I'm Caucasian (both of my parents were born in Italy) but people have asked me if I'm sure there's no African in me because my hair is so curly (mix of 3b, 3c and some 4a). I've also been asked if I'm Jewish because of my hair.

I get the "are you Jewish?" thing alot as well, which irratates me to no end in all the assumptions that represents.

I get the "what is she?/are they?" comments in regards to my daughters when my husbandisnt with us. I usually respond with "a girl!" or "human!"

Im caucasian American and my husband is a fairly light skinned Mexican.... But in our very white neighborhood back in the US people thought my daughters are sooo " tan" . We now live in Mexico and everywheere we go people call the three of us girls "gueras" /white . Funnyhow things change dependingon context, isnt it?

Im so sorry that there are so many prejudiced people out there. We are all beautiful, no matter our "mix" .

It seems to me some biracial people who dont want to choose one race or the other (which I dont think they should have to) have created a backlash against biracial people who CHOOSE to identify themselves as one race. I have many friends who are black and something else but they consider themselves black. And i have many filipino and white friends who say they are filipino. It is their perogative and nothing to do with denying their heritage.
I had a coworker who is black say something about my race recently and I said I am black. He said I must be mixed with something because of my hair. I said nothing but was offended. If I say im black then Im black. Just because I have light skin and freckles doesnt compel me to have to self identify as mixed race as some people on here suggest.

I can identify with this, because, I too, identify as a black woman. So, for those, who don't feel that we should be offended, because we "obviously look mixed", it is an insult to our blackness. It is, as if, to say that a black person cannot be light skinned or have curly or long hair. As least, for me, that is what goes through my mind. Likewise, when I hear "well you're only half", it is to deny my blackness. I am aware that I'm mixed, that I'm in fact also half-white, but I do not feel white at all. I walk through life as a black woman, and don't you dare try to take that away from me, for it is not an easy way to walk through life to begin with. With that said, we've taken the conversation away from hair to race. But, I understand how others may not or do not mean it offensively, as I certainly mean no harm when I ask people what their ethnicity is. I suppose we all are sensitive to different things.

This is an interesting perspective. I agree with everyone's right to identify as they see fit. I am of mixed race and that is how I see myself, although I'm often assumed to be white or Latina or even Asian, depending on who is looking at me. Nope, I'm just black and white with a bit of Indian thrown into the mix. I embrace both sides of my heritage.

But I disagree with you on something...your coworker most likely is going by what he sees. I'm not sure why you would be offended if somebody thinks you might be biracial or multiracial. It's not an insult. Obviously he can tell that you are mixed with something besides black. I am VERY proud of my black heritage, but I also know that my appearance is not what people typically think of when they think of a Black woman. I'm very fair-skinned with "white" features, but my hair is kinky...that is the only feature that makes people question my ethnicity. The questions/comments/stares are annoying, but it is part of being mixed.

Some people can tell I'm mixed, some can't. It is what it is. You have the right to be who you are and to identify as you see fit, but some people will wonder if you are mixed because of your phenotype. It kind of comes with the territory. As long as you are secure in your identity, it doesn't matter what others think.

And I'm not sure how some biracials have created a backlash against other mixed-race people because it comes down to the fact that identity is a very personal thing. No one can define it for you. They can try, but only you know who you are. When somebody asks what my race is (I hate that question), I tell them I'm mixed and keep it moving. Saying that you are mixed doesn't mean that you are denying your black heritage or negating that part of yourself.