Racial transitioning. People are doing it.

[Nakosis]

What do you think?

Should people be allowed to legally change their race?

If it were possibly, would it be better to change their feeling about their race?

 

[ecco]

Should people be allowed to legally change their race?

Race is a petty human construct. I have no idea why it is still allowed on legal documents of any kind. If a Korean Hindu with testicles wants to become an African Rastafarian with a vagina, why should anyone care?

 

[George-ananda]

Should people be allowed to legally change their race?

There is no legal classification by race that I know of. And I still wouldn't consider their race as changed by changing superficial features.

 

[Nakosis]

Not so long ago we had a "one drop rule" where someone who had any amount of Black ancestry was considered legally black. Since we all came from Africa and thus have genetic linkage to Africans we are all Black by that standard.

But to focus on the OP, we are living in a time and place where there is a history of systemic and legal racism which some try to whitewash out of existence even ranting and raving at school board meetings about it.

Others feel an identification with a certain race, nationality and even gender to generalize the OP. And a few try to restrict words and deeds to members of certain groups (extreme "cultural appropriation")

From my perspective, we should acknowledge and teach children history, make sure the laws are structured to overcome the still existing systemic discrimination of people and accept that people's feelings are valid for them. It's a shocking and unlikely idea, but maybe we could try talking with each other to understand different perspectives and relax just a bit.

Fortunately?
My kids/grandkids can be White when it is beneficial and non White if that is more beneficial
Still why should either be a benefit over the other?

Legally, there shouldn't be a benefit.
If there is a reason to legally change then there is a problem with our legal system, IMO.

 

[Revoltingest]

How is race legally determined in the US?

My impression was that it was almost entirely based on self reporting, or am I completely wrong there?

There is also examination of ancestry.

 

[Revoltingest]

Not so long ago we had a "one drop rule"....

It was not universal.
Just a few southern states.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule

 

[JustGeorge]

Can I change my ethnic makeup? I'd like to be 1/4 American, 1/4 Congolese, 1/4 Nepalese, and 1/4 Bulgarian. Is there some sort of pill I can take for this? Or does it involve several treatments?

You can move here. I think we have 3 of those groups that have immigrated here. Could you settle for Bosnian as opposed to Bulgarian? I understand they're not the same, but they both are from eastern Europe, and they both start with B...

I don't understand why race is relevant on anything except medical documents. Why can't we just be 'people'?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Race is a petty human construct. I have no idea why it is still allowed on legal documents of any kind.

Race is a human construct, but discrimination based on a person's appearance is very real. That's why it's on forms.

But yes: there's no real logic - or even historical consistency - behind what constitutes a "race".

 

[Stevicus]

You can move here. I think we have 3 of those groups that have immigrated here. Could you settle for Bosnian as opposed to Bulgarian? I understand they're not the same, but they both are from eastern Europe, and they both start with B...

I don't understand why race is relevant on anything except medical documents. Why can't we just be 'people'?

I suppose I could trade the 1/4 Bulgarian for 1/8 Bosnian and 1/8 Andorran - or maybe mix and match. Maybe I'll wait until the After Christmas Sale.

 

[JustGeorge]

I suppose I could trade the 1/4 Bulgarian for 1/8 Bosnian and 1/8 Andorran - or maybe mix and match. Maybe I'll wait until the After Christmas Sale.

I've never met an Andorran. I guess after you transition, you'll be the first!

 

[Kooky]

I think its going that way where eventually the legal system will recognize whatever ethnicity that person feels they are.

How does the US legal system currently determine a person's ethnicity?

 

[Valjean]

Unfortunately they probably still wouldn't find a cure for baldness. *sigh*

But there is a cure -- or at least a preventive -- for baldness.
It's just not a medical intervention most men would choose to make.

 

[Valjean]

I thought America prided itself on it's freedom and opportunity.
Why can't someone live any way s/he wants; any lifestyle s/he wants, as long as it's not hurting anything?
If a man wants to wear a dress and carry a purse, fine. If A Catholic wants to convert to Judaism, fine. If a blond Caucasian wants to perm his hair, eat soul food and enroll in Howard university, fine.

-- with apologies for the ethnic stereotypes....

 

[ecco]

In one hundred years it won't matter much in the US. "Interracial" marriages are no longer just a few cases here and there. Soon everyone in this country is going to be tan with varying types of eyes.

But, I imagine some countries, like China (Japan?), are going to strengthen their laws against mixing.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Yes it's odd. One would never expect to see a question asking about race on a UK job application. The organisation may welcome diversity in its applications, but no more than that. Often not DoB either, to combat ageism.

We are often similar to you guys around these areas, but there are special categories for First Nations peoples around multiple affirmative action programs for housing, education, medical access, etc.

Whilst this theoretically helps people 'appear' Aboriginal, we shouldn't be doling out such benefits based on skin colour anyway.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Michael Jackson has a lot to answer for.

Okay. I know it is a joke but Michael Jackson had a bad case of vitiligo. I am a white person with a mild case of it . If I stay out of the sun it is almost unnoticeable. Black people can end up looking like this:

The only way that he could cover it up was to use very heavy makeup that was half way in between in color.

Mine tends to be close to joins, elbows, wrist, fingers, strenum. etc. When Michael was accused of child abuse he was probably guilty. People wondered why they took pictures of his private parts. I knew why.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Humans are humans no matter what color the skin has.