Why is it such a bad thing to acknowledge being "multiracial"?

You definitely got the darker lot of races there :-)

Well, I have run into plenty people who are shocked to see a darker skinned person speaking Spanish. The whole ignorance thing just baffles me. As we see, not everyone is cultured. All one would have to do is use google. Look it up.

It's because they are stupid. Yes, it has been going on for a long time, but I don't think it was an actual "category" (I know that sounds really stupid). As a teacher, I've had many, many, multi-racial kids on my roster. You sound like a very smart kid! Keep it up!

Thanks! I appreciate your kind words! We are taking it one day at a time. :)

It's funny, when I was a kid I lived in DC. I was thin with dark hair (about 5) and have always had slanted eyes. I remember on a playground being teased for being Chinese. I'm not but I guess I could see why they thought I might be. It was a bit strange. My ex is mostly Cherokee and part Italian but when we were in Mexico, the Mexicans kept saying "he is Mexican, he's lying to you." It wasn't true but it was both weird and humorous. So, think there's more to worry about than that. Good luck and God Bless.

Amen! Do you know I have been told (by an AA man) that it isn't possible to be four races! I couldn't believe it, how stupid can you be? I could be 10! Anyway, I am four (that I know of). We will never truly know all of our heritage. I fully believe that in some way, shape or form we are all connected through a bloodline. When I was younger it was hell because there wasn't a "other option, multi or mixed race" I can't tell you how much that bothered me. So I'm glad to see we've passed that & my kids don't feel pressured to check one!

I get told the same thing. Or they look at me and say that I am lieing and I am just ashamed of my background. That is so not the case. If I were, I wouldn't have even said I was multi. I mainly get most of the hate from AA's.I hate to say that, but it is the truth. Most may not even be aware of what we experience, if they aren't in the same boat as us. This is not a figment of our imagination, it's our everyday struggle living in this country. I've even had people go to such lengths as to ask if my hair was fake or processed, or to run their fingers through my hair to check and see if I had extensions. LOL!! My hair was longer then, but It's short now. I am glad you were able to see such significant progress in this lifetime. That is a beautiful thing. Now, none of us have to be pressured to incorrectly define who we are.

Growing up I did have my cousins who were (by means of ration) "more Mexican than I" use to say things about how I looked Mexican but had "white people hair" or because I didn't dress a certain way, spoke properly, and have never been into the make up & jewelry like them that I again "am white." On the other hand, I've been called racial names by white's, stared up & down & didn't always fit in there because I was darker than everyone else. Thankfully though, my Mom raised me to be above all of that. So while it hurt, I didn't let it bring me down. It just made me stronger. I don't have any problems now but two of my daughters do, so that tells me that the ignorance is still being passed down. However, they too are raised to be above that. Do you have "good" hair is that why? lol that's another one :)

Oh wow!! Then you must really have "Good Hair" LOL!!! I guess they wanted you to dress and act a certain way? Why is that such as important thing these days? And how does one act and dress a certain way? People sometimes, seem to condemn what they don't understand. It is a good thing you had a strong support system behind you and that made you strong. I have been hurt too, when I was younger, because I had family members like cousins, etc, not my immediate family, who would make comments and call me names. It's all good, just like you, you bounce back and keep it moving and not let that change who you are. And as for my hair, I don't look at it is "Good Hair". It's unruly, coarse hair to me, but growing up, my cousins would always try to do things to have the same hair as mine. It gets better when it grows out, lol , that's when I had some people think it was fake hair. No way could that type of hair be coming from my scalp. That was the weirdest thing I have encountered. LOL!!

My hair is thinner than theirs, not quite as coarse & a lighter black, but I always liked my hair. It's funny that yet they made the comments, they wanted to be like you (your hair) haha suckers LOL

LOL!! Yeah, I say, just work with whatever features, skin tone, hair, body type, etc that you have. And be confident! :)

Sounds like someone is making something out of nothing

That's an assumption. I definitely won't take any offense to your comment, knowing that you don't know what I have personally experienced. Be blessed!

We have a bi-racial pres so obviously it's not a bad thing. You can't help what you are. Some ppl do not believe in race mixing but they have no problem with those that do. BO made a choice and that was to be black and ignore his white blood. He writes a book about a father he didn't know, he had very little contact with, nothing about his mother. I have never once in my life asked a person what their ethnicity was. I treat everyone as they treat me.

