a lot of other people.
Identity is complicated, especially in Indigenous North American contexts. That’s a fact. But also a fact: Smith built a career on a presumed identity to progress in a scholarly field centered on issues related to that identity. An identity which she did not, no matter how you define “identity,” have.
Another scholar summarized it in a blog post from 2015:
For every scholarship she received as a Native person, for every honorarium she has received as an Indigenous speaker, for her book sales that a publisher sold as coming from a “Cherokee” author, those recognitions came at the expense of some student who wasn’t funded, some speaker who wasn’t invited, or some book by an Indigenous author that wasn’t bought. She spent years cultivating relationships with other powerful women of color to ensure her insider status.
It’s a very good piece, raises important issues related to contemporary academia, even as the author, not surprisingly, avoids the logical conclusions, which commenters are quick to finish off for her:
The layers of irony here are deep: people of one race claiming to be of another race, aided in their pursuits by scholarships carved out for specific races, who then cannot be fired because of their race, and who are then defended by those who say race is just a social construct. It would be a funny Monty Python skit if it weren’t, at root, about unethical people who have leveraged our society’s preoccupation with race for their own cynical advantage.
and
The author wonders why these things keep happening in academia. It’s simple: there is an incentive. Academia (humanities especially) is the epicenter of our confused obsession with identity, the place where people first cook up ideas about identity as constructed and performative and then complain when people are not ‘authentic.’
A trainwreck, to be sure.
But among the countless points I could take up here, the one I’ll focus on is authenticity and identity and the fact that, despite the hesitation of many of her colleagues, Smith, like the other academic ethnigrifters, is seen as a pretender.
She’s not really Cherokee. She can try to claim the identity, but she’s not Cherokee and she’s wrong to pretend.
Rachel Dolezol claimed to be Black for years. Problematic. Scandalous. Because Rachel Dolezol isn’t Black.
Kelly Jean Sharp claimed to be Chicana. Problematic. Scandalous. Resigned her Furman professorship under a cloud. Because Kelly Jean Sharp isn’t Chicana.
Let’s keep going.
Caitlyn Jenner isn’t a woman.
Elliot Page isn’t a man.
Medicate, amputate, gouge, dress how you will, you can’t change your sex.
If it’s a violation for academic ethnigrifters to claim another identity, if a white girl wearing a sari is cultural appropriation, then it is for damn sure that this is, too:
The CIAC allows biological males to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. As a result, two males began racing in girls’ track in 2017. In the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons alone, these males took 15 women’s state track championship titles (titles held in 2016 by nine different girls) and more than 85 opportunities to participate in higher level competitions that belonged to female track athletes.
That’s because males have massive physical advantages. Their bodies are simply bigger and stronger on average than female bodies. It’s obvious to every single girl on the track.
But Connecticut officials are determined to ignore the obvious. And unfortunately, a federal district court recently dismissed our case. The court’s decision to do so tells women and girls that their feelings and opportunities don’t matter, and that they can’t expect anyone to stand up for their dignity and their rights.
You’ve undoubtedly heard about that. But here’s the twist. After the piece’s initial appearance, USAToday edited it extensively to change “hurtful” language (my link is to the original).
What’s hurtful?
“Male.”
An Ovarit user did the work and helpfully compared the two versions:
Original: Instead, all I can think about is how all my training, everything I’ve done to maximize my performance, might not be enough, simply because there’s a runner on the line with an enormous physical advantage: a male body.
Changed: Instead, all I can think about is how all my training, everything I’ve done to maximize my performance, might not be enough, simply because there’s a transgender runner on the line with an enormous physical advantage.
Original: I’ve lost four women’s state championship titles, two all-New England awards, and numerous other spots on the podium to male runners. I was bumped to third place in the 55-meter dash in 2019, behind two male runners. With every loss, it gets harder and harder to try again.
Changed: I’ve lost four women’s state championship titles, two all-New England awards, and numerous other spots on the podium to transgender runners. I was bumped to third place in the 55-meter dash in 2019, behind two transgender runners. With every loss, it gets harder and harder to try again.
Original: The CIAC allows biological males to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. As a result, two males began racing in girls’ track in 2017. In the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons alone, these males took 15 women’s state track championship titles (titles held in 2016 by nine different girls) and more than 85 opportunities to participate in higher level competitions that belonged to female track athletes.
That’s because males have massive physical advantages. Their bodies are simply bigger and stronger on average than female bodies. It’s obvious to every single girl on the track.
Changed: The CIAC allows transgender athletes to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. As a result, two transgender athletes began racing in girls’ track in 2017. In the 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons alone, these runners took 15 women’s state track championship titles (titles held in 2016 by nine different girls) and more than 85 opportunities to participate in higher level competitions that belonged to female track athletes.
[ENTIRE SENTENCE REMOVED!!] Their bodies are simply bigger and stronger on average. It’s obvious to other girls on the track.
Original: I’ll never know how my own college recruitment was impacted by losing those four state championship titles to a male.
Changed: I’ll never know how my own college recruitment was impacted by losing those four state championship titles.
Original: My friend and fellow plaintiff Selina Soule was bumped from qualifying for the state championship 55-meter final and an opportunity to qualify for the New England championship by a male runner in 2019. Meanwhile, Alanna Smith, an incredibly talented female athlete, was the second-place female runner in the 200-meter at the New England Regional Championships, but was dropped to third behind a male competitor.
Changed: My friend and fellow plaintiff Selina Soule was bumped from qualifying for the state championship 55-meter final and an opportunity to qualify for the New England championship by a transgender runner in 2019. Meanwhile, Alanna Smith, an incredibly talented female athlete, was the second-place female runner in the 200-meter at the New England Regional Championships, but was dropped to third behind a transgender competitor.
More on these issues from me. And more coming. Because, as I keep hammering, this trans moment is peak misogyny on every level, from every angle.