MSNBC Host Melissa Harris-Perry: Is It Possible Rachel Dolezal Might Actually Be Black?

NAACP Spokane-Chapter President Rachel Dolezal has been the hot news item for the past few days now, and for good reason. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Dolezal falsely portrayed herself as African-American when, in fact, she is caucasian. The news regarding this happening came about when Dolezal’s own parents, Ruthanne and Larry, came forward.

“It’s very sad that Rachel has not just been herself. Her effectiveness in the causes of the African-American community would have been so much more viable, and she would have been more effective if she had just been honest with everybody.”

Now, MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry wonders if Dolezal may actually be black. Her reasoning, per The Blaze, is that some people are “born cis-gendered,” so why can’t some people who aren’t technically born black, be black?

“But is it possible that she might actually be black? The best way that I know how to describe this and I want to be very careful here. Because I don’t want to say it’s equivalent to the transgender experience.”

“But there is a useful language in trans and cis, which is to just to say some of us are born cis-gendered, some of us are born trans-gendered. But I wonder can it be that one would be cis-black and trans-black, that there is actually a different category of blackness, about the achievement of blackness, despite one’s parentage?”

Harris-Perry’s guest that night, Allyson Hobbs, agreed with the MSNBC host that it is “absolutely possible” for Dolezal to “authentically” identify as black.

Here’s the short clip detailing the interaction.

According to Mediaite, MSNBC’s ratings have fallen to an all-time low, and they have never been considered the go-to news outlet for most political junkies. The network has been known for making outlandish statements in the past, and this instance is more likely than not a play for attention.

Host Harris-Perry herself has come under fire numerous times for her interpretation of the day’s politics. Here she is in 2013 donning the infamous tampon earrings in protest of the state of Texas’ 20-week abortion bill, per the New York Times.

What do you think of the way the MSNBC host is handling the situation? Is it a ratings move, or is Harris-Perry choosing to remain willfully ignorant in order to give Dolezal a pass?

Likewise, how do you feel the Dolezal situation should be handled? Without question, we know the woman has been putting up a large facade since at least 2004, meaning, over a decade’s-worth of lying for pretending to be something she’s not. We also know the NAACP has already backed her, though, an official press conference is set to be held Monday morning to clarify what will officially happen.

[Photo by Larry French/Getty Images North America]