Beyond Black and White: The Complexities of Racial Passing and “How Not to Be an Ally

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Abstract

Join Dr. Carolyn Coker Ross on the Inclusive Minds Podcast as she welcomes special guest Dr. Matthew Oware, a leading expert on race and culture. In this insightful episode, we delve into the complex topic of “reverse passing,” exploring cases of white individuals who identify and pass as Black. Drawing from his chapter “How Not to Be an Ally: Critical Race Theory, Afro-Pessimism, and White Women Who Pass as Black” from the book Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies, Dr. Oware unpacks how these phenomena relate to Critical Race Theory and the notion of race as a social construct.

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • Unpacking “Reverse Passing”: Dr. Matthew Oware defines and discusses “reverse passing,” where white individuals identify and perform as Black, examining how this phenomenon, exemplified by Rachel Dolezal, relates to Critical Race Theory and the social construction of race.
  • Allyship vs. Appropriation: The episode explores why such acts are considered cultural appropriation and racist, highlighting how individuals gain financial and personal benefits by performing Blackness, contrasting this with authentic allyship in the fight against institutionalized racism.
  • Rap as a Cultural Lens: Dr. Oware also delves into his work on millennial rap music, showcasing how artists like Kendrick Lamar address themes of vulnerability and intergenerational trauma, providing a powerful window into contemporary American society and facilitating deeper conversations about race, gender, and social consciousness.

Matthew Oware is the Irving May Endowed Chair in Sociology at the University of Richmond. He holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University Bloomington. His research explores how race and gender are constructed in popular culture, with a focus on Black masculinity, the Black family, and African American expressive culture. Oware is the author of I Got Something to Say: Race, Gender, and Social Consciousness in Rap Music, which analyzes the lyrics of millennial rap artists. His work has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, Journal of Black Studies, and Sociology of Race and Ethnicity.

You may listen to the podcast above or stream the podcast here: https://carolynrossmd.com/beyond-black-and-white-the-complexities-of-racial-passing-and-how-not-to-be-an-ally/

Document Type

Podcast

Publication Date

7-21-2025

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2009-2022 - Carolyn Coker Ross, MD, MPH

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