Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
Can someone be transracial?
Position2 of 2
Transracialism should be rejected as invalid and as cultural appropriation
Argument1 of 2

Identifying as transracial is a form of cultural appropriation

Identifying as a different race other than your own is cultural appropriation.

The argument

When white people come out as transracial and wish to be identified as a minority race, they are using a form of cultural appropriation. It is extremely easy for white people to appear to have darker skin with the use of makeup, tanning products, and photoshop to seem like another race. Yet, people of color are not able to identify as a transracial white person. This proves that being transracial is not a real identity because not everyone is able to identify and transition to the race they wish. Many minority groups have gone through extensive suffering throughout history due to European and American colonialism. It is inappropriate to identify with a race when that person has not suffered any hardships. People who identify as transracial are only concerned about how they appear to others, not the background and history of the race they are transitioning to.

Premises

[P1]White people can superficially adopt the appearance of another race through makeup, tanning, or photoshop, while people of color cannot equivalently transition to whiteness. [P2] Minority races carry histories of suffering under colonialism that transracial-identifying individuals have not endured. [P3] Adopting a racial identity for appearance's sake while bypassing its lived history and hardship constitutes cultural appropriation. [C] Therefore, identifying as transracial should be rejected as a form of cultural appropriation rather than a valid identity.

Counter-arguments

Transracial individuals are able to learn and care for the culture and history of the race they transition to. In the United States, a man who was born white now identifies as Filipino. He has grown up knowing Filippino culture and continues to submerge himself in the culture as much as possible. People come out as transracial because they feel most comfortable with that race and culture, not because they wish to change their physical appearance.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P3] Transracial people have the capability of learning about the race they transitioned to.