Colin Kaepernick has admitted that it was “really difficult” to accuse his white adoptive parents of having racist views, but he felt he had to speak out to help other transracial adoptees.
Kaepernick, 35, played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, but is now better known for his high-profile civil rights activism.
Kaepernick wrote a graphic novel with sociologist Eve Ewing entitled Change the Game in which he refers to his childhood and upbringing, and how he was pressured to play baseball – a “white man’s sport” – but he preferred football.
The athlete was given up for adoption at five weeks old by his 19-year-old biological mother and adopted in 1987 by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick. The couple and their six-year-old daughter, Devon, and her older brother, Kyle, lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin at the time—they moved to California when Kaepernick was four.
To promote his book, Kaepernick appeared on CBS News last month and accused his adoptive parents of “perpetuating racism” by telling him as a teen that corn rows looked unprofessional, saying he had to go through “very problematic things” while growing up in their home.
On Thursday, Kaepernick and Ewing, who teaches courses on education and racial inequality at the University of Chicago, discussed the book online.
Colin Kaepernick and Eve Ewing, who co-wrote a graphic novel, Change The Game, held an online discussion to talk about some of the issues raised in the book
Colin Kaepernick and his girlfriend Nessa Diab are seen with Kaepernick’s adoptive parents, Rick and Theresa Kaepernick. They adopted him when he was five weeks old
Ewing said she felt that many “transracial adoptees I know” would “see themselves and their story in this book,” noting that she felt the book dealt with feelings of isolation.
“I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from other transracial adoptees on that front,” Kaepernick agreed.
Having similar experiences. And have similar family dynamics that they try to navigate.
“And because it’s so unique, it’s very hard for people to have a nuanced conversation around it.
“The people who love you and whom you love can also perpetuate very problematic elements.
“Those things can exist at the same time.”
Kaepernick said he hoped the book would serve as a guide for other young people struggling with their identity.
Kaepernick and Ewing collaborated on a graphic novel for young adults
“Part of it is like, How do you struggle with that? How do you navigate in it?’ he said.
‘Especially at a young age.
“Are you equipped to navigate through that? And are your parents equipped to navigate that?’
Ewing said she felt the book was not limited to issues surrounding transracial adoptions.
She said she felt it was relevant to all races; for cis parents raising trans children; for hearing parents raising deaf children; about gender identity and sexuality and so many other things.’
Ewing added, “I think we should stick with these things and the suspense.
“You can love someone and still be able to hurt them.
“I’m glad we’re having that conversation, but it’s interesting how people pick it up.”
Kaepernick’s adoptive parents and siblings have yet to comment on the book.
He claims his adoptive mother told him he “looked like a petty thug” when he showed her his cornrow haircut.
Speaking to CBS to promote his new graphic comedy memoir, Kaepernick last month gave the example of his mother telling him cornrows weren’t professional
Kaepernick with his father, who was a food company executive
“I know my parents loved me,” he told CBS.
“But there were still very problematic things I was going through.”
The Kaepernicks insisted, before their athlete son embarked on his racial justice crusade, that they never had a problem with the family’s color differences.
Kaepernick as a high school football star
His father, who was a businessman at a cheese company for much of his career, told the story ESPN in 2016: ‘It all went very smoothly.
“I know adoptions don’t usually go that smoothly, but it was.
“Colin has never had adoption issues.
“The only difference is that his skin is slightly browner than ours.”
Kaepernick himself denied any split with his parents in 2015, he told the website Mr Porter: ‘I never felt like I was supposed to be white. Or also black. My parents just wanted me to be who I had to be.’
When a Sporting News columnist wrote a racist article about Kaepernick’s appearance in 2012, his adoptive parents — who usually shun the spotlight — spoke out.
“It annoyed me,” his mother told USA Today after the column was posted.
“You classify this kid by something like tattoos? Real? Is that how you would describe this boy?
“It’s pretty annoying, but it is what it is.”
Rick Kaepernick added, “Instead of saying Colin does all these great things and spends his time with kids, this guy is going to paint him as a gangster.”