The new trend of RCTA among teenagers and on TikTok has a phycological explaination

The new trend of RCTA (race change to Asian) among teenagers and on tiktok - how did it all start, how do people do about it, and what does it mean in the psychologic level?

K-Pop group Blackpink (Credit: o_Ozzzzk, flickr) (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Credit: Korean Culture and Information Service, KOGL Type 1, via Wikimedia Commons

If you have been scrolling through TikTok lately, you might have come across a strange acronym: RCTA. It stands for "race change to another", and it refers to a community of people who believe they can change their race or ethnicity by using subliminal messages, manifestation techniques, or even plastic surgery. The current wave of RCTA-identifying people is mainly focused on "transitioning" into East Asian ethnicities, such as Korean, Chinese, or Japanese, due to their love of anime, K-pop, or K-dramas.

But how did this trend start? And why is it so controversial? Here are some facts and insights to help you understand this phenomenon.

- The term RCTA was popularized after Rachel Dolezal made headlines for faking her ethnicity. She claimed to be a black woman, even though she was born to white parents. She later said she was "transracial", meaning she identified with a different race than the one she was assigned at birth.

- Some RCTA-identifying people do not necessarily wish to change their appearance to look like another race, but they believe they can identify with a different race by manifesting and using subliminal stimuli. These are audio or visual messages that are supposed to influence the subconscious mind and alter one's physical features or personality traits. For example, some RCTA-identifying people listen to affirmations like "I am Korean" or "I have Asian eyes" while they sleep .

- Other RCTA-identifying people go further and undergo plastic surgery to look like their desired race. One of the most recognizable examples is Oli London, a British influencer who spent over $150,000 on multiple procedures to look like BTS singer Jimin. He previously identified as a Korean woman using "they/them" pronouns before transitioning back to a British man .

- The RCTA community has been heavily criticized on TikTok, with many users deeming RCTA-identifying people as ignorant and highly offensive. Critics believe that the RCTA group cannot fully understand the experience of belonging to an ethnic minority group, noting that they cannot go through the same prejudice or racism that minorities experience. They also accuse them of fetishizing and appropriating Asian cultures for their own fantasies  .

- According to psychologists, the desire to change one's race or ethnicity may stem from various factors, such as low self-esteem, identity confusion, social pressure, or cultural admiration. However, they warn that changing one's race or ethnicity is not possible or healthy, as it denies one's biological reality and history. They suggest that instead of trying to become someone else, one should embrace one's own identity and diversity.

The trend of RCTA is a complex and controversial topic that raises many questions about race, identity, and culture. While some may see it as a harmless expression of personal preference, others may see it as a harmful form of racial erasure and disrespect. What do you think about this trend? Let us know in the comments below.

References

: https://nextshark.com/rcta-tiktok-race-change

: https://www.yahoo.com/news/tiktok-users-believe-change-race-213647502.html

: https://www.eviemagazine.com/post/teens-are-now-trying-change-their-race-look-more-asian-rcta-trend

: https://www.indy100.com/tiktok/rcta-tiktok-meaning-transracial-asian