Multiracial Children | Teen Ink

Multiracial Children MAG

By Anonymous

     As I walk into the cafeteria and see my friends of different races, I have to decide who to be today: Asian, white, or multiracial. When I meet people, I always have to explain when they ask where I am from. If you are monoethnic, it is easy to answer the question with a simple, one-word answer. I remember once I was hanging out with a some boys who had blue eyes and blond hair and one asked where I was from. I was the only kid with dark hair and Asian-looking features, but I said I was white. I did not recognize my Asian ethnicity and felt like I was lying to myself because I was disregarding that half of me. I, along with thousands of multiracial kids, deal with this dilemma, as well as stereotyping.

It was only in 1967 that the United States Supreme Court struck down laws prohibiting interracial marriage and lifted the fear of prosecution. Even then, mixed marriages were considered taboo but the number of interracial marriages has increased to 1.6 million and their offspring are the “poster children” of diversity who must decide whether they will choose a pre-existing category or consider themselves multiracial.

As they grow up, multiracial children do find a sense of identity. Kerry Ann Rockquemore and David Brunsma studied racial identities and devised racial identity options. In their recent publication “Beyond Black: Biracial Identity in America,” they report on extensive research based on 191 multiracial adults. They devised a theory that includes four identity options for biracial (black/white) children. However, these can be included with other multiracial children of different races. They are border identity, singular identity, protean identity, and transcendent identity.

Border identity is when a multiracial child denies both races and creates his own third category that draws characteristics of both. This is true multiracial identity, which incorporates the racial background. I interviewed a boy named Kris who did not consider himself either fully white or fully Asian but mixed. Kris is half American and half Singaporean. This border identity would be an example of one with “multiracial pride.”

Singular identity is the opposite of border identity; individuals choose to identity exclusively with one racial group. This is most common among individuals of black/white descent because black culture has been so exploited in popular media that it is “cool” to be black.

Protean identity is when an individual of mixed blood has fluid identities which change depending on the situation. I find myself relating to this. I may say that I am either white, Asian, or multiracial depending on which benefits me at the time. I find that this is the best way to go about my life when surrounded by monoethnic people. I find myself either having a lot of “white pride” or “Asian pride,” depending on the situation. With my white pride I even go so far as to differentiate myself as French because my father is Creole.

The final racial option is transcendent identity, which is when individuals “perceive themselves to have no racial identity.” I interviewed Daniel and asked him the same questions I asked Kris. Daniel

did not consider himself Asian or white but rather American. This seems very vague since Americans are from many cultures.

Not only do multiracial children have to deal with identity problems but they face racism and discrimination. Summer Woo’s studies show that 65% of her interviewees have faced racial stereotyping, derogatory racial comments, or discrimination. She concludes that these are due to physical appearance but the irony is that most people think race is more defined by culture than biology. Woo’s studies show that 62% experienced racism firsthand, either being called names or ostracized from a particular group.

I have experienced racism many times, and even though it always seemed done in a humorous sense, it was still racist. I am Taiwanese, American and French with some Jewish background. A term my classmates came up for me was Tairenchew, and though I thought it was funny at first, the word changed from a nickname to feeling more like an insult. In my school racial discrimination often occurs in sports, perhaps because athletes are always split into teams. When the numbers are even, they usually consider me white and pick me for their team.

When my friends bring up my multiracial background, I no longer feel uncomfortable but proud and inclined to answer their questions. I am not afraid to boast about my identity because it has become “cool” to be different. We should not only focus on the negative aspects of being multiracial, like discrimination or confusion with racial identity, but look at the positives. I think it is cool to be multiracial since the topic is a conversation in itself. I also think that multiracial children tend to be more exotic looking, which may make them better looking. There are more and more examples of beautiful, popular multiracial movie stars such as Keanu Reeves. The world should open its arms to new kinds of people: the multiracial kind.



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This article has 16 comments.


on Jul. 8 2012 at 12:35 pm
TBaby you forgot to mention brazil though the blacks over their are in denial about being black

on Jul. 8 2012 at 12:32 pm
I never represented my race because race is a social stand point it is not a real thing but as a multi racial kid I always reresented my last name because your last name binds your family and why represent people you dont know? I only represent my family's name I dont look at myself as nothing more as another human being I will say it is very uncomfortable around my Mexican family because everyone is so brown thick accent and I am so white typical pasty skin of a norwegian green eyes and dark brown hair like a mexican when I tell someone what I am I say my last name before that I would say white but at no point to did I ever feel degraded for leaving out my other half because a race does not make you who are it never has people need to look at it the way I see it and its a lot easier

Genya GOLD said...
on Dec. 7 2011 at 5:57 pm
Genya GOLD, Bridgewater, New Jersey
10 articles 0 photos 52 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Never do anything that you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics."-Unknown Author

Don't listen to them, what do they know?

