Biracial and multiracial are becoming very common words today. There is
an increase in mixed races in our population in America and this allows an
entirely new issue of race that comes into play. The main problem is how to
identify yourself and maybe having a sense of lost identity. The reason these
problems arise is because of the way our system is laid out. For example, when applying
for a job there are usually a few questions about your gender, age, and race.
The questions are followed by multiple-choice options and then sometimes a “other”
option that you fill in yourself if none apply to you. The “other” option can
let alone a very troubling category to fall under. Because I don’t fall into
those specific categories I am left on my own to identify myself. Say I am 50%
black and 50% white. How am I going to fill out this form? This can cause an
unsettling feeling because you are left in-between and confused. This is the
same type of situations celebrities have to face when they are biracial or
multiracial because they are never placed in a biracial or multiracial role, in
a sense they have to choose between the two. This can create an unhealthy feeling
of isolation in ones race. It also can bring up the idea of white superiority
and privilege because these biracial and multiracial roles are not readily
available. It is uncomforting to some of the dominant white group to not know
exactly what race someone is. That is where it is time to take control and
create an image of one or the other. This all creates a false sense of
acceptance and can make people feel alienated. Has anyone that is biracial or
multiracial come across a questionnaire that was hard to answer because it did
not have the correct options for you? If so, how does that make you feel? If
not, how would that make you feel?
Well I'm half Mexican and half Caucasian, so when I've had to identify myself sometimes I would put other, but I always felt bad for choosing one over the other because I felt like I was hiding part of who I am. In that sense it may not be a sense of lost identity but rather only showing part of yourself when that might benefit you more
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the point of how the biracial or multiracial people identify themselves as when filling out a form and were asked by others. Even though this question of biracial or multiracial doesn't really affect me, but I feel like something should be changed. The example that you provided is a great way to demonstrate the problem within identifying oneself. The section "other" often follows with a blank line that asked for specification; however, how would we identifying ourselves? Write the entire biological race that the person carries? I think it is something that should brought everyone's attention. In addition to the comment that Abigail brought up is that we might "hiding the part of who we are" when only one choice is available. Overall I think the problem should be heavily addressed and how we could further solve this problem.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has never cam across a biracial questionnaire I do not know what it feels like not being able to identify oneself. If I did I think it would be frustrating and annoying. Not being able to tell who you are or how you describe yourself would make be feel as if I am not important. It is up to the government to identify myself. Even if I have to chose other to identify myself there should be at least a box there asking how do you identify yourself and why. It is not fair that everything is based on categories instead we should be able to identify ourselves as we please.
ReplyDelete"So where are you from?"
ReplyDeleteIt's a question most mixed-race individuals are all to familiar with. And usually, the person asking isn't looking for the name of the town you grew up in, but a detailed breakdown of your racial background. America's population is becoming increasingly multiracial, but questions and comments from strangers about my mixed-race status haven't slowed down yet. For the most part, people's questions about other multiracial individuals background come from a place of genuine curiosity. But comments like "you don't act black" or "you don't look as white as you sound" are often marked with frustration because they can't be easily categorized and file away as a person of a specific racial background.
Mixed race is a term used by people who wish to acknowledge their mixed race heritage. Biracial tends to imply that one parent is one race and the other parent is a different race and can be leading, but both parents could be of the same mixed heritage (such as both parents being White and Black, themselves biracial and thus their children are biracial)First and foremost, race and ethnicity are social constructs. There is no race gene that determines one's race. Race and ethnicity will vary in different locations and social arenas. Many white people may actually be mixed race if their heritage comes from different European nations, but because white has been constructed to include most of Western Europe, people will just claim White instead of each heritage. The same may be applied to Black people whose mixed race heritage may be lost due to the social construct of Black. There is a long history of Mixed Race that needs to be researched and written about. When Africans were forced to come to the U.S. as slaves, there was racial mixing between Whites and Blacks that lead to offspring
Georgia makes an excellent point about people becoming frustrated because they can't categorize a person. I think that in order to level the playing field, we need to try to deconstruct these frameworks of how certain races should act. We're already starting to deconstruct frameworks in terms of gender (or maybe we're just creating more boxes), but we also need to work on race. Breaking down stereotypes is just one way that will help lessen racial inequality.
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