Friday, June 12, 2015

Rachel Dolezal



Rachel Dolezal, president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, is a black woman.

Wrong.

She's white, but portrayed herself as black.

No can do.

From the Associated Press:

Controversy is swirling around one of the Spokane region’s most prominent civil rights activists, with family members saying the local leader of the NAACP has falsely portrayed herself as black for years.

Rachel Dolezal is president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, chair of the city’s Office of Police Ombudsman Commission, and an adjunct professor at Eastern Washington University.

The Spokesman-Review reported Thursday that questions have arisen about her background and her numerous complaints to police of harassment. The story was first reported by the Coeur d’Alene Press.

Dolezal’s mother, Ruthanne, says the family’s ancestry is Czech, Swedish and German, with a touch of Native American heritage.

Dolezal has identified herself in application materials as white, black and Native American.

Police say they have found little evidence of racial harassment.
What's controversial about this?

Shouldn't Dolezal be allowed to identify herself as black if she chooses?

Is she courageous for living as the person she considers to be her true self even if the biology doesn't support her?

In a just world, Dolezal deserves a Vanity Fair cover. And a reality show. And lots of money. And an award from ESPN.

Alas, this isn't a just world.

Apparently, race reassignment isn't permitted yet.

Surely, if one can transition from the gender of one's birth, without any alteration of their chromosomes, there must be a way for one to transition to the race of one's choosing.

Someday, maybe we'll be enlightened enough to accept Dolezal as the black woman she considers herself to be. Maybe we'll be enlightened enough to accept Dolezal's reality and embrace how she racially defines herself.







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