"In the eyes of many people I am the product of a relationship that wasn't supposed to happen." "I'm no tragedy, and no exotic other." "I'm no jungle-fever rainbow baby." The contemporary voices are disturbing, frank, witty, and heartfelt. In essay, interview, and poetry, 45 mixed-race young people between the ages of 14 and 26, from all over the U.S., speak about their growing up. Whether black and white, white and Asian, Hispanic and black, Jewish and black, or whatever, each one is intensely personal; yet each one speaks to universals of coming-of-age as an outsider who doesn't fit into accepted categories. You read one piece, and it seems to say it all; turn to the next young person, and there is more surprise and drama. As with all authentic writing, the closer you get, the more diversity you see, and the more connections. Some speak of shame, some of pride; most have experienced both, in school and community, in their own families, in their individual searches for roots and love. Gaskins is a journalist for a teen educational magazine and is herself of mixed race. She allows the young people to speak for themselves, but she adds brief commentary where necessary as well as an excellent overview, and the insights of historians, therapists, and other experts. She applauds the recent revolutionary change that allows people to check more than one racial category on federal forms. The extensive annotated list of resources--including books, movies, Web sites, and advocacy groups--adds to the value of this landmark book.
Being Multiracial,I can understand Hazel. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Like I always say,this is all so old.
From my perspective, mixed people have been around since New Orleans ,was settled. I cannot buy into these people and their beliefs of being Bi-racial and being special but odd. Being both and yet neither.
B.S.
You are not living under segregation. My parents did.
These so-calledbi-racial, mutli, get a clue.
All that to what I was coming to post is that David Allan Grier has a book out about bi-racial, whatever, Black people.
Last edited by Creole GAL on Wed 07 Oct 2009 03:07; edited 1 time in total
All that to what I was coming to post is that David Allan Grier has a book out about bi-rcial,whatever,Black people.
Are you saying that all biracial people are really just "black," whether they wish to identify as such or not? Are you meaning to force a "black" identity upon all persons who have a mixture of recent sub-Saharan African ancestry and something else?
Creole GAL wrote:
You are not living under segregation.My parents did.
It strikes me, from your words, that we most definitely are living under a system of segregation. And that your words offer a perfect illustration of the thinking that upholds it.
No.Call yourself whatever you like.
It is your choice.
I know people who look White American, and go as White American. They go as Black American.
I know people who look WA and go as WA.
Some people I know look Latin and go as Black. Others look Latin and go as anything but BA.
It is a personal choice.
I just don't get these bi-racial, whatever people and their constant complaints, moaning about oh how special , different, and unique they are and how they are both,yet neither and oh how the world is so difficult for them... Oh people are always starring, questioning...shut up already!
They are not special, different, new and unique, or anything else.
Life is not hard for them in terms of ethnic indentification.
Hard life was during my folks time if you choose to go as BA .
I just don't get these bi-racial, whatever people and their constant complaints, moaning about oh how special , different, and unique they are and how they are both,yet neither and oh how the world is so difficult for them... Oh people are always starring, questioning...shut up already!
They are not special, different, new and unique, or anything else.
Life is not hard for them in terms of ethnic indentification.
Hard life was during my folks time if you choose to go as BA .
Their ancestry is not new or unique. Their identity is. At least relatively so.
If your words are any indication, it seems rather obvious that persons who embrace mixed race identities do have a rough time of it. Consider for a moment if your last post (or the one before it) were to be written in reference to the word "black" and you will see how obviously intolerant you are being of their identity.
Quote:
I just don't get these black people and their constant complaints, moaning about oh how special, different, and unique they are and how they come in all colors and oh how the world is so difficult for them... Oh people are always starring, questioning...shut up already! Black people are not special, different, unique, or anything else.
Ok. I substituted Japanese, Chinese,whatever and I sitill feel the same.
I don't get their Mulattoism,constant moaning about oh,how hard this is and how they are so special.
No, I do not think their identity is new because it is not.
They look like typical lil Creole children.
Curly hair. Eye color range from hazel- to blue. Long black straight hair looking Hispanic w/olive complexion.Darker Hispanic looking with straight hair.
Then there are the WA looking Creole people who go as WA and who would not marry or date these Bi-racial whatever looking people. No way!!
Some of these Bi-racial whatever,look way blacker than me. They wish they looked like me and yet, I am considered JET 100% BLACK PURE in these parts even by family and friends who W Creole and Hispanic looking Creole.
What I really wanted to post on was about the movie, Good Hair.
This sort of leads to that.
This book is really not particularly about "Mulattoism." It is a compilation of a variety of perspectives about a variety of mixed race identities presented via anecdote by multiple individuals with a wide range of backgrounds.
Creole GAL wrote:
constant moaning about oh,how hard this is and how they are so special.
I think that you are special.
Creole GAL wrote:
No, I do not think their identity is new because it is not.
You do not know what their identity is because you have not read the book. Clearly, you don't have the faintest clue what this book is about.
Creole GAL wrote:
They look like typical lil Creole children.
No. Many of the writers in the book do not look at all like Creoles. Unless you think that everyone looks Creole.
'
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