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have often been curious to know why people who have white father or mother and a black father or mother usually always consider themselves "black" first? This also applies to hispanic or any other race than caucasian.
Is it not politically incorrect or biased to pick one colour over the other?
This is mainly a curiousity on my part, so please don't answer in anger.

2006-07-09 20:22:43 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Cultures & Groups Other - Cultures & Groups

13 answers

Hello,
I am half hispanic and half white. And as you know, the hispanic race is made up of european and native ancestry. So in my case, I really don't conisder myself white OR hispanic. I am confused about this actually, and posted a question about this here like a day ago. I wish there was like a group were us Biracial people could meet and talk.

2006-07-09 20:49:10 · answer #1 · answered by Mikey 2 · 1 0

I'm half Iranian and half black... For me it is because almost all of my relatives in America are black, and although my parents are still together, I have never been to Iran so I've never met most of my Iranian relatives. I never claim myself as full black, but I identify (ie most of my friends) with black people because black people have been more accepting of me my whole life. I grew up in all white schools and was friends with mostly white people until 7th grade when I attended school with more than 3 other black people. Even though it was only 5% of the population, I felt more comfortable around them. In my younger years, sleepovers and other things would always be awkward because some of my friends in the south had racist parents or grandparents. I never quite fit in as much as I tried. As a third grader, I even acted as if I liked country music when I really despised it (not to say some black people don't like country music). The culture is different, music, my mom's discipline, the cooking, everything. Even at my ivy league university, only 8% of the population was black and I still felt most comfortable around them. I finally met some Iranians in college but they were so few of them that most of them were passing for white anyway.
On top of all this there is the one drop rule from slavery... I know it doesn't legally still exist, however people subconsciously still use it. Its because people go off of the visual. Its what they see... if a person is white, they are white, not half white or three-fourths white. You can see the black or Hispanic pigment in their skin. There are different shades of these races. A full black person can be very light or very dark but a full white person can not be very dark (well in genetics it is very very rare!) Therefore, since it is so obvious that one is NOT white and so annoying to keep explaining,
"well I'm half this and half that or marking 'other' on forms," many people just claim the more minority race.
ALSO, America considers us black first... that is why many people accept it...
question- has anyone that is biracial actually told you that they consider themselves "black first" or are you assuming because of the company they keep?

2006-07-09 22:16:06 · answer #2 · answered by biracial 2 · 0 0

since the US used to be a VERY white country, any one who was non-white was considered different. so anyone not fully white was automatically classed into one of those 'different' categories. i.e. pure white is WHITE, anything less is considered minority group. or at least it used to be...thank God for change.

when you go out of the US, diff parts of the world have diff views of how races mix and what to call them.

imo, it's totally incorrect to pick one race over another. even if you can pass for one race, to deny the other is denying part of yourself, your parent, your heritage. if you had kids and they were mixed and denied your racial contribution, would you not feel disrespected? or that they were ashamed of you? i would.

2006-07-09 22:16:45 · answer #3 · answered by fabulousisjane 2 · 0 0

I think it actually was in law at one point that anything over 5% non white blood made you non white, sort of the racial purity thing, hopefully thats not on the books anymore.

2006-07-09 20:26:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

a lot of times they pick the race that accepts them as bi-racial which usly turns out to be the non white part of their heratige at least that is what my bi-racial friends say

2006-07-10 07:15:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

In my case, I'm half Filipina half Spanish and I never pick one over the other. I'd rather tell them I have mixed blood, lol, some find it very interesting. Maybe those who do pick one color over the other feel more identified in what they choose.

2006-07-09 20:28:58 · answer #6 · answered by MDQ 3 · 0 0

i don't....i always say Italian first THEN black... their reason might br because you know their half white with out saying most of the time....so there just clarifying that the darker skin color is from being black and not Indian or Mexican

2006-07-09 20:55:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

the reason is that the BLACK part of the interracial child is more willing to accept the child than the WHITE relatives are. that's a fact.

2006-07-09 21:37:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

my father was Iranian and my mom is caucasian. I always usually say i'm iranian because its different and not as borring as saying "i'm white" ya know?

2006-07-09 20:26:30 · answer #9 · answered by Kittie_Nash 5 · 0 0

cuz theres more white people and there proud of their other heritage as well so thats what thye wanna be known by or its just more distinct

2006-07-09 20:26:46 · answer #10 · answered by thenextiommi 3 · 0 0

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