Mixed race

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Notes: Race is a Social Construct

Out of the millions of people who populate the Earth, the majority of our genes are the same. There is no biological evidence that our genes can identify a certain racial group; thus, there is no such thing as a white or Black gene. All in all, race is a man-made classification system to explain the physical differences amongst humans. Over time, this social construct has evolved into a tool for discrimination and oppression.

Notes: Even When There is No Race, Race Becomes An Identity

Although the various races in humanity are not biologically real, they are undeniably socially real. The American psychologist Beverly Daniel-Tatum once conducted a study where she asked people of African descent, “Who am I?” The biggest characteristic brought about was Black. Considering this, Daniel-Tatum’s study proves that people who are not in the “default (racial) setting” tend to identify with their “minority (racial) quality” before other characteristics due to longstanding societal pressures. Unfortunately, we live in a world where physical characteristics (skin color, hair texture, eye color, etc.) are the first things a person notices about you; therefore, race becomes an individual identity positively and negatively.

Mixed Race

A person who has parents or ancestors of different races. This term gained popularity by the mid-twentieth century, replacing offensive vocabulary seen throughout history such as mulatto, mestizo, mongrel, etc. Though often used as a synonym for “biracial,” some argue that due to the specificity of “bi” (meaning two), biracial is too limited of a term, and mixed race is preferred. However, others argue that the term mixed race generalizes various cultures and heritages, ultimately lumping them together into the same category. It is said that mixed race feels too broad to define a person who has their own complex history. With all, if someone chooses to define themselves as mixed, then it is appropriate, but it is inappropriate to expect that anybody owes an explanation for their identity.

Notably, the official terminology differs globally when describing people who identify with more than one race or ethnicity. Seeing this, race functions as a social construct, for it fluctuates based on different cultures and countries. Some examples include…

  • South Africa: coloured
  • Dominican Republic: dark white
  • Brazil: cor de canela, cor de rosa, cor de crema

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We are using capitalization to recognize a larger, interconnected community of Black people with its own cultural, historical, and social significance.




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