PASS

   I've always identified as a 16 year old girl. My fashion sense, my sensitivity, my lithe little girlie arms, all seem to point in this direction. I think the cat recognizes this. That's why we get along so well. On the exterior i may look like a bedraggled, long bearded, heavily armed hillbilly, with a pickup truck and woodstove. But on the inside it's all bedazzled jeans, rainbows and unicorns. Come 'ere Cheeky Monkey.

   I mention this because of all the hoopla over Bruce, now Caitlan (with a D) Jenner and Rachel Dolezal. The former is "transitioning" to the female gender in front of the world, while the later has been "outed" as White. Huh? If Caitlan could get rid of Bruce's personality she'd be a lot prettier. Alas hormones and scalpels can only do so much. So lets leave her to the masses. But Rachel D. is another story. Here's the progeny of two Caucasian  parents, who went to Howard University, is the Spokane Wash. leader of the NAACP, and by her own admission has been identifying as African-American since she was 5 years old.  And I thought I was complex.
   I've spent the last hour on the internet, digging into this story. I was going to title this posting BLACK LIKE HER, but The New Yorker beat me to it. I remember reading BLACK LIKE ME  in high school in the 60's. A white writer pigmented his skin and went to the deep south to experience what a black person may come up against in racist America. It was riveting. Like Gregory Peck becoming Jewish in  the movie GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT, for a magazine story, the author's life went to hell. But these are different times. I think if Ms. Dolezal was a single mom, living in the hood, scrapping by on government cheeze, trying to pass as Black, no one would give a shit. Instead, she went to a great predominantly Black school, and had a high profile job, usually reserved for a person of color. She is not just a overly tanned, corn row sporting, dasheeki wearing, down with the brothers and sisters....white lady. She's a lie.
    This is what has everyone (Black and white) weighing in. You can "identify" with Black culture as a white person all your life and never have any problems. As a Black person trying to pass as white, you may be in for a little more difficulty. I don't know what color my inner 16 year old girl is. I don't care. I may use the brown, purple, or green crayon when I draw my self portraits. I just watched an interview with Ms. D. and that idiot Matt Lauer. You'd think they would've at least passed it to Al Roker. I guess he just wasn't Black enough.