I want to preface this by saying that we have a zero tolerance policy for transphobia. Your comment will be removed and you will be banned if you spout transphobia here. Our existence is not up for debate.
That said, how do you differentiate being transgender and being trans racial?
I’m curious how to answer this question in a good faith debate with someone. Emotionally I know that they’re not the same and that one is wrong and the other is not wrong, but I’m unsure as to why that is and am curious if anyone else has given any thought about it.
Race is, like gender, a social construct. That said, race isn’t typically something it is normal to consciously perform, the way gender is. I never do anything to make sure people know what race I prefer to be regarded as, but I dress and act my preferred gender more often than not.
Being transracial (to me) seems therefore necessarily ideological, and living one’s life according to the tenets of a racial ideology seems like something only terrible people do.
I think this is the actual answer- one is performed by the actor and one is assumed by the audience. Culture isn’t race, so eating soul food or reading James Baldwin is not performing a race.
I think both being social constructs of social animals, there is probably same shared neurology or biology, or psychology in our actions around our gender, culture and race.
However, as a construct, we don’t deem a white person who grows up in black culture to be black. We don’t consider a tomboy, who climbs trees with boys to be a boy (despite the name).
We know that people change their accents and language subconsciously around different subcultures, like code switching.
From a biological standpoint, we don’t really understand the purpose of being trans or gay. There are theories about nurturing and village raises a child etc. However, we know that transition gives better lives to trans people, similarly, we know gay people don’t respond well to conversion therapy. For someone like Rachel, it seems to be a fantasy and the general thinking around that is enabling it feeds into the fantasy and encourages unhealthy thought processes, rather than the opposite in transition for trans people. However, I’m. It sure that psychologists or psychiatrists would agree, or if that’s just pop psychology.
That doesn’t make her beliefs invalid. However, they are not common enough to have a recognised course of action. In the end, as it’s all a construct, can’t we just let her be who she wants to be if it’s not hurting anyone and we don’t know any better? I’d agree that those who are using her for comparison aren’t doing so in good faith.