Dr. Ronnie Gladden, a tenured English professor, public speaker, and actor, has spent a lifetime navigating an identity that many find unconventional and perplexing.
Growing up on the west side of Cincinnati as a Black male, Ronnie felt an innate connection to the white female characters they admired in media, such as Snow White and Elle Fanning.
From a young age, Ronnie was drawn to the “white female aesthetic,” observing how classmates’ hair blew in the wind and wishing for the same rosy cheeks.
These feelings, which began as a child, stayed with them, evolving over time into a profound, deeply personal identity.
Despite their outward appearance, Ronnie describes their identity as “transgracial”—a term for those who are both transgender and identify as transracial.
In their case, this means identifying as a white woman despite being born Black and male.
The concept of transracial identity has stirred up controversy, as seen in the case of Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP leader who claimed to be Black despite her European descent.
Dolezal, who faced significant backlash, has praised Ronnie’s work, saying it “encourages us to expand our concept of acceptance and inclusion.”
Ronnie’s understanding of race is clear: they believe race, like gender, is a social construct shaped by societal views rather than biological facts.
“I know race is not real,” they assert in their book, adding, “It’s only so because society says it is.”
To embody their internal identity, Ronnie has taken physical steps, including a nose job at 19 and wearing a lighter shade of foundation.
Yet, as they note, these outward adjustments don’t fully express the “white girl within” that they feel exists inside.
This journey of self-acceptance and identity exploration is documented in Ronnie’s book, “White Girl Within: Letters of Self-Discovery Between a Transgender and Transracial Black Man and His Inner Female.”
The book presents a series of letters between Ronnie’s “Black male” and “white female” selves, highlighting the ongoing struggle and introspection that have marked their lives.
As a child, Ronnie experienced trauma, including the murder of their half-sister and an abusive relationship with their father.
Looking back, they believe that being a white girl might have provided them with a unique “power of beauty, a power of skin” to stand up to the violence they endured.
Ronnie explains that they felt this identity gave a form of authority often embodied in “white femaleness,” an idea that grew with them through adulthood and remains central to their sense of self.
Therapy has been a two-decade-long process for Ronnie, helping them understand and navigate this complex identity.
Ronnie’s reflections and public speeches, such as their TedX talk, delve into how transgracial identities have been represented in pop culture.
They reference Whoopi Goldberg’s role in “The Associate” and Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique in the Marvel series as characters embodying different races and identities.
Now, as an adult, Ronnie sees their journey as non-linear and admits there is “unfinished business” when it comes to holding these distinct identities.
In their book, they write, “Through all the noir, I know the light of my White femaleness swirls and lurks about.”
After years of introspection, Ronnie makes a groundbreaking revelation: despite being born Black and male, they identify as a white woman.
In their words, “It’s true, I’m a White girl. And for the longest time, I’ve been your White girl. I know I’m me because I see it.”
Through their work and personal journey, Dr. Ronnie Gladden continues to challenge societal norms, urging a reconsideration of what identity can truly mean.
Featured Image Credit: (Instagram/@drronniespeaks)
