Barack Obama Is Black If He Says He’s Black

“Ever since he announced he was running for president, Barack Obama‘s blackness has been questioned. Now that he’s about to be president, some people won’t let it go. It started with the silly question of whether Obama was black enough. Back in early 2007, Hillary Clinton was winning the majority of the black vote in opinion polls, and some pundits pushed the ridiculous idea that Obama couldn’t compete with the Clintons in the black community. … While technically Obama is biracial, his racial identity is really whatever race with which he chooses to identify. He identifies as black and, for all intents and purposes, that makes him black.

“The idea that blacks with white blood in them must only be called multiracial instead of black is just as silly as the idea that whites with one drop of black blood in them are black. This is especially true in a culture where most African Americans also have white blood in their ancestry. If the whole conversation about race is based on socially constructed fiction, why shouldn’t Obama be able to identify with whatever aspect of his identity he chooses?” [Keith Boykin, The Daily Voice]

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated