How should i refer to biracial people (white/black) when discussing their ethnicity? Without causing offence?

Question

In my experience, if i refer to them as biracial, some feel that I am trying to exclude them from being black (some see themselves as fully black). If I call them black, i feel i am overlooking the non-black part of their ethnicity.

And I dont really understand why its ok to call them black in the first place, since ETHNICALLY they are no more black than white.

Take Tiger Woods. Some would say he should be called black, but in reality he is black and asian.

WHy is it when a biracial person has a small part of black in them that they are called black. It that fair to the other part of their ethnic heritage.

Or...should I consider how the person feels about it - i.e. if the person is biracial but classes themself as black, should I just accept that. Is that right?

This question is not intended to cause offence in the slightest. I just think there should be an honest, accurate way of referencing a biracial person's ethnicity.

Sensible comments welcome.

i dont think there is anything wrong with referencing someone's ethnicity. If someone is Irish, its simple, i will say they are Irish. but when talking about biracial people, i never know what to say. It doesnt REALLY matter, but yet it does if you get what i mean?

to suzie and others . occasionally the issue of ones race comes up. Its not a negative thing. Occasionally i MIGHT have to say "my biracial friend Mary" in case i i have 2 friends called Mary, just like anyone would say "my Scottish friend Joe". No-one would say i was being offensive if I said "my Scottish friend" so why is it i cannot refer to a biracial person's ethnicity in the same manner?

Hog B a lot of people (mostly white) have suggested that Halle Berry is not black but mixed race. Technically they are right!!SHe is no more black than she is white! Is it fair to her white heritage to completely ignore it? If its fair, WHY is it fair?

I realise these are kinda uncomfortable topics, but i think they are worth discussing. Thats what this board is REALLY for, not just trivial questions.

Danagasta, what if you are black (both parents are black) but you look white ? It happens occasionally so i am told. Are you white? Should I take what you look like as the major racial determinant, or your parents' race?

Answer 1

You can ask the person how they identify themselves, or just refer to them by their name. Yes what the person calls themselves is the most important thing. As a racially mixed person I find it offensive to be told by others what I am. I'm supposed to tell them.

Answer 2

'Mixed' is what I hear most. I generally try to avoid it unless it's pertinant, like if I'm describing what a person looks like. Mostly because I'm not very good at guessing more detailed ethnicity by looks. But also because I'm wary of offending people and I'm well aware that people can take something you say and ascribe completely different intentions to your wording.

I think the reason people tend to lump anyone with dark skin as 'black' has a lot more to do with skin tone than their actual heritage. If you walked up to Tiger Woods without having any clue who he or his parents were and tried to judge his ethnicity at a glance, most people in this country would only guess black. It's kind of like what people of asian descent run into in this country a lot. People tend to call them all Chinese no matter where they're from.

Answer 3

Mixed race I believe is OK. I try not to get caught up in it all. You are either English, Scottish, Indian etc or of course, white, black, mixed race. Just keep to the facts.

What really winds me up are people who say oh, I am 2% scottish and 5% irish etc etc. Well, I am actually 25% american indian (grand dad) but as far as I am concerned, I am English - that is where I was born.

Answer 4

Apart from describing people, I prefer not to lable people. Does someone's heritage really make that much of a difference in our multicultural world? We're all from different places, each of us being unique.

That being said, I usually refer to someone of mixed heritage as being mixed. Neither black, nor white, nor asian, nor native, etc... Simply mixed. However, if someone feels the need to put a lable on themself to make it easier, then I'll refer to them as they refer to themselves. They obviously relate better to that heritage, or want to, that is their choice.

I find usually in real life those of mixed heritage are generally refered to as the background that is most easily recognizable. We all have different shades of skin and different features, even within our own ethnicity, some people look more like their mom, some more like their dad.

Answer 5

Mixed-raced.

Answer 6

If you use the one drop rule as used in the time of slavery, as long as they have any black in them they are deemed as black. But the fact is what else are you going to call them? Their skin is black. Full stop. Yes there are black and black parents who produce the same light skin complexion that every thick person in the UK who do not know their history uses as a yardstick to determine who is black from who is so called 'mixed race' from who is white. The thing is also it's far from 'occasional'. There are nations full of them!
Think about it too. Why the division anyway? I know for a fact that if some of the mothers could get away with calling them white they would readily do so then call them ANYTHING but black.
My friend if you want to know what to call them and if they are interested too (which I heavily doubt), then please read some history books to get some idea.

Answer 7

I take the view that everyone should be allowed to define themselves. Subculture, the environment someone grew up in, where they are now, how other people see them, all of that impacts greatly on a person's sense of self. Far more complicated than blood lines.

Answer 8

OK, this is irrelevant....I am more than bi-racial..loll im a Caribbean mutt. To bad we can't just call our selves American, just like my family in Jamaica that are a mix of Middle eastern(Arab and Jewish), English Mon and African. We just say Jamaican. I think bi, or multi racial will do just fine. Or just call them what they are, insted of :hey my friend is mulatto, just say hey my friend is black and white. I don't think any is offensive... Accept for calling them a mutt.

Answer 9

Why even point their race, why does it matter? If they want to be called Black then refer to them as Black or biracial or whatever they want. I would just call them by their birth name.

Answer 10

I don't understand why people call Barack Obama black when he is biracial. I don't understand why people don't realize that Tiger Woods is not just black. My son is biracial; black and white. I want him to grow up knowing that he is both, and that he should see himself as neither one or the other. He has an opportunity to be a part of two races. There are a lot more biracial people nowadays and we don't really know what to define them as. I say call them biracial, they are not one or the other.