(hii this is a response to your google form about opinions on transblack people, i submitted it here too since i wanted to get your thoughts if thats okay! <3) :
i think any race should be equally valid, but in reality a lot of people dont treat them the same. it definitely is more rare since the majority of transrace people that i've interacted with/seen, their cisrace was either black or white.
the concept in itself is valid, but people actually doing it in practice is harder to come by just due to how black people are treated and viewed worldwide.
it is everywhere, but especially in transracial spaces there's a lot of colorism. there's pages upon pages of tips on how to get lighter skin to "pass better", but rarely any representation for south asian, west/east/central african, caribbean, west asian/"middle eastern", etc. people. its almost become a default that people want to get lighter to "look prettier," and even in the transracial community its difficult to escape colorist beauty standards.
this is just my personal opinion, and obviously doesnt go for absolutely everyone, but i feel like many people who's cisrace is white that identify with a non-white race, are usually doing so to escape white guilt--and on the opposite side of the spectrum, many people who's cisrace is black that identify with a non-black race, are usually doing so to escape internalized racism and or colorism. again, im not saying this goes for 100% of people, but its a pattern ive noticed, and something that should be considered, if you take into account that the majority of this community consists of impressionable minors who are being shown these colorist beauty standards, and are made to believe that looking that way is the only route into feeling better about their racial identity.
ive seen people who's cisrace is black, sometimes will transition to another poc identity (east asian, central asian, even hispanic) because they view the racism those communities face as being "not as bad" as the racism they faced being black. just in total i feel like the racism specifically east asians and other ethnic groups that are called the "white people of poc" face, is never taken seriously, because it is in large parts fetishization. fetishization, microaggressions, infantilization and the idolization of ethnic features still are all forms of racism, but time and time again it seems like theyre constantly compared to more violent or "direct" acts of racial discrimination, and therefore never taken seriously.
because race is such a personal topic, its difficult to be blunt about trends in the community like this without it being seen as being an "anti" or "invalidating," when really there are many people who might just be misguided, in need of representation to show them that their skintone/ethnic features arent something that they need to change/be ashamed of, or something they need to "fix", and or just need more time to grow into themselves.
i think by not addressing these things to avoid stepping toes, the issue will only get worse and worse, and if anything because transrace is based on the notion of race being a social construct, shouldnt be we addressing these things? saying that race is a social construct doesnt instantly make the discrimination and internalized racism that said construct causes go away.
idk, sorry for the yap but yes i believe transblack people are valid, but even in a community that claims to be accepting of all races, its difficult for people to express an identity like this due to how everything still seems to cater to and revolve around proximity to whiteness.
