"When I heard about Rachel Dolezal on Twitter, my first reaction was, "Wow, I've seen this movie. It's Soul Man."
These are the first words from Talib Kweli about the Rachel Dolezal scandal. The rapper/activist wrote a personal essay for Rolling Stone regarding the issue, and like many, he doesn't agree with Rachel's choice to "identify as Black." "She's said she identifies as black. Cool story, but that's not a real thing – because at any time, she could go back. That is a privilege that people of color do not have." Talib goes on to say that her statement was "very disrespectful" and brings up the time she sued Howard University for discrimination. "She has a history of taking advantage of the situation."
Talib even spoke on the hot button topic of transgendered people, bringing up the Jenner patriarch specifically. "I've seen people asking, "Well, why can Caitlyn Jenner identify as a woman?" I'm no expert, but it seems to me that there's scientific evidence that shows that people can be born with a gender identity that they don't identify with...But I haven't seen any scientific evidence – and I looked – that says you can be born one race and identify as another."
Do you feel Talib's argument is valid? Because according to him, Rachel is "not a friend or an ally to the movement," but rather an enemy to Black people who don't identify with her "in any way, shape, or form." Share your thoughts with us below.
Source: Rolling Stone