It's not "acting white" or "acting black", but being who you are.


sallysunsine said...
on Jul. 18 2011 at 1:02 pm
i really really love this! i can see my self in this!

on Apr. 24 2011 at 2:46 am
P03tryPunk BRONZE, Delray Beach, Florida
3 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet. -Plato

too true!!

on Feb. 23 2011 at 9:41 am
Hawthorn BRONZE, Nowheresville, Maine
3 articles 0 photos 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Know Thy Enemy" Sun Tzu

I don't even know what race I am! I know I'm part Irish and scottish but my dad is adopted and has no clue wether he is lebanese or what.

on Jan. 7 2011 at 6:29 pm
maddie.lecesne BRONZE, New Orleans, Louisiana
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
I am split down the middle by four ways: Creole, Hispanic, Black, and Native American. Whenever someone asks me "what I am", I always say that I am simply human, just the same as what they are.

JustTaz said...
on Jan. 1 2011 at 3:59 pm
The thing about the singular identity isn't really an option... I'm black/white and people are shocked when I don't listen to rap or "act black." Some people really don't like me because I identify more with my moms side which is white.

on Sep. 1 2010 at 9:25 am
UnStoppable777 BRONZE, Fitzgerald, Georgia
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments
If you really think about it, America is the only place in the world that identifies race by color. If you go to China, people are Chinese, not yellow. If you go tio Italy, they are Italian, not brown. Come to America, we're White and Black. Makes no sense at all.

Wordart SILVER said...
on Aug. 10 2010 at 9:43 pm
Wordart SILVER, Arvada, Colorado
9 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
Hate is forgotten love.<br /> <br /> Paranoya is the brute strength of fear.<br /> <br /> Gum is sticky, like time.

Only if you read mine, ok I will but will you look at my stuff? 

Inkmusic GOLD said...
on Jun. 27 2010 at 7:01 pm
Inkmusic GOLD, Renton, Washington
15 articles 6 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Build a man a fire, and he&#039;ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he&#039;ll be warm for the rest of his life.&quot;<br /> ~Terry Pratchett

This is great! A little long, but I like it. And I totally agree with you. People should be proud of their race and not be teased for it.

Oh, and by the way, if anyone sees this, could they read some of my work, please? Thanks!


on Apr. 22 2010 at 11:16 pm
CreativeScript PLATINUM, Port Hardy, Other
26 articles 0 photos 13 comments
READ MY STUFF PLEASE!

on Apr. 22 2010 at 12:32 pm
toxic.monkey SILVER, Tashkent, Other
6 articles 0 photos 210 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Homo homini lupus&quot;

In Central Asia, where I'm from, it's pretty normal to be 1/4 this and 1/4 that and 1/2 something else- we're all mixed up anyway! People like to guess each other's ethnic group (Uzbek, Tajik, Kyrgyz, Kazak, Russian, Korean, Afghan etc.) and when we guess correctly we snap our fingers and say "I knew it!". To make things simple most people state the group that makes up most of them, for me it's Uzbek (3/4, I'm 1/4 Tajik :P) but the other day one man said I look Tajik. it's not a big deal here and I love it :)

on Apr. 3 2010 at 1:20 pm
WriterWithWings DIAMOND, Seneca, South Carolina
61 articles 1 photo 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you&#039;re alive, it isn&#039;t.&rdquo;<br /> &quot;Love is a drug. a drug that distorts reality, and thats the point of it. No body would fall in love with someone who they really saw.&quot;<br /> &quot;Words and hea

I'm not sure if it was mentioned in the article and I just skipped it or if it was never included, but what ethinticity are you? I am wondering because I too am multiracial, my direct ancestors are Cambodian and my other half is "White".

on Mar. 9 2010 at 7:25 pm
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you can&#039;t stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.&quot;- a Bumper Sticker<br /> &quot;If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question.&quot; - Another Bumper sticker

PS I'm not sure where you're from. When I put "say you're 100% American" i hadn't looked to see where you were from.

on Mar. 9 2010 at 7:21 pm
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you can&#039;t stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them.&quot;- a Bumper Sticker<br /> &quot;If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question.&quot; - Another Bumper sticker

If you are multi racial, why don't you just say "I'm 100% American) I have italian and Croatian background, but I don't say that when people ask where I'm from. I'm American, 100%!