NAACP Leader Posed as Black (?)

[Toothfairy]

Faux news doesn''t know what to say about this.

I wonder if this were a black woman claiming white and bleaching her skin, wearing straight blonde hair with blue contacts would people still be accepting? Because you know in America nothing can touch the white race. Most of the comments I've read including from black people are positive/ people don't know what to say. Then there are negative comments.

Why does she have custody of her adopted brothers? Something might be going on with this family.

She wears a wig and uses bronzer. Gotta admit she does look like a light skin black with the wig and bronzer on.

This story doesn't even shock me. I know plenty of people who want to change their race.

[Mandysue]

As a blond haired blue eyed white person this baffles me.

If she wants to be an advocate for another race she should do that.

I don't like that she lied about it. What is the point in that?

This does not compare to Caitlyn Jenner because when she came out she came out. She didn't tweet and say she went to a porn film and sat at in the back so men would have to turn fully around and look at her.

Someone on my Facebook feed said this reminded them of Steve Martin in The Jerk... I was born a poor black child.

If she wanted to change her race fine just be honest about it.

[nausicaa]

I don´t understand how she could pull that off for so long without someone having her called out? She has a vast social media presence, why didn´t some former classmates/childhood friends/relatives come forward, saying "Oh, that´s Ruthanne, we were in the same english class in middle school and that ain´t her natural hair. And I know her parents too, they are white!"

.

I've been wondering that too! I mean, there must have been tons of people who knew her way back when. Why did no one say anything? Did she just move halfway across the country and cut off contact with literally every person she knew in her past life? And why didn't the people who know her now ever ask why she never had any family around or old friends? Or pictures from childhood?

Weird. So weird.

[Geechee Girl]

Was living a lie a response to internalized self-hatred or escape from a childhood filled with abuse and dysfunction? I have so many questions. Did her husband know she was an impostor?

The more I read of this story, I'm beginning to wonder if she's mentally ill.The hate crime allegations seem like a misguided attempt to bring attention to a real problem. However, the childhood spent in a tepee tale is bananas.

It's a shame she has now made the NAACP a punchline.

[FundieFarmer]

Was living a lie a response to internalized self-hatred or escape from a childhood filled with abuse and dysfunction? I have so many questions. Did her husband know she was an impostor?

The more I read of this story, I'm beginning to wonder if she's mentally ill.The hate crime allegations seem like a misguided attempt to bring attention to a real problem. However, the childhood spent in a tepee tale is bananas.

It's a shame she has now made the NAACP a punchline.

Re bolded, I read an article that I believe said her parents said this behavior happened after her divorce from her husband, an African American man.

But it still harkens the question somebody else asked: why did it take until now for someone to come forward about this!?

[zebra #13]

If her parents adopted four black siblings, maybe it's a case of Stockholm Syndrome?

The brother in her "full custody"? One of her brothers was suing for emancipation at around 17 or 18. As far as I know, emancipation takes place AT 18. If he went to live with her after that, "custody" would be irrelevant.

There are meds that help change the color of your skin. . . . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methoxsalen

And passing as black has been done before-->

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Like_Me

He was much blacker, and it was for a much shorter time, and he was a journalist, and he never lied. The book was a shaker/burner. Eyeopener.

The hair? A regular perm left on twenty minutes too long would do that to my hair, lol! (And did, when I was little.)

If one of my neighbors started perming their hair, darkening their skin, and advocating for the NAACP, I don't know if my reaction would be to call a newspaper. Not even a cousin or sibling.

Truth? She kinda reminds me of a sociopath I had something to do with a decade ago. Not much to actually gain from the lies, but he couldn't stop himself.

[zebra #13]

The brother in her "full custody"? One of her brothers was suing for emancipation at around 17 or 18. As far as I know, emancipation takes place AT 18. If he went to live with her after that, "custody" would be irrelevant.

Oops!

According to court documents obtained by CNN, Rachel Dolezal's adopted brother, who is black, sought emancipation from Ruthanne and Lawrence Dolezal in 2010. The adopted brother, now 21, said the Dolezals used "physical forms of punishment" and had sent his brother and sister away to group homes because they didn't cooperate with the couple's religion and rules.

