Raceless by: Georgina Lawton a Book Review
Raceless tells the story of Georgina Lawton, the author, and starts with her father's death, which leads her to uncover a family secret about her racial identity, prompting a journey of self-discovery. With her brown skin and kinky hair, along with being raised in what the book describes as a “sleepy” English Suburb in the UK, she was bound to stand out, and not always for flattering reasons. With her exploration into her identity, Lawton finds herself on one whirlwind of a journey that entails everything from uncovering her mother's secret to finding the right hair products and embracing her curls. It details her journey from start to finish, cataloging the grief, anger, resentment, love, healing, acceptance, forgiveness, pain, hurt, confusion, and disillusionment that comes with self-discovery.
As someone who aims to advocate for adoptees or, at the very least, a helpful resource to those who are experiencing adoption grief and are having issues coming to terms with their adoption loss, this book, in my opinion, should be read by all transracial adoptees. I'm not going to discourage this book from adoptees in general from reading this book because, regardless, the story is a good one; however, Lawton's mother is her biological mother, so for that reason, I don't think it will serve as validation for your feelings as much, if at all, as the book was for me. I related heavily to the discrimination and alienation that she received from her white peers, and like me, it only became evident to her as she got older. She described experiences of being fetishized by men, her mother's refusal to acknowledge race in her house, and the lack of preparedness she felt when facing discrimination; like me, it had never occurred to her that the treatment she was receiving was due to her skin color.
This was the first book I read when I started my adoption journey in earnest in 2020. Since it isn't about adoption (and you won't find the title listed alongside any adoption books at the library), I'd say this was me tentatively “dipping a toe” in the proverbial waters of self-exploration. A thing I haven't had the freedom to do until adulthood. This book hardened my resolve for honest answers and accountability from the people around me. I'd recommend this for a transracial adoptee just beginning their journey. It's less threatening. It's not a long book, and I promise it will help you gain the confidence you need to address your adoption grief and loss. It's a necessary part of the healing process to move forward with your life and enjoy Ais a whole community of people you don't even know exists yet, but they all feel like you, and I do. You don't have to wander looking for a home anymore. You are safe.