Imagine this:

White people who claim that they are actually trans ethnic. That they feel as if they were born into the wrong skin, that deep down inside they just ‘feel’ African American. When asked to elaborate on said ‘feeling’ they talk about how much they’ve always loved Beyonce and Kanye West, and how they could dance better than other white people and it made them feel alienated. How they always loved fried chicken and watermelon, how they loved playing doubledutch.

They begin to transition, by wearing snapbacks and Nike slip-ons. They learn how to play basketball. They start wearing crochet braids and getting weaves as a part of their transition.

They start telling Black people that we need to check our privilege. They had to grow up listening to pop and wearing khaki shorts because their moms wouldn’t let them watch BET or listen to rap music, THEY didn’t get to go to Baptist church and hear the choir sing. THEY didn’t get to go to an intercity school, their Blackness wasn’t handed to them on a silver platter. THEY didn’t get to wear a bonnet to bed at night. THEY didn’t get to experience racism-experiencing racism is a validating part of their transition, because it means that they’re passing as Black.

Then they start demanding access to Black spaces. Every conversation on natural hair and melanin must now be inclusive for trans ethnic white people and you’re bigoted for talking about your experiences growing up with natural hair- it’s triggering and rude.

Trans ethnic people are now telling Black people what it means to REALLY be Black, that there is no such thing as ‘race-based oppression’ because race doesn’t exist, that there is only oppression for LIKING things associated with Black people. That Black people are REALLY oppressed for liking rap music, speaking AAVE, and liking snapbacks, that’s all.

Then they start telling weird Black kids that they’re actually white for liking punk music. They start encouraging Black scene kids to start their transition as early as possible and to beg their parents for skin-lightening treatments and nose surgery as soon as possible. Any child who doesn’t like fried chicken or hot sauce or watermelon might actually be trans ethnic. Don’t abuse your kids by forcing them to eat traditional Black foods- take them to Whole Foods and those gentrified vegan cupcake shops, and encourage their racial identity.

Race is really a spectrum, you know. Don’t let anyone invalidate your racial identity.

Raceless people exist. You have to ask for someones preferred racial identity before addressing them.

Black people who don’t accept trans ethnic white people just because they weren’t ‘born Black’ are bigots. Just because white people didn’t grow up experiencing racism, getting spit on or beat up by cops, being denied jobs because of their Black names, didn’t live in ghettos, didn’t have to go through summers with no air, DOESN’T MEAN THEY AREN’T BLACK BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU THINK BLACK PEOPLE SHOULD EXPERIENCE. Trans ethnic white peoples experiences with unseasoned chicken and no washcloths are valid too, and their past doesn’t make them any less Black.

This is how stupid trans activists sound to me, a Black woman.