The adopted brother wanted to live with Rachel Dolezal "in a multiracial household where black culture is celebrated and I have a connection to the black community," the court papers said. The papers did not specify Rachel Dolezal's race.

The petition for emancipation was dropped. In a separate legal action in 2010, the court appointed Rachel Dolezal to be the adopted brother's guardian with the consent of Ruthanne and Lawrence Dolezal.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/12/us/washin ... -identity/

[DGayle]

I think part of why this is so uncomfortable is that we have to look at what benefits she could have received because of this, and even acknowledge that there are some things open only to black people that are closed off to other races (like some scholarships, credibility when fighting for equal rights causes, etc.), while also having to admit that those benefits sure as hell don't outweigh the benefit of being white in a country that defends while child molesters while calling innocent black people hunted by cops bad guys. It's making people take a closer look at things most of us were comfortable not having challenged.

But beyond that, WTF is up with her? Why on earth did she claim things like being born in a teepee, and say her adopted brothers are her sons? How much can her advocacy work erase this other baffling side to her? (Not much...) It's just bizarre.

[elizasc]

I have no idea how to respond to this.

[Geechee Girl]

I watched the parents' interview. They ping very shady. I find it strange they would out her now after admitting they knew she was doing this for a few decades. Their intent in this disclosure feels very punitive to me. I think this public shaming by them is in retaliation for her cutting them off, achieving some sort of success in spite of them, or the loss of control of the siblings. Something is up with this family, and I don't think it was good.

[Toothfairy]

Did anyone see that interview on you tube?

And my goddess I just read the ask Rachel twitter memes

[acheronbeach]

"She said she was born in a tepee, and the family hunted with bows and arrows. She also described living in South Africa. " :

She did live in South Africa. Her parents worked there as missionaries with some young earth creationist missionary organization.

[hoosgirl]

Her father is Larry Dolezal:

http://creation.mobi/what-we-are

[louisa05]

She did live in South Africa. Her parents worked there as missionaries with some young earth creationist missionary organization.

According to several press reports, the parents lived there from 2002-2006, but Rachel was not living with them then. She is 37 now, so would have been around 24 when they went there.

Link:

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news ... c423f.html

[RosyDaisy]

A member of the NAACP that I know is not happy about this. She called this woman a fraud.

[ShepherdontheRock]

A member of the NAACP that I know is not happy about this. She called this woman a fraud.

Neither are most of the black people I know either. They view her as a raging hypocrite who is the embodiment of everything the NAACP should be against. Can't say I blame them.

[shedemei]

Her parents didn't to do it just because. Multiple organizations had suspicions about her race and hate crime claims, including her university's oversight committee, local police, and other organizations she'd worked with. Someone hired a private investigator to look into it. That's when her parents either contacted local KREM news or KREM contacted them for an interview.

http://www.krem.com/story/news/local/sp ... /71043278/

http://m.spokesman.com/tags/rachel-dolezal/

I'd follow local news for developments instead of getting mostly secondhand info from others.

Edited for riffles.

[balsamicvinegar]

My only question is... why? What is she gaining from this?

[tropaka]

Well, she tried to cancel the NAACP meeting where she was to speak, and other members are questioning her ability to unilaterally cancel it

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/ ... -race.html

[Firiel]

My only question is... why? What is she gaining from this?

Social, political, and economic capital.

[Fascinated]

She has apparently resigned as president of the NAACP without addressing these allegations. Sorry, can't post the link.

[shedemei]

She has apparently resigned as president of the NAACP without addressing these allegations. Sorry, can't post the link.

Here's one from Spokane:

http://m.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jun ... l-resigns/

[Tenyari]

upworthy.com/a-black-trans-woman-explains-changing-gender-vs-changing-race

I found this to be very well said and explained

And I don't think Rachel Dolezal is delusional. She knew very well what she was doing and why.

[halcionne]

upworthy.com/a-black-trans-woman-explains-changing-gender-vs-changing-race

I found this to be very well said and explained

And I don't think Rachel Dolezal is delusional. She knew very well what she was doing and why.

Whew I'm glad I clicked. I thought you were defending her for a minute!

[tropaka]

just on the news here (CTV Canada) she previously sued her university for discriminating against her because she was white. Huh.