Let’s Talk About “White Passing”

Illustration by Kaiya Moultrie

Theimagine feeling out of place in your culture. Imagine feeling uncomfortable around people similar to you based only on people’s perception. Unfortunately, this is the case for many people of color who have experienced the toxic effects of ‘white passing’.

The concept of ‘white passing’ varies by community, but the core concept remains the same: some people of color are considered ‘white’ by the rest of society based on their environment and outside perceptions.

According to PureWow Journalist, Chelsea Candelario, “White-passing is when someone perceives a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and Person of Color) as a white person. Some BIPOC people labeled as white passers are considered to have more privilege than other individuals in their community.”

This labeling can take different forms, such as being questioned, accused or even alienated from a certain group. This issue is prevalent within many multicultural groups and communities, and it is important to raise awareness and speak up for those who may not feel comfortable doing so themselves.

History of the White Pass

Cases of white passing date back centuries. For the African American community, the idea of ​​passing as white can be traced back to the 18th century and the pre-Civil War era. Within a country practically obsessed with the idea of ​​racial segregation and difference, many people in the African American community used the idea of ​​passing as white as an escape from their environment.

Allyson Hobbs, author of “A Chosen Exile: The Story of Racial Transition in American Life,” wrote about the history of white death within the African American community. Hobbs is explained about how passing as white in the antebellum South during the eighteenth century was a tactic used to escape slavery. While this opened up opportunities, many people, as a result, felt isolated and unwanted within the African American community.

“After emancipation, many African Americans came to regard passage as a form of treason… passage became an opportunity to defy Jim Crow and strike out on their own,” Hobbs wrote.

What appeared to some as a means of escape and freedom was seen as an act of betrayal, resulting in people feeling lonely and isolated – contrary to the ‘rewards’ the idea initially seemed to bring.

The White Passage in the Modern Era

The white pass is different for everyone who can experience it. For Jazmin Berduo Morales, a second-year Computer Security major at RIT, going white has not only made her uncomfortable in social situations, but also within her Latin American roots.

“This is when a person of color — it doesn’t matter what range — is considered more like a white person,” Berduo Morales explained. “They can be more educated, mature, professional and do things outside of their culture; sometimes it’s the outward appearance. sometimes it’s the way you act.”

“They can be more educated, mature, professional and do things outside of their culture; sometimes it’s the look, sometimes it’s the way you act.”

Berduo Morales moved from an area with a large Latin American population to a country where the majority of the community was white and African American. In doing so, she became the “whitest Hispanic person” among her white and African-American friends.

This conclusion stemmed from the fact that she was going out and doing things associated with being white and related to the notion that there are certain stigmas associated with different groups. For example, many Asian families place a lot of importance on education, while other cultures—especially Hispanic—operate a little differently. When someone doesn’t necessarily fit the ‘stigma’ of their culture, they are more often seen as ‘white.’

“Black people are seen as wild, uneducated and hold lower-class jobs,” explained Berduo Morales. “Many Hispanics don’t finish or go to college.”

While some groups may experience instances of white-passing on a cultural level, the individual experience varies from person to person, depending on perceptions and external pressures.

Unspoken issue

Associating a person of color with being white is extremely damaging to their identity. Getting caught in this ‘in-between’ leads to some people not feeling comfortable in any group, even their own.

“Sometimes, even on campus, I don’t want to go to some [Latin American] events because of that space,” Berduo Morales said. “It feels like I don’t fit into either spectrum.”

White-passing not only plasters a false identity on the people who experience it, it puts people in the middle of a cultural divide and can have an impact on their personal identity.

While this issue has received more attention in the world of film, such as with the 1959 film The Imitation of Life, or more recently the 2021 Netflix the film “Passing”, is still a problem that is not talked about enough.

“It’s everyone’s perception…their perception is what makes us feel white.”

Many people feel uncomfortable in situations where they don’t feel like they belong. According to Berduo Morales, the best thing to do is reach out to your friends who are POC and make sure they’re comfortable.

Additionally, many people often feel judged if they feel out of place or like they don’t belong. Making sure they don’t feel judged and cultivating a safe space for discussion will allow you to offer them support in these situations.

Since many people of color may not have the courage to speak up, it is important to recognize these intimidating situations and be there for those who are going through much more than they can express.