Thanks for the article.I’ve been interested in this story since it broke because I was not only curious of her motivations, but also what everyone [along the ‘racial divide’] would say about it.On South African FB pages this very American story has reignited debate there as well. The SA ‘Coloured’ (still current SA for mixed-race) communites have especially found her tale resonate with them.I must admit, although I now know more about her background, motivations and little deceits, I remain sympathetic.It reminded me of a few activitists of my time, in the ‘80s, who really wanted to show how they were empathetic to the plight of oppressed South Africans. Their awkward attempts often came across as paternalistic.One of my earlier comments on this story mentioned ’Die Koperkan’, an Afrikaans book by a white South African writer from the ‘50s, about a South African woman passing as white. Annoyingly I cannot get a copy easily nor did I find its English translation. I think my brother had the English version at home.(probably lying in stored family belongings in Portugal :p). I would love to revisit that story, see how I would now react to it and how relevant it might be.
As for saying race is a social construct, I see it now, too. I wouldn’t have understood it as such a few years ago. Remember, I grew up in a very prejudiced era and society, and I sometimes subconciously react in a prejudiced way. Understanding why, I hope, is making me overcome it.But this extract from that article:“To say that race is socially constructed gives it an air of make-believe. Race is quite real to those who live with it. Ask the families of the black men and women who have lost their lives during tragic encounters with the police. The choices about “who” they were, were not their own.”
Perhaps her empathy crossed a line when she got to choose.
Thanks for the article.I’ve been interested in this story since it broke because I was not only curious of her motivations, but also what everyone [along the ‘racial divide’] would say about it.On South African FB pages this very American story has reignited debate there as well. The SA ‘Coloured’ (still current SA for mixed-race) communites have especially found her tale resonate with them.I must admit, although I now know more about her background, motivations and little deceits, I remain sympathetic.It reminded me of a few activitists of my time, in the ‘80s, who really wanted to show how they were empathetic to the plight of oppressed South Africans. Their awkward attempts often came across as paternalistic.One of my earlier comments on this story mentioned ’Die Koperkan’, an Afrikaans book by a white South African writer from the ‘50s, about a South African woman passing as white. Annoyingly I cannot get a copy easily nor did I find its English translation. I think my brother had the English version at home.(probably lying in stored family belongings in Portugal :p). I would love to revisit that story, see how I would now react to it and how relevant it might be.
As for saying race is a social construct, I see it now, too. I wouldn’t have understood it as such a few years ago. Remember, I grew up in a very prejudiced era and society, and I sometimes subconciously react in a prejudiced way. Understanding why, I hope, is making me overcome it.But this extract from that article:“To say that race is socially constructed gives it an air of make-believe. Race is quite real to those who live with it. Ask the families of the black men and women who have lost their lives during tragic encounters with the police. The choices about “who” they were, were not their own.”
Perhaps her empathy crossed a line when she got to choose.