--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People didn't seem able to consider that…" description: "\"People didn't seem able to consider that maybe both were true. OK, I was born to white parents, but maybe I had an authentic black identity.\" — Rachel ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/rachel-dolezal-12300_black_people-didn-t-seem-able-to-consider-that_2258621.jpg" --- # People didn't seem able to consider that maybe both were… ![“People didn't seem able to consider that maybe both were true. OK, I was born to white parents, but maybe I had an authentic black identity.” quote by Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/rachel-dolezal-12300_black_people-didn-t-seem-able-to-consider-that_2258621.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/rachel-dolezal-12300_black_people-didn-t-seem-able-to-consider-that_2258621.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ea/rachel-dolezal-12300_black_people-didn-t-seem-able-to-consider-that_2258621.jpg) > “People didn't seem able to consider that maybe both were true. OK, I was born to white parents, but maybe I had an authentic black identity.” [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity can be complex, allowing individuals to feel authentic beyond assigned categories. **In simple terms:** Identity can be beyond assigned. Key Takeaway Respect personal identity experiences. Themes identity authenticity race Mood thoughtful concerned Type sociological conversational When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace diversity - social activism - education Key Concepts sociology psychology culture Questions to Reflect On - How do we navigate identity authenticity and social perception? - What responsibilities accompany self-identification? A Different Perspective Societal structures may resist nontraditional identity narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-identity/) [Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Born White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-white-2161602/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Maybe Authentic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-authentic-5188836/) [Maybe True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-true-448676/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-maybe-617120/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) ## Related quotes > [If you read some of the recent literature, there is no such thing as whiteness. But we made it up. Not my original thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-popovich/if-you-read-some-of-the-recent-literature-there-is-no-such-thing-as/) [Gregg Popovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-popovich/) > [I sort of locked into the idea that if I could be the perfect son to both of my parents, well maybe that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/i-sort-of-locked-into-the-idea-that-if-i-could-be-the-perfect-son-to/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [I always travel with my coach and with my physio. And then when I'm in Europe, my parents, maybe they come to events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garbine-muguruza/i-always-travel-with-my-coach-and-with-my-physio-and-then-when-i-m-in/) [Garbine Muguruza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garbine-muguruza/) > [“Cassian, I think, would also savour the opportunity to shred their entire court to pieces. Starting with my parents. Maybe I'll let him do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/cassian-i-think-would-also-savour-the-opportunity-to-shred-their/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [I never posted pictures with my parents, maybe one with my brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/i-never-posted-pictures-with-my-parents-maybe-one-with-my-brother/) [Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/) > [If you were born white, you automatically have a monstrous advantage educationally, economically, culturally, and within the society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-popovich/if-you-were-born-white-you-automatically-have-a-monstrous-advantage/) [Gregg Popovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-popovich/) > [Because if you weren't born white, you were forced to see differences; or if you weren't born what they called normal, or if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-marmon-silko/because-if-you-weren-t-born-white-you-were-forced-to-see-differences/) [Leslie Marmon Silko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-marmon-silko/) > [“And finally this, when the sun was falling down so beautiful we didn’t have time to give it a name, she held the child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/and-finally-this-when-the-sun-was-falling-down-so-beautiful-we-didn-t/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Here was an unknown quantity-a child in breeches with a blue scarf wound around his neck whose job it was to get them out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-findley/here-was-an-unknown-quantity-a-child-in-breeches-with-a-blue-scarf/) [Timothy Findley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-findley/) > [There is a reason why one man is born black and with other disadvantages, while another is born white with great advantages. The reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fielding-smith/there-is-a-reason-why-one-man-is-born-black-and-with-other/) [Joseph Fielding Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fielding-smith/) > [I just don't know when, as a society... it sort of only became OK to represent gay people in the traditional sense, where they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-gavaris/i-just-don-t-know-when-as-a-society-it-sort-of-only-became-ok-to/) [Jordan Gavaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-gavaris/) > [“Serafina said, 'Have you been married, Mr Scoresby? Have you any children?' 'No, ma'am, I have no child, though I would have liked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/serafina-said-have-you-been-married-mr-scoresby-have-you-any-children/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [You realize how much the relationship when kids are young can suffer. And it's important to make sure that you are able to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/you-realize-how-much-the-relationship-when-kids-are-young-can-suffer/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [A lot of teenagers have parents that are maybe a little too real with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-damiano/a-lot-of-teenagers-have-parents-that-are-maybe-a-little-too-real-with/) [Jennifer Damiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-damiano/) > [Our parents will maybe sometimes when they are upset with us and we have been troublesome say something like "Mommy really doesn't like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/our-parents-will-maybe-sometimes-when-they-are-upset-with-us-and-we/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## More by Rachel Dolezal > [My husband didn't want me to wear any black hairstyles. Nicole Kidman was his standard of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/my-husband-didn-t-want-me-to-wear-any-black-hairstyles-nicole-kidman/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [Blackness better defines who I am philosophically and socially than whiteness does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/blackness-better-defines-who-i-am-philosophically-and-socially-than/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [You can't just say in one sentence what is blackness or what is black culture or what makes you who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/you-can-t-just-say-in-one-sentence-what-is-blackness-or-what-is-black/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [I did work and bought all my own clothes and shoes since I was 9 years old. That's not a typical American childhood life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/i-did-work-and-bought-all-my-own-clothes-and-shoes-since-i-was-9/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [I don't believe in reverse racism. I really don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/i-don-t-believe-in-reverse-racism-i-really-don-t/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [It's a painful thing to talk about my childhood. I kind of don't talk about it much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/it-s-a-painful-thing-to-talk-about-my-childhood-i-kind-of-don-t-talk/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [Race is such a contentious issue because of the painful history of racism. Race didn't create racism, but racism created race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/race-is-such-a-contentious-issue-because-of-the-painful-history-of/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [Everybody's life matters. But that's why we have to say black lives matter, because the highest disproportionality, police brutality, disenfranchisement, education disproportionality in school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/everybody-s-life-matters-but-that-s-why-we-have-to-say-black-lives/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [Any man can be a father; not any man can be a dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/any-man-can-be-a-father-not-any-man-can-be-a-dad/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [I have a huge issue with blackface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/i-have-a-huge-issue-with-blackface/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [I definitely feel like, in America, even though race is a social construct... there's still a line drawn in the sand; there still are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/i-definitely-feel-like-in-america-even-though-race-is-a-social/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [The system of racial classification is fiction, and we need to thoughtfully evaluate whether perpetuating it rigidly or allowing fluidity across the spectrum best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/the-system-of-racial-classification-is-fiction-and-we-need-to/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [Nothing about being white describes who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/nothing-about-being-white-describes-who-i-am/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [Overall, my life has been one of survival, and the decisions that I have made along the way, including my identification, have been to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/overall-my-life-has-been-one-of-survival-and-the-decisions-that-i/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [As long as I can remember, I saw myself as black. I was socially conditioned to discard that. It was an all-white town. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-saw-myself-as-black-i-was-socially/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) [Explore all 55 Rachel Dolezal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People didn't seem able to consider that maybe both were true. 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