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Transethnicity/Transracial/Transnational thoughts….

raybg89:

My anthropology class is talking about “ethnicity” /”race” / and the “nation”…..and I am starting to have some questions.

I know some people identify as transracial or transnational due to international adoption - and I’m wondering if transethnic would also fit into that category - but not the definition in which people feel they are an “asian” trapped in a white person’s body. Ethnicity and race are often seen as inexplicably intertwined when that’s not the case (although both are social constructs).

I am perceived as “Asian” (race) and my ethnicity is Filipino - some people think that A must lead to B (Filipino means brown skin and “Filipino features/culture etc.”) but I feel that isn’t always the case and that they can be very different. Due to my diaspora I am distanced from my Filipino cultures/languages/religions etc. At the same time - I only identify as Filipino because my parents “come” from the Philippines and genealogically I have some Spanish and Chinese ancestry. What then is my ethnicity based on aside from location? I grew up in Canada most of my life and although I am trying to reconnect with my family roots within “Philippines” I am not that familiar with it entirely. When i was young I would identify ethnically as “Canadian” as there is a construct of what being “Canadian (or in this case Filipino-Canadian) means (speaking English, hockey, snow etc.) Only now am I slowly rediscovering my Filipino roots and am trying to reclaim what it means to me when people ask me “What is your ethnicity.”

So…

If I happen to “pass” as white (because race is a social position based on “observable physical characteristics - skin color/features”) I am still Filipino - one that experiences white privilege. What word describes that? So is it possible for someone to be perceived as “white” yet identify with an ethnicity that most people don’t associate with “whiteness?” (due to race still thought of as biological) (through adoption or through passing privilege?).

That is to say a “white” European child adopted by a Filipino family within the Philippines and raised within a specific culture (there are many in the Philippines) may consider himself ethnically as Filipino but racially he is white. Does this classify as transethnicity?

I have hard time understanding transracial (if it occurs due to passing privilege) and transethnicity. I feel that transethnicity//transracial are terms used to combat the assumption that race and/or ethnicity are solidly fixed within boundaries of certain categories (territory, religion, ancestry, “race,” “ethnicity” etc.)…so I wanted to just write down my thoughts. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this as well.

Hold the fucking phone.

‘Transracial’ denotes, connotes, and signifies children of color adopted by white families. Given the white supremacist nature of the adoption industry, these systemic transactions only go in one direction.

(white European kids being adopted by Asians? HAHAAA good one :P)

It does NOT mean nor has EVER meant that we’re somehow white inside, or that we identify as ‘white’.

‘Transracial’ is more of a generic term than it is an identity, but whenever it does encompass identity, it’s a POLITICAL state for adoptees who are cognizant of the racist imperialism utterly inherent in contemporary adoption that dictates we must be ‘rescued’ by our oppressors.

IT DOESN’T MEAN WE THINK WE’RE A DIFFERENT RACE THAN THE ONE WE ARE are you fucking kidding me

You’re completely misguided as to what ‘transracial’ is outside it’s bullshit appropriated context.

On that note, here’s what ‘Transethnic’ is actually about.

(No, they’re not the same things, of course, RACE=/=ETHNICITY=/=CULTURE=/=NATIONALITY etc.)

Look I’m not mad at you, I know this the fault of dumbshit white kids trying to paint on scars to wounds they’ve never had.

But one would think the fact that ‘transracial’ officially predates these sheltered racist hijackers by DECADES would be enough to tip ppl off…i mean c’mon, Google is your friend.

and really, don’t ever mention ‘adoption’ in the same breath as ‘passing privilege’. jfc you’ve really no clue, here grab some.

Adoption and Designer babies

jigglemahpuffslikearealnigga:

That korean post is not the first time that one, the US participates in illegal, harmful adoptions from POC nations. It kinda happens a lot. Like during the earthquake in Haiti were people were adopting and shipping out children who’s parents were looking for them all over the place, some thinking they were dead. And two, where people, again usually white, defend this stuff.

The assumption that the POC children will be better in America with a white family is just mind boggling. How dare you think that their parent’s are unfit with no bases? I am all for getting children into safe homes but stealing children is fucked up and ILLEGAL! 

And you think the fetishing couldn’t get better. We actually have a term, designer babies, for people who adopt Asian or African children and show them off like handbags. You dehumanizing shit stains.

Ughhh

(Source: ratchetpussynvrtastedsosweet)