates a certain ‘insanity’ when it comes to issues of ‘race’ in American life and culture.”“To ‘pass’ as black is comparatively unheard of,” Fairchild said in an email. “But it illustrates a certain ‘insanity’ when it comes to issues of ‘race’ in American life and culture.”
He noted that the country’s first black president has a caucasian mother and that some black people, like supreme court justice Clarence Thomas, “might be black as night but eschew any identification with the black community”.He noted that the country’s first black president has a caucasian mother and that some black people, like supreme court justice Clarence Thomas, “might be black as night but eschew any identification with the black community”.
This is because race is tied to identity politics and not biology.This is because race is tied to identity politics and not biology.
“Rachel Dolezal is black because she identifies as black,” he said. “Her identity was authentic, as far as I could tell.”“Rachel Dolezal is black because she identifies as black,” he said. “Her identity was authentic, as far as I could tell.”