We all look at Tiger Woods, Halle Berry when we talk of children from interracial relationships. And then there is Ria of course 
. These are people who have changed the society’s view on interracial children. Question is: Is there more than meets the eye?
Most people look at children and say think wow! Now that is one beautiful offspring. My sister is one of the people that adore looking at interracial children. But is that what everyone sees when they look at them?
There are more serious effects of a child being interracial … categorization and racism. Which group does she belong to? One lady, Tracy Quincy didn’t know exactly where she fit while growing up. Black kids never thought she was black enough and threw food at her and the brother. And in high school, the white kids called her black coz her hair was fizzy and unruly. There was name calling from both sides … Oreo! Zebra! Mutt!
Racists often feel the need to put people in categories. So where do they squeeze in biracial children? Are they more resentful and more racist towards these children?
Putting effects of racism aside, the child suffers from identity crisis when growing up. Which group do I belong to? Where do I fit in? Take it from me, coming from two or more racial groups aint that easy when growing up - especially during my time. I remember once, my Italian pal had a party which I never got invited to coz my skin was dark. Such things really affect the child and if the parents don’t intervene, then it breeds problems in future.
Despite my comfort with my skin color, I think mixed race people haven’t been accepted fully. Why is it that in most forms I have to fill out where one has to circle ethnicity, there is no “multiracial� option. I always have to circle “other�. What does other mean? An alien or something?
It reached a point when I used to curse my parents for having had an interracial relationship. But should parents sacrifice their love for the sake of their children’s happiness? Do you think interracial couples who plan on having children are selfish?
What do you think of mixed race individuals?
Tags: black women white men, black women black men, black dating site
Popularity: 17% [?]
Comment by fala on 23 November 2007:
It’s not easy being a biracial kid, but it’s not easy being a kid. Kids always pick on each other - that’s part of being a kid.
Being called an Oreo and told I’m not black enough just taught me to not worry about what other people think and just be myself. I wouldn’t change any of my experiences growing up for anything.
Comment by xeltron on 24 November 2007:
It’s not easy being a kid regardless of color. If you raise your children correctly and show them the proper love, everything will be fine. My daughters are proud of their black and white heritages and take no lip from anyone. They are strong because that’s the way they have been raised.
Comment by cocokisses on 25 November 2007:
I agree with the comments above. I live in Ohio, and at least a quarter of the kids in my daughter’s school are bi-racial. I just happen to live in an area where it is extremely common. I asked my daughter if she has ever had a problem since she has been in school, and she told me no. I agree that kids tease each other, no matter what the race. It’s how we raise our kids to deal with the teasing that matters most.
Comment by fala on 25 November 2007:
Very good points Xeltron and Coco. Kids raised in good, loving, supporting families can over come anything.
Comment by acuteblkguy on 5 December 2007:
what kid doesnt grow up with identity issues, blk wht or whatever, and what kid doesnt get made fun of, i look at it this way, if i were fat, i’d be made fun of, if i’m too skinny, i’m made fun of, if i had a different accent i’d be made fun of, if i were really short or really tall, or if i were poor or (rich and Boogey) see we all get it , no matter what you do or how confident u are with yourself, there is always someone out there to tell you who they think u are and should be…SO to wrap this up
i dont think that it has any more affect on how u fit in as any of the above mentioned things do. I’m mixed jamaican and indian (india) and people tell me i’m black or they assume i’m african american because of the way i look, so i dont buy into it, cause inside i know i’m much more complex, beauty in complex!! I personally consider myself black cause of my skin tone. and those lucky enough to get to know me find out more than just my skin tone.
Comment by Rome11 on 7 December 2007:
true you must judge a persons for what he or she is worth not what they look like we are all indeviduals and that is what makes all this shit worth getting down for,forreal.
Comment by mossimo on 7 December 2007:
Great comments all….my kids are mixed too, but am not sure how much teasing happens in the lower grade levels. They have not told me of a single incident though.
Comment by josey on 12 December 2007:
The sad part about some bi-racial people aka Tiger…”some” people have that I am better than you attitude just because they are bi-racial. In reality we all come from the same beginning.
