Racial Passing

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Can you ever imagine abandoning a family member just because of the color of their skin? Racial passing has been a common occurrence since the start of the 1800s. People pass for many reasons, some being social status, education, relationships, work opportunities, or simply a better life. Many big figures have used passing in their lives to help them achieve the reputation they have now. People have paid too much attention to how others view them when they associate themselves with mixed races instead of simply valuing the relationship they have. Anita Hemming gives an example of passing in her podcast, where she is passing to benefit her education. Desiree from “Desiree's Baby” by Kate Chopin also uses passing in her life, where she passes …show more content…
For God's sake, tell them it is not true. You must know that it is not true. I shall die. I must die. I cannot be so unhappy and live.” (Chopin, 29) Desiree wanted to commit suicide because Armand no longer believed that Desiree was white. While in Anita Hemmings story, she was still able to continue her academics, so after she returned to her hometown, she married a man who had also been passing in his life. These stories are examples of situations in which a loved one or friend turns out to be the person who ruins your life. This can also happen in any situation, for Hemmings, passing for her education, and Desiree, passing for the love of her husband. Passing was a huge component of the black population in the 1800s due to the racism they faced. "Desiree's Baby" differs from Anita Hemming's podcast because passing is used to be accepted in the characters' family life. Both Desiree and Anita Hemmings are blindsided by the passing of people they thought were some of their closest friends or family. Through the hard times both characters faced, they were both able to come back from them. Anita Hemmings graduated from Vassar and moved back home, where she met her husband and continued to build her

Essay about Black People and Conditions Decoding Essentialism

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Nella Larsen's Passing

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Comparing Passing And Red At The Bone

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