Before I begin, remember that these tips are not meant to encourage stereotypes, caricatures, or racist portrayals of Black people. Black people are not defined by a specific appearance, personality, way of speaking, fashion style, hobby, or interest. The purpose of these tips is to help you explore your identity while learning about and respecting Black culture.
This should be such a no brainer, but I seriously cannot believe how many times I have seen people online providing wrong, offensive or extremely racist and stereotypical “tips” to Black Trace individuals… Please use your better judgement and do not stoop down to such racism and bigotry! Never base your understanding of Black people on racist stereotypes or exaggerated portrayals.
If you do not naturally use certain slang, dialects, or speech patterns, do not feel pressured to adopt them! Please do not force yourself to speak differently just to appear “more Black”…
There is no single "correct" way to be Black. Being Black is not determined by the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, the hobbies you enjoy, the way you speak, your interests or personality or your physical appearance…
Learn About Black History
Take time to educate yourself on Black history beyond what you may have learned in school.
Read books, articles, and essays written by Black authors. Explore Black art, literature, music, and film. Learn about important historical events, social movements, and influential figures throughout history.
You can also support and learn from Black activists, artists, writers, musicians, etc. The more knowledge you gain, the deeper your understanding of Black culture, history, and experiences will become.
Interact With Black Communities
If possible, try to spend time in spaces where Black people and other people of color are present.
You may be able to join clubs or organizations created by Black people, attend community events, participate in cultural celebrations, make friends with people from different backgrounds, or engage with online communities that have large Black audiences.
If you cannot interact with people in person, support Black content creators online! Watch their videos, listen to their podcasts, read their work, and engage with their communities and fandoms!
Surround Yourself With Supportive People
Spend time with people who respect and support you.
You should never feel pressured to hide your identity out of fear that your friends or family will abandon you. Healthy friendships are built on trust, understanding, and acceptance.
You may also find comfort in online communities, like discord or here on tumblr, where you can speak with other Trace individuals and share your experiences.
If you are not comfortable sharing your Trace identity publicly, you do not have to!
Only tell people you genuinely trust. Not everyone will be supportive, and it is important to prioritize your safety and well-being.
If remaining private feels safer, you may choose to keep your identity between yourself and a small circle of trusted people.
If you can only transition online right now and cannot transition in person, that is okay! Your own safety should be your top priority.
Set Clear Transition Goals
Before you begin transitioning, think carefully about what you want your transition to look like.
Ask yourself what aspects of your life or yourself would you like to change? What causes you the most discomfort or dysforia? What would make you feel more like your true self (Different clothes, hair, mannerisms, culture, etc)?
Try to set goals that are realistic and achievable. Breaking larger goals into smaller steps can make them feel less overwhelming. Breaking your goals into smaller, more digestible steps can make it extremely easy to keep track of your progress over time. Looking back at how far you have come may help you stay motivated!
Tips for Transitioning Online
there are many TransIDs out there that you can identify with that can help others (and yourself) better understand and recognize what your transition goals are! But it doesn’t have to just be transIDs—I recommend searching through LIOMOQAI posts/coins that relate to race/ethnicity or coining your own terms to better help describe your experiences and feelings!
Be Open About Your (Trace) Identity
If you feel safe doing so, do not feel pressured to hide your Trace identity online, especially if you are in RQ/TransID spaces or just in communities in which there are always people willing to accept and support you through your transition journey. <3
Change Your Personas/Online Avatars
A really easy way to let other beings know that you are Black is to simply just make it clear on your online avatar (Using Black skin tone options for your avatars or playing as POC characters) and/or profile (Bio, username, profile picture, etc).
Tips For Transitioning In Person/Socially
If connecting with Black culture or communities is important to your transition or makes you feel more accepted with Black culture, I recommend participating in/celebrating Black History Month, attending community events, supporting Black-owned businesses, listening to music by POC artists, participating in trends, learning about different cultural traditions, and cooking foods that interest you from Black cultural traditions.
Physically changing certain aspects of your appearance may be one of the biggest ways to relieve your dysphoria, but it can also be harmful if you do not do your own research! Everyone’s experience and needs are different, and blindly following advice from others may cause you actual harm. Please be extremely cautious and careful!
Transitioning physically can (and should) be a gradual process with you experimenting and finding out what suits you best rather than transitioning all at once.
I recommend doing extensive research on different styles of clothing, hairstyles, makeup, nail care, skincare, fragrances, or self-care routines to find what products will work with your specific needs best and find out what makes you feel most like yourself.
If you are interested in changing your hairstyle, spend time researching different styles and learning proper hair care! Haircare varies depending on hair texture and hair type. Research what works best for your own hair and learn how to properly maintain any style you choose.
If you wear protective styles such as braids, learn how to care for them properly and when they should be removed. You may also choose to use accessories such as bonnets or beads if they fit your haircare routine.
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