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The Rachel Divide - netflix

53 replies

theaveragewife · 27/04/2018 19:34

The Rachel Dolezal documentary is out on Netflix today, thought it may provide some interesting insights - I’ll be watching shortly!

OP posts:
OvaHere · 28/04/2018 23:15

Can someone tell me the title please?I can't find it on Netflix uk.

Not just me then! The title is The Rachel Divide.

TripleRainbow · 28/04/2018 23:18

When I tried to find it by searching Rachel... it didn't come up, but when I entered The Rachel Divide it did.

Greymisty · 28/04/2018 23:26

It's understandable to a degree that she will identify with the black community it's how she's built her family but she crosses the line with 'I'm black'. I wish she would do some reflection to unlock how (as she claims) even as child she felt black.

Maybe her "transracial" identity comes in part from how her parents othered her, then they adopted several black kids who they treated equally badly and othered. Meanwhile the oldest child, a white son, was a blessed gift from god and she could never get the status her brother had.

NeedAGoodBook · 28/04/2018 23:31

Just watching it now, 10 minutes in. Everybody in her life is black but that doesn't justify the delusion, or the deception.

She's pregnant!? She brought another child in to her delusion? Oh dear.

TripleRainbow · 28/04/2018 23:35

She could have been a great ally to the black community and understandably want to given she has black children, but to claim she is actually black is offensive.

I always thought it strange that her parents joined in with the public shaming. This documentary explains why they did that.

It's terribly sad that she and her sister were not able to get justice for the sexual abuse they suffered from their brother. For what it is worth, I believe them both.

FrancisUnderwood · 28/04/2018 23:40

I'm just watching this as I type, it came up right at the top of Netflix for me, that's how I saw it (I'm UK).

Agree with so many other posters, whatever's going on with Rachel, her children are being so damaged by this, and they're so astute, emotionally intelligent and deserving of better.

I hope they find their own ways.

FrancisUnderwood · 28/04/2018 23:44

And it is a constant narrative of 'Me, I, My, Mine'.

NeedAGoodBook · 29/04/2018 00:00

Will watch second half tomorrow.

Larry and Ruthanne Dolezal have a lot to answer for.

OohMavis · 29/04/2018 08:03

Larry and Ruthanne Dolezal have a lot to answer for.

Yes. Disgusting creatures.

NeedAGoodBook · 29/04/2018 08:11

I feel a lot more understanding towards Rachel now. At such a young age they represented Bad, and were cruel to her and to her black siblings. She picked a side. She REALLY REALLY picked a side.

And when your parents raise you invalidating all of your needs, you feel like a vacuum. She just got it all mixed up in her head.

Going to watch the end now.

MsBeaujangles · 29/04/2018 09:05

I watched it last night and am struggling even more to understand why people think trans race issues are significantly different to trans gender ones. I didn't spot anything about race in this show where parallels with gender couldn't be drawn.

Can someone share the arguments that underpin the view that trans gender and trans race are different phenomena.

Gileswithachainsaw · 29/04/2018 09:29

No it's basically the same isn't it. But instead if things like the black woman in the lecture was saying about being stopped by the police and racial profiling it's being harassed and body shamed slut shamed and rape culture etc. It's just so bloody insulting because you identify out if it.

Maybe the reason it's so acceptable compared to transgender is that racism is a hate crime. And rightfully so but people are usually a bit more careful with how they talk about it what they teach about colour. Almost to the point of being afraid to mention someome is black or Asian or whatever. But no one really cares about women they never have and probably never will. And nothing against women is considered a hate crime.

Gileswithachainsaw · 29/04/2018 09:29

You can't identify

NeedAGoodBook · 29/04/2018 16:06

I drew parallels as well. A trans MtoF has not faced the same obstacles as a woman amd shouldnt have a job to further women's interests.

gendercritter · 29/04/2018 22:18

I'm only half way through but despite generally being an empathetic person, I'm really not feeling for her at all. I'm seeing someone narcissistic and someone who is trying to appropriate other peoples' oppression for sympathy. Black women aren't free to decide not to be black. No one would buy that. It was very interesting how free they felt to speak up and say that, when one can't voice the same opinion about wearing woman as a costume. There wasn't any threat of violence hanging over their heads for being disapproving.

