Have you ever been put down because of your race? Race has been a constant issue in America for hundreds of years, do to the fact that people get it in their head that they’re better than someone else. Which I think is a huge issue in today's society. For example, people of color aren’t slaves anymore and they have the right to vote, but this doesn’t mean that America is no longer racist. This leads me to the pertinent question; how do we see racism in today’s culture? Racism plays a big role in why some people feel the need to pass as a different race. In the book, Passing When People Can’t Be Who They Are, Brooke Kroeger explained passing as, “Passing involves erasing details or certain aspects of a given life in order to move past perceived,
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It could be that it’s easier. Passing as white might help people feel more accepted by certain people. Especially since some white people think they’re superior to other races. Although not everyone is trying to pass as white some are trying to pass as other races as well. For example, American Activist Rachel Dolezal has been passing for African-American even though she was born white. Author Sinead Moynihan was confused as to why Dolezal felt the need to pass? In the article "’Lying about a Lie’: Racial Passing in US History, Literature and Popular Culture” Moynihan asserted, “What is unusual is that Dolezal should feel the need to pass as black when there were no legal (and comparatively few social) obstacles to her forming meaningful relationships with African-Americans, study[ing], teach[ing] and celebrat[ing] black history and culture and fight[ing] discrimination.” In other words, Moynihan is suggesting that there is no reason for Dolezal to pass that we can see. Does Dolezal believe herself to be African-American even though her heritage shows otherwise? Maybe Dolezal feels in her heart that she is supposed to be an African-American not white. In this case, is it really passing at all if Dolezal feels that she is an African-American? In the novella called Passing by Nella Larsen, one of the characters, Zulena, insisted that “It’s funny about passing. We disapprove of it and at the same …show more content…
The fact is that many businesses are racist and don’t want to hire people of color. In an article called “A Chosen Exile: Black People Passing in White America” author Karen Bates wrote,
‘She was black, but she looked white,’ Hobbs said. ‘And her mother decided it was in her best interest to move far away from Chicago, to Los Angeles, and to assume the life of a white woman.’ 'Her mother really felt that this was the very best thing she could do for her daughter,’ Hobbs continued. ‘She felt this was a way to offer opportunities to her daughter that she wouldn't have living as a
It could be that it’s easier. Passing as white might help people feel more accepted by certain people. Especially since some white people think they’re superior to other races. Although not everyone is trying to pass as white some are trying to pass as other races as well. For example, American Activist Rachel Dolezal has been passing for African-American even though she was born white. Author Sinead Moynihan was confused as to why Dolezal felt the need to pass? In the article "’Lying about a Lie’: Racial Passing in US History, Literature and Popular Culture” Moynihan asserted, “What is unusual is that Dolezal should feel the need to pass as black when there were no legal (and comparatively few social) obstacles to her forming meaningful relationships with African-Americans, study[ing], teach[ing] and celebrat[ing] black history and culture and fight[ing] discrimination.” In other words, Moynihan is suggesting that there is no reason for Dolezal to pass that we can see. Does Dolezal believe herself to be African-American even though her heritage shows otherwise? Maybe Dolezal feels in her heart that she is supposed to be an African-American not white. In this case, is it really passing at all if Dolezal feels that she is an African-American? In the novella called Passing by Nella Larsen, one of the characters, Zulena, insisted that “It’s funny about passing. We disapprove of it and at the same …show more content…
The fact is that many businesses are racist and don’t want to hire people of color. In an article called “A Chosen Exile: Black People Passing in White America” author Karen Bates wrote,
‘She was black, but she looked white,’ Hobbs said. ‘And her mother decided it was in her best interest to move far away from Chicago, to Los Angeles, and to assume the life of a white woman.’ 'Her mother really felt that this was the very best thing she could do for her daughter,’ Hobbs continued. ‘She felt this was a way to offer opportunities to her daughter that she wouldn't have living as a