There are many rats amidst Rachel Dolezal’s curious conversations about race, one of which is her biological parents’ desire to expose her lies. For those that missed the melee, Dolezal heads the NAACP chapter in Spokane, Washington, and she has allegedly misrepresented her race as black for much of her life. Her parents outed her claims, releasing pictures of their daughter as a freckle-faced white, blonde. It’s believed that Dolezal changed her hair texture and skin tone, along with lying about her own father’s race to perpetuate her public persona. Her black “father,” Albert Wilkerson Jr., has since come forward denying their relation. As for why her parents are so motivated to out their daughter’s lies, Dolezal believes it surrounds a molestation scandal and their subsequent estrangement.
Though the public would like to make this about race, it’s really about our desire to hold people accountable for their lies. It’s also about our voyeuristic approach to the delusions of others, along with our passion for pointing fingers. Like everyone else, I’d like to see a liar brought to justice under a public microscope.Does it hurt anyone to mis-identify race? Is it “black-face,” as many have suggested? Is it disrespectful to the black community? I’m not so sure. What I am sure of; however, is it is very, very weird, and I’d like an explanation.