I strongly suspect RD wrote the hate mail to herself and when the story broke I read a magazine article about how she'd done various artworks, many of which were copied from famous artists and which she was also passing off as her own. In a way I'm glad she exists because her situation has so many parallels with the transgender argument. But I feel so sorry for her children and for the people in the black community who she lied to before the story broke. Being black isn't a costume anymore than being a woman is.

NeedAGoodBook · 29/04/2018 22:23

That is true. But you have to wonder WHY she is damaged enough to be carrying on like this.

she said she is never going to be that 18 year old wearing an amish dress again. It's obviously she is rejecting her parents and rejecting her childhood, but clearly when she does that, she felt so empty that there was nothing left. Like, she had to appropriate something tangible. She couldn't just be a white woman who'd rejected her family.

I've heard that people who've been abused feel like they are RE-claiming their own body back when they have tattoos or piercings and I thought of that. Obviously it is massively disrespectful but she is a damaged person who has never had therapy.

DarthArts · 29/04/2018 22:40

Thanks for the heads up.

Am about to start watching.....

DarthArts · 30/04/2018 01:48

Okay....

Where to start?

My overwhelming view is that she's an emotionally damaged individual. It's clear her upbringing was extremely difficult.

I think she did her utmost to support her adoptive siblings (one of whom became her son) and that her relationship with her biological family is toxic.

She's obviously a very talented artist. I thought that some of her work was very beautiful.

I think (until this scandal) she's been a good mother. Her children are a credit to her.

However, I don't feel empathy for the position she's in now.

I feel desperately sad for her children; it's obvious they feel tremendous angst and distress especially about her determination to perpetuate her agenda, whilst still loving and trying to be "loyal" to her.

It feels like a spotlight on how one persons determination to "self identify" creates a massive ripple effect as you throw a rock in a lake, yet the expectation is that they remain in the calm centre, ignoring the tsunami they've created for everyone around them.

Overall, informative but very sad viewing Sad

PatchworkWomble · 30/04/2018 02:52

I've watched about half so far and it's very interesting. Her children are lovely so she's obviously done something right there.

I have to say that I'm even more convinced now that being trans-anyone is either OK or it is not. Regardless of whether it is about colour, gender or disability. I think it all stems from the same place and I cannot understand why it is OK to identify as a different gender but not a different race or to be able bodied yet use a disability aid and desire a disability. The same arguments apply to all.

I think all should be treated with compassion and not hostility, that goes without saying. Part of the compassion, in my mind, is providing the relevant support in helping unpick the past and pin pointing what the catalyst was for rejecting the body you were born with. And perhaps that is a lacking area?

Transpeaked · 30/04/2018 10:46

I found it incredibly sad and angering at the same time. I saw many parallels between her conversations with the wider African American community, her defense of her position and her wilful denial of reality as I do with TRA lobby. I also felt very sad for her. I feel very sad for her children. She needs help - she’s been through a very tough childhood but it’s doesn excuse her actions - she’s lacking in empathy.

MonsoonMama · 30/04/2018 10:50

The Rachel Divide

OhHolyJesus · 10/05/2018 22:50

Watched the whole doc and haven't RTHT but one thing stood out for me.

An interview with a black lady and she said something about how identifying as black is the ultimate in white privilege. Because basically it wouldn't work the other way around and I'm also thinking how about the trans debate and how self ID doesn't make you biologically different.

It was very thought provoking and ultimately I feel sorry for what she has suffered in her past but that she has made some very bad choices since that she cannot blame on how she self ID's.

Cistersaredoingitforthemselves · 10/05/2018 23:02

I have watched 3/4 of it ( had to make tea then life happened)

She was interviewed by a black guy who says he identifies as a white woman...? Am I correct? Did I hear that right?

SeaWitchly · 11/05/2018 08:00

I watched the documentary and was was wondering who her children's father or fathers are?
Her eldest son is her adopted sibling... is that right?
Her second son may be from a previous relationship.... but her newborn child? They did not mention a current or recent relationship in the documentary [unless I missed this]???

postwoman · 13/05/2018 06:46

@SeaWitchly she said it was from a brief relationship she had and that he did not want to be involved in the child's life.

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