White UFC fighter Michael Chandler faces backlash for admitting he’s raising his two black adopted sons not to see color

Mixed martial arts champion Michael Chandler talked about fatherhood. Chandler, who’s white, and his wife Brie adopted two boys, each of African-American descent.

In 2017, the couple welcomed their first adoptive son, Hap, and in 2022, they welcomed Ace. Chandler, nevertheless, suggested that his kid’s race was the furthest thing from his mind. “I’m not raising black kids, I’m raising kids,” Chandler said on April 22 on “Shawn Ryan show“

The 38-year-old UFC star expressed her belief that identity politics can create an environment where people forget that everyone seems to be human first.

Instead of specializing in the race of his adoptive children, Chandler said he does his best to raise his black children in the way in which he thinks is best, with the hope that they may eventually grow into decent men.

“Whether you’re black or white, regardless of your race, there are certain things that come with being a man and being a good man in terms of character and integrity and protecting the vulnerable and supporting those who need it,” Chandler said.

“Being a very good person with a very good fame has nothing to do with the color of your skin. Everything has to do with an individual’s character. This might be not a solution that some would consider essential, however the world has moved on this direction.

From Chandler’s perspective, an individual’s character can transcend race, age, and religion.

“When we predict that a very powerful thing about us is the color of our skin, gender, political affiliation or all these different identity politics or identities that we give to one another, when in reality we are only people on this earth. There are some things about being a very good individual that transcend skin color, age, gender and religion.

Chandler’s view on race sparked a firestorm of response on social media. Some have suggested that Chandler’s parenting techniques will ultimately harm his children.

“Most of the answers are: ‘But how will they survive racism?’ The greater crime here is *being* black while *stealing* from blackness. He robs them too, not just fails to protect them. It both deceives these two boys and strips them of their cultural identity AND leaves them unprepared for the world.” one person wrote on X

Others have described Chandler’s thought process as “wishful thinking.”

“NO. I just listened to 5 minutes and 30 seconds of fantasy and wishful thinking. I’m raising black children and they need to understand what it means to be black, not only in America, but in this world.” other person he wrote.

Another X account he asserted that despite Chandler’s best efforts, his children would ultimately be seen as black men.

“He means well and it shows. They will have an incredibly happy childhood. But when they grow up and you’re not there to hold their hand, the world will see them as black men. It’s OK that they’re prepared for it.”

“I think his heart is in the right place but I HOPE he doesn’t have to learn the hard way that raising children of color is different” – one other social media user he wrote. “Yes, it is best to raise them to be honest, worthwhile men/women, but all it takes is one event with someone/one who is not like that and all of it gets thrown out since it all comes down to the color of their skin. Many white individuals are unaware of this, which does not imply they’re bad or don’t care, but for those who are white and raising children of color, it’s your responsibility to understand, educate yourself and, if needed, talk to black fathers.”

In 2017, Chandler recalled how he burst into tears shortly after first seeing a photograph of his 9-month-old son, Hap.

“We wanted to have a newborn by six months. It’s just funny how you’ve gotten your preferences and plans after which suddenly God just says no. He was nine months old. They sent us an image of him and as soon as I saw it, I felt it inside and began crying. I just thought, ‘That’s my son,'” Chandler said in an interview with MMA fight.