Comment by Silly_Shanti on 6 January 2008:
I completely agree with acuteblkguy. No matter what you are, people (being the simple human beings that we all are) will make fun of, critique, and even harass ANYTHING that is different from ourselves. And yes, Josey is correct as well. Some people set a bad example, being bi-racial themselves and acting high and mighty about it.
Comment by nightnurse57 on 12 March 2008:
if you look at the younger generation you will see that many of the kids are mixed - whether they be black and white, asian and white, asian and black, hispanic and black, hispanic and white, black and american indian, and anything else you want to throw in the mix. kids today do not see the racial aspect as much as older generations do, and those that do need to be educated about the one-ness of the human race, not the division of the race based on color. we all bleed, we all breathe, and we all grieve. we all also celebrate. when we accept ourselves as equal, then so will our children and grandchildren. kids learn what they see. it’s up to us to teach them.
Comment by skyprincess1 on 20 March 2008:
Finally the voice of reason…thank you nightnurse!
Comment by mimi 27 on 28 April 2008:
I have never dated a white man and never will i have 4 biracial children who are beautiful and if we would all grow up and stop worrying about race and what everyone else is doing this would be such a better world we are all people we are all beautiful Let us teach our children not to see color but the good and beauty in every person
Comment by Kespat on 29 April 2008:
Well since I have a biracial child I clearly don’t have an issue with biracial individuals. There are definitely issues that can arise from being biracial (particularly identification issues). However, depending on how the parents address these issues with their children, I don’t see that there has to be any reason for biracial children to suffer from teasing any more than other children. I myself was teased about my “big” lips and “being white” because of how I speak and the kind of music I listened to. Luckily, I had a ton of love, acceptance and support growing up so that although being teased was by no means fun, I was secure enough in myself to not allow it to have permanent effects on my self-esteem.
Comment by nashida on 18 July 2008:
Slave masters had a field day with the African females and the native females of the first people by raping them and impregnating them, therefore spreading their genetics through out the Americas and around the world. The so-called creo, colored people, and mixed heritage, bi-racial, light skinned, multi-cultural and etc. are the titles that were given to the children after the fact. Neither of these names truly identifies the whole person. And yet, it doesn’t even surprise me that we are even having a discussion about the genetics of our children.
The white couple that produced the brown skinned child whom its mother does not know her father is a prime example of this. The master’s children that were shipped around like parcel packages did not know their fathers either they just knew that if they were light skinned Africans that they were the product of a rape and that they could be related to any number of white folks in this country.
People please let’s not forget the history of this country, we are all sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles and grandparents to one another, whether we are called creo, colored people, and mixed heritage, bi-racial, light skinned or multi-cultural, white or black.
Comment by Sundae713 on 1 September 2008:
I’ve had two best friends who are biracial and one is pretty comfortable. The other identifies as black but is faced with the same discrimination mentioned in your article. I personally think it depends on where you grow up. There are some communities that don’t make a big deal out of it. I’ve lived in a town like that before. It seemed like everybody was biracial, lol but I was a kid. Where I currently reside, however there’s the constant label of “redbone” and “yellow.”
I think it depends on how diverse that particular community is to begin with. If there are more races than black and white around than nobody is paying attention to those labels. You might be mistaken for Hispanic, lol.
Comment by vt on 15 October 2008:
shut up
Comment by jahag on 18 November 2008:
I have 2 Biracial Grandsons that I love and spoil. I feel they have the best of both worlds Black and White Grandparents that they are learning from. The problem I have with people is that they always put them in Black Race regardless of being half White. Since their Mother is White, I believe in the old saying, “Mama’s baby..Daddy’s maybe”. I personally think it’s nice for them to have 2 cultures and ethnic backgrounds,in fact I’m learning more about the White culture that I never knew. So in my own opinion I think it’s great.
Comment by sun on 19 November 2008:
I need advice. I have 4 yr old daughter half black and half korea. she is a beautiful little girl. I don’t forget the day she showed me her palm and said I like this color then flipped her hand and said I don’t like brown color. It broke my heart and I was not ready for this kind of situation. Within my beleif all I could said was God made everyone special and the color you have is beautiful and you are special. but it didn’t make her feel differnt. what can I do to make her feel good about herself and being thankful for the way she look?