Pressure to "Cover"

I'm reading an article by Kenji Yoshino on the pressure to assimilate, to cover up one's differences, to keep them out of the way. This is different from passing, where you're presenting yourself as different from reality. An example is how F.D.R. would already be at his desk before visitors were allowed in. Visitors already knew he was in a wheelchair, so he wasn't passing for able-bodied. "He was covering, playing down his disability so people would focus on his more conventionally presidential qualities." The author points out that nearly everyone covers at some time or other. You can be a straight male WASP and daily cover depression, obesity, alcoholism, shyness, class background, or a dozen other things. But what if you don't cover?

[T]he courts routinely distinguish between immutable and mutable traits, between being a member of a legally protected group and behavior associated with that group. ( examples )

This distinction between being and doing reflects a bias toward assimilation. [...T]he courts will not protect mutable traits, because individuals can alter them to fade into the mainstream, thereby escaping discrimination.

The thing is, tho, that some alterations are not productive. "[S]ometimes assimilation is not an escape from discrimination, but precisely its effect. When a Jew is forced to convert to Protestantism, for instance, we do not celebrate that as an evasion of anti-Semitism." It might it be easier for a mixed-race couple to get an apartment if the lighter-skined partner handled it...but is that a good thing?

A couple other things that caught my eye. One is pointing out that the Supreme Court has begun emphasizing individual liberties common to all citizens over group membership. ( examples )

The other is that this isn't all about the law or lawyers.

As an initial matter, many covering demands are made by actors the law does not - and in my view should not - hold accountable, like friends, family, neighbors, the "culture" or individuals themselves. When I think of the covering demands I have experienced, I can trace many of them only to my own censorious consciousness.

What can we do about this? It's got me thinking about the covering going on in my own life and why. One example: Alone at work, I take the stairs and no one sees that I'm slow or get out of breath. With others, I cover by taking the elevator.

And when you're asked to cover? I agree with Yoshino that it's a good idea to ask why. He notes that

What will constitute a good-enough reason to justify assimilation will obviously be controversial. We have come to some consensus that certain reasons are illegitimate - like racism, sexism or religious intolerance. Beyond that, we should expect conversations rather than foreordained results [...] But we should have that conversation.

Yeah, yeah, long post. Go read the article. It's good. Or read the book Covering when it comes out.