Yeah we do have a bi-racial pres, but I don't really think he acknowledges the fact that he is bi-racial, which I think, in turn, does nothing to help others who are. It only adds to people thinking it's ok for them to tell you to choose one side. Like Barack, who is Black and White, being bi-racial is thrown out of the window and he is now "Black", which is misleading. But, to each his own. If he likes it, I love it. I appreciate your post. Very insightful.

Yep, very true. If i were multi racial, and asked what i was, i would simply say, i am what i am. You don't need details.

That's cool! I am glad that you define yourself and not let anyone define who you are. People will sometimes try to put you in a neat little box, because it makes things more simple. Yes, I don't argue with people either, at the end of the day, I tell them, it's what I say, not what you think.

You will be treated by how you act and your level of education. Both are very important. You will be judged by the company you keep.

That's true! But at the same time, based on what I have personally witnessed and experienced, we also, at times, may be judged based on "appearances" and "stereotypes". This is by people who do not know us and don't take the time to get to know us first, before forming an opinion.

True, but don't play into it. Always walk away from ignorance.

Even people who are against inter-racial marriage need to remember that the children that come from that marriage did absolutely nothing to deserve anything but love and friendship. The same you'd give any child. I have nieces and nephews from a mixed marriage whose own grandparents won't have anything to do with them. I will!

Myself, I adopted two Filipino boys... you don't get more multi-racial than that. :)

WOW!! That's a good deal! Good for you! If I may ask, what made you select your boys? You are right! I think people should just accept the fact that we are all human, living this human experience.

My boys were unwanted, no one would adopt them because they were teens. When I found out about them it just broke my heart that anyone was considered unwanted, I wanted them. They're grown men now and still a big part of my life.

You are, of course, RIGHT!
There will always be stupid and narrow-minded people; it's up to *YOU*, and you alone, *NOT* to join their ranks.

Stay strong, keep your head up, and do what you know is right.

Thanks Marvelous Wildfire! I really appreciate your words! It's a good thing to know that there are other open minded people out here. I will def stay strong and keep my head up. You do the same!

Will do!

It is not a bad thing to acknowlege being multiracial. I come from a mixture of different ethnicities, all who have made my family beautiful. Always be proud of who you are and don't let those who do not understand get to you.

You are right. Regardless of one's race we are all beautiful.

Good for you. The reality is that most people are probably multiracial and don't even know it.

Thanks. I believe the same thing. Especially, people who are from the US. You never really know. Some people you can look at and see admixture.

Who is saying its a bad thing, to acknowledge ones self as multicultural?

I've always come across people who have actively inquired about my background so that they could debate about it. Once, in a training class, the instructor, in front of the whole class, turned to me and asked if one of my parents were of a different race. At first, it baffled me as to, if they thought I was solely of one ethnicity, why they would even ask and question what I was mixed with, in the first place. Maybe they do it out of curiosity and in some strange way, trying to understand? I am not sure. But, unfortunately, I've lived in many places, some weren't as bad as others, but I have gotten lots of people inquiring then saying what I should Identify as.

Are you male or female?

There was a time when this was not accepted by society. I don't think that's the case today. The world is getting smaller and unless you've lived all your life in a small isolated pocket of the world, you will run into a wide range of people. My family comes from all over the world and that's pretty true of everyone. People of Italian descent have the blood of captives from every corner of the Roman Empire from Ireland to Africa. It's very interesting studying how they can track mitochondrial DNA through bone marrow to track where people came from. There's a British book "The Seven Daughters of Eve" that discusses how this process was discovered and how European people can track their history to seven women who lived thousands of years ago at different glacial periods in human history. Similar studies are going on now regarding India and other parts of Asia and even Native Americans. Really intriguing stuff. One man from Scandinavia had his DNA analyzed and was found to have DNA similar to people in the South Pacific. Amazing. We don't know what we don't know. Look up anthropology.

Interesting post! WOW! I must admit that I don't know much about anthropology, but it does intrigue me. Do you believe that we are all connected in some way? That is an interesting find with the Scandinavian guy. Who would have even thought those two places could have been connected. But, look at all the travelers of the olden days. We never really know, who went where. The possibilities are endless!

I've gotten really into books on the topic in the past few years. The research on DNA is pushing this. There's even huge fist fight debates over the origination of humans. If you go back to the concept of Pangaea, it is possible that humanity developed on both the African and South American continents. While most anthropologists theorize Native Americans came across from Asia via the Bering land bridge during an Ice Age where sea levels were lower, some are now saying that these groups as well as Pacific Islanders originated in South America and moved westward and northward. One of the oldest mummies ever found is Luiza, a female covered in gold found in the Andes mountains. It's really interesting stuff. We don't know what we dont' know.

I agree!