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COLOR-BLIND RACISM

How Color-blind Racism Hurts Black Children Adopted by White Parents

Navigating color-blind racism in transracial families

Dr. Allison Wiltz

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Woman looking at her reflection in a mirror | Photo by Mihman Duğanlı via Pexels

Color-blind racism — the flawed and insidious belief that race does not impact our lives and experiences is a pressing social problem. Those who endorse this ideology claim that de-emphasizing group membership will alleviate racial disparities, a concept social scientists refer to as color evasion. However, this supposed unawareness of racial privilege, denial of institutional racism, and indifference to blatant racial issues perpetuate the racial hierarchy. This is especially disturbing when we consider the impact on Black children adopted by White parents who claim they "don't see race." Let's explore the problematic implications.

UFC fighter Michael Chandler's approach to parenting his two Black adopted sons, as discussed on the Shawn Ryan Show, serves as a prime example. While Chandler acknowledged he'd received difficult questions about their skin color, he asserted he's "not raising Black children." However, the notion of a White couple raising Black children while refusing to acknowledge the pervaisive influence of racism throughout their lives is irresponsible and dismissive. Shouldn't a child be able to express their experiences with racism to a…

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Dr. Allison Wiltz
Dr. Allison Wiltz

Written by Dr. Allison Wiltz

Black womanist scholar with a PhD from New Orleans, LA with bylines in Oprah Daily, Momentum, ZORA, Cultured. #WEOC Founder

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