Bi-racial children. Are they black,white or other? One drop used to be the rule. What is it now?

Question

I have a bunch of beautiful bi-racial kids. I've always lived in a color-blind world but as they are getting older, I realize that my world, isn't necessarily their world. They either say they are a mix of mom and dad, tan, white, or just other. So, I thought I'd ask what other people think whey they see bi-racial kids. Most of the black people I know (family,friends) say the kids are black and that they should be taught that because that is how our society will view them. What do you think? My question really applies to all bi-racial people. I would love responses from as many racial groups as possible. Thank you!

Answer 1

I think your black friends are right about them always being seen as black by blacks and whites alike.

Answer 2

There's a great story by Dr. Seuss called "The Sneeches" where there are 2 sects of people, one sect has stars on their bellies and the others do not. I don't remember which one was considered "superior" and which one was ridiculed, but in the end they all mixed together and no one knew who belonged to which sect. Bi-racial children are the hope for the future...in that someday, no one will be able to tell...or even ask that question because no one will care what race the child is....and just look at the child as a child of the world.

Answer 3

Great question ... I am a 30+ female , I am also mixed race. My dad is Irish and my mom is black. Growing up it was a little hard because people would always ask What are you ??? Sometimes seconds after meeting me ! ... I always said " I'm Black and Irish" I can't stress how important it was for me to have a ready answer that I could proudly state !
My parents never stressed that we ( brothers and I ) were either one or the other.... we were both ! They made sure we knew about both of their races. Though my parents made sure that we understood about how society may view and treat us.
Looking back on childhood growing up mixed I can say it was great ! Your children are so lucky ! Being mixed race I got to experience two completely different cultures/ races. I can move almost seamlessly though both and understand both on many levels.It's a unique perspective on life that I would not trade for anything... on a side note I even got great hair as a bonus !

Answer 4

My sister has a child that is tri-racial. My children will be bi-racial. It hurts to know that she sides more with two out of the three races. Especially, when my child will be the race that she never seems to acknowledge. It's sad!

I see both sides when I see a child. Society (the majority) will view them by how they look (if they tend to look more like one race than the other), unless they know they are bi-racial or can tell they are bi-racial. Let them talk about it, and be proud! :)

Answer 5

Forget about the used to be rule. Bi-racial,
multi-racial we all are one race HUMAN, how-
ever you can explain to them that they come
from different ethnic backgrounds, All bi-racial
or multi-racial persons are special because they
come from a diversity of ethnictisity, as that is
what makes them special. Society will always
lable the color of a persons skin for thier own
satisfication, but in reality it's not the skin color
that makes the person its the heart that makes
the person, and a person with a good heart
will always survive societys ridiculs.

Answer 6

I am multi-racial (my father is a Trini of Indian descent; my mother is Black (Venezuelan) and White (British)) and I consider myself just that: multiracial. Some people think I'm Hispanic, others think I'm a really tan white person. I could care less about how society sees me because I'm the one that has to face myself in the mirror everyday. I would never hide one aspect of my culture because people see me a certain way. I yam what I yam.

Answer 7

to answer a race question. Mixed or other would be ok. No one needs or hopefully cares mixed with what.
But lets be real there are jerks out there and they do need taught bad things will be said about you and their dad but it is ok.
A good comeback to those jerks that will say it is wrong. Have them say what is wrong with two people in love and married for xx years?
Raise them with your culture and have them be free to ask questions. Same as if you are a Jew and your husband is a Catholic. Only your mix is more visable

Answer 8

My son is biracial. Although really it's more like tri-racial-- Native American, black and Sicilian.

I don't subscribe to the "one drop" rule, because I think that's sort of silly. If that were true, then I (as a Sicilian) would be black. Technically. Since the Sicilians have an ever-so-tiny amount of north African genes. I carry the African sickle cell gene, but I'm pretty darn pale :)

When my son was born, I was afraid that he'd look nothing like me, and only look like his father. But he turned out to have my big eyes, my lips and my nose.

The interesting thing is, when I take my son to Chicago to the predominately black neighborhood where his father's family lives, everyone remarks that he looks exactly like me.

Here in Minnesota, in the predominately white area where we live, most people remark that he looks like his father.

I think of my son as neither black nor white. Honestly, I tend to think of him as Italian because I'm Italian (and because he loves pasta, opera and Nutella!) Color-wise, his skin is as dark as my 100% black roommate, so I expect most people will think of him simply as "black." But I'll be sure to teach him about his European heritage as well, and to raise him in a household where he'll hear Italian spoken and embrace that part of his ancestry.

Answer 9

NO!! Mom2six, please teach your children that they are mixed, they are half black and half white and don't let people tell them otherwise. I hate how people say they are black because they might be a little darker, this reminds me in the slave days when people were 1/10 black and were considered black. Like you said they are bi-racial and if people must label them, they should label them correctly. Iam half black and half Indian and my parents have always taught me iam not black, iam not indian I am mixed! Please teach them that they are not one race.

Answer 10

the comparable reason rattling close to ninety 5% of the classified ads on television tutor a million black guy or woman M/F and atleast 4 white human beings.i think of theres some form of jealousy hidden at the back of all this hatred that a super style of white human beings attempt to cover

Answer 11

i've never classified them, but i always ask because i want to know how they get such great skin. as much as we'd like the world to be colorblind, some are prejudice and it is also important to carry on traditions of the cultures in the families. you should carry on family traditions and teach them to just be themselves. people seem more colorblind when the person they are talking to doesn't care about it either.