Racial transformation

Racial transformation is the process by which someone changes their appearance with respect to race, either from their current race to another race or to a new category. These changes are currently done though a variety of methods including surgery or chemical treatments.

Racial transformation is similar to passing; however, it requires someone attempt a medical procedure, rather than lying about one's race in the case of Johnny Otis (a Greek who claimed to be African American)Fact|date=February 2008 or a physical disguise such as in the movie "White Chicks". Racial transformation refers to something surgical, medical, or an attempt at permanence.

Attempted full physical transformation is exceedingly rare, but some see a number of controversial appearance-changing practices as motivated by racial assimilationFact|date=August 2008, though most practicing them say their motivation is purely aesthetic.Fact|date=August 2008

Race choice and transformation in pop culture

Fictional studies of race choice and transformation have often occurred in drama and literature and especially in works of science fiction. In Greg Bear's books "Eon" and "Eternity", new human consciousness is created in a virtual realm and the parents choose the race of their children when it is time for them to be 'birthed' into the real physical world. In this work as well, many humans do not conform to the standard human shape and choose a variety of form and sizes in which to exist both in the physical world and in the virtually.

In an episode of the animated TV show "South Park", Kyle tries out for the basketball team, but is not very good. Wanting to be better, he goes to a plastic surgeon and asks if there is a surgery to make him tall and black. The doctor recommends a "negroplasty" for Kyle. The surgery is done, but Kyle's knees bust during the basketball game. The doctor decides to revert him back to his normal white self, for a "small fee".

In another example, the movie "Soul Man" from 1986 involved race transformation of a white applicant to Harvard Law School. Unable to pay for tuition, the main character received a scholarship under the pretense of being black. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091991/]

University studies

University of California, Berkeley offers a course on racial transformation, including references to Michael Jackson. [http://english.berkeley.edu/courses/fall03r1ar1b.html]

Cosmetics

Hair texture and color can have racial undertones, and straightening or coloring has been seen by the Black is Beautiful movement as an attempt at racial assimilation.

Skin whitening, often with harsh and potentially dangerous bleaches, is common in some parts of the world particularly in China, and some parts in Asia, Africa and Jamaica.

Plastic surgery

Some plastic surgery procedures, such as Asian blepharoplasty, a surgical process designed to create an upper eyelid crease in people of East Asian descent, or rhinoplasty to change the appearance of an "ethnic" nose, can also be seen in a racial context.

See also

* Black Like Me
* Black. White.
* Black is beautiful