[Ads-l] Early WOTY nominee: "transracial" (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Mullins, Bill CIV (US)]

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

I've seen some commentary that "transracial" as applied to Dolezal is incorrect, because it is supposed to refer only to usage associated with interracial adoptions.  But current Dolezal situation seems to be trumping that.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On
> Behalf Of Bonnie Taylor-Blake
> Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 12:03 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Early WOTY nominee: "transracial"
> 
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header ---------------
> --------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Bonnie Taylor-Blake <b.taylorblake at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Early WOTY nominee: "transracial"
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
> 
> I know "transracial" has been around for several decades, with its most
> prominent usage applied to interracial adoptions, generally of black
> children by white parents.
> 
> But the word now seems to be gaining a usage with respect to the
> situation of Rachel Dolezal, born white and now living as and
> considering herself to be black.
> 
> No doubt this new (?) usage has been influenced by the uptick in usage
> of "transgender" because of the recent transition of Caitlyn Jenner
> from male to female.  The view seems to be that Dolezal has
> "transitioned" (or has been attempting to transition) from white to
> black, hence "transracial."
> 
> Or have I simply missed earlier instances of "transracial" used in the
> sense of, well, "passing"?
> 
> -- Bonnie
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org