I don't know if you are referring to me, but since I am a parent who wishes her child to identify as what she is (biracial/African Polish-American/Black and Polish), rather than what someone wants her to be (Black or by some slim chance, White), you may be referring to me. In which case...

I've stated that I do not mind race in and of itself. It's is very obvious that there are is something different about me and my husband, besides our genders. It's when people place some value on it, as you seem to be doing, that causes the problem. I certainly do not put myself at the bottom of the race totem pole. But then, I do not think of it as a totem pole. To me, it's more of a rainbow or a spectrum. (And that's not meant to sound all kumbaya.) There is no better or worse, as they are all on the same plane, as far as I'm concerned.

Regarding purity, and this is not meant to be taken as a sign of some sort of superiority... As far as I know, the three to four generations above me are all Black. My husband's are all Polish. That makes us pretty close to "pure," and I'm sure there are lots of other folks who can claim the same, and maybe trace further. That doesn't make us any better or worse than my daughter, you, Tiger Woods, Barack Obama, or any other person. I'm sorry, but if I have a great great great great grand parent who is white, I'm not claiming biracial. That is just a bit too far removed.

I don't really buy into this idea that everyone is multiracial. It seems almost as bad as those who hold tight and fast to their purity as though it is some sort of badge of honor. Not only does it buy into the one drop rule, it sounds to me like a desperate attempt to make us all the "same," and simultaneously make some "not different." But, I am one of those people who celebrates our diversity. I love that there are different types of people in this world. I do not want a world where everyone is the same!

Me, too. I don't think any of us owe anyone else any explanations or justifications as to who we are or how we identify. We don't choose our parents so to me there's no point in being "proud" of their "races." I think there is a difference in celebrating the culture and heritage of all parts of your family and labelling yourself one way or another. If a person has a healthy sense of self, recognizes who they are etc. they can call themself whatever they want. My only issue is that labels come with certain baggage and assumptions, and this is why people don't need to have access to that information for situations like school or voting, and creating more labels only creates more baggage and assumptions.

do you think the bolded contradicts your choice of signature? and if not, why? i always took your signature as a symbol if racial pride, especially since it doesnt acknowledge a specific culture or heritage.

I remember you saying you would never post in one of these threads again

Well, we agree that the real world isn't pretty when it comes to race. And being in the skin I'm in, I've certainly had my share of demeaning treatment. But, I also know that the people who treated me that way are the ones with the problem, with the small-minds. Yes, I acknowledge that some of them were also in the power position, and that makes for this very major issue. But, things don't change by themselves. So, as a person responsible for teaching a member of the next generation, I will alert her to the dangers of the world, but also constantly remind her that that is not how it should be. That said, my wanting her to identify as biracial is not an attempt to give her distance from being Black. She is Black, but she is also just as much Polish. I could ask why no one wonders why I may not be trying to give her distance from Polish.

My not identifying as biracial if an ancestor 5 generations removed was White seems to buy right into the one drop rule, as far as I'm concerned. In my mind, that would be like saying I am at high risk of cancer, if that same ancestor died of it, when no other had. It would also look suspiciously like what you and others who hold similar opinions think, that they are trying to be NOT Black. So, no, I would not claim biracial if I found my 4th great granddaddy was White. And, yes, I'll admit that I might look sideways at someone who did...Then I'd go on about my business, because that wouldn't be mine anyway.

I agree with that... she is Black AND white.

The italic is what I would teach my son too. I think we agree on the same basic philosophy. I want him to understand where the idea of race came and why it was made up... but then figure out how to work within that framework to do what he can to better himself and others.

The last bold is pretty much what I do when I hear the word "biracial", LOL.

Ok, so hold on a moment... You agree that she is Black AND White. Black and White are racial terms. "Bi" refers to two. Sooo, that would make her...biracial, right? I'm just saying!

Because that's what she is. If you ask my husband what he is (and people do, because he can pass for many things) he will tell you he is Polish. If you want to get technical, she's Belizean Polish. But, then she'd have to explain Belize is where Belizeans come from, that it is a country in Central America, blah blah blah, because not many people know of Belize. Hence, Black and Polish, or briacial for short. ETA: She could also say African Polish-American, which is how my mom sometimes refers to her.

And yes, Black people can be in Poland, but that is not necessarily their heritage. They would likely be African-Polish (or have the luxury of being able to claim a specific country in Africa to be really technical), similar to the way we here are African-American. And to further get technical, those Black people in Poland may not be Black Poles like my daughter, because they may not have a Polish blood line.

Since you ask, I would say that Zoe Kravitz is biracial, since she happens to come from two biracial parents with the same basic mix.

not asking w/ any malice. What if your daughter grows up and only identifies with her black side? Like she may still be up on Polish tradition but self-IDs as black when she gets older... would you consider her black and white or go w/ what she chooses? Or the converse, opting or maybe passing for entirely Polish?

But I notice that so often people who are highly attached to the "biracial" label are also highly attached to being Not Black, and will claim they or their kids "look white", which is often untrue, get upset and "correct" people who think they are Black, etc. I don't find that threatening, but I find it sad, and I don't think any of it moves us closer to ending racism or improving the state of affairs for people of colour. But, people have their reasons for doing what they want.

I have some evidence of how that framework has played out in the examples of my three youngest siblings. They are Black and Italian, and they identify as such (sometimes biracial, sometimes African Italian-American). If someone tries to call them either one or the other, they correct them. They see it the way I do. And it's quite simple. Mom's black, dad's Italian. So they are Black Italians. If both parents were Italians, that's what they would be. If both were Black, that's what they would be. It's not really something that you can choose. You can deny, but that would not change what you really are. And, of course, it doesn't make for who you are.

One of my best friends is half white, half black. When her hair was relaxed, everyone thought she was white. Her facial features, her body type--everything about her "looked white". Well, she went natural, and her hair is a 4b. A lot of our black sistas joke around with her, saying that she looks like a white girl with a 'fro, and that her hair is nappier than theirs!

I like this idea.

okay how come white people don't get the white polish the white german the white italian, white american? you know what i mean??

I can't speak to any of the unbolded part because I don't have kids, etc.. But I will speak to the bolded part because I see truth in it and some may characterize me in that way.

I've posted before and I will post again that the segment of the black community that insists that someone with two or more cultures AND races must call themselves black or else (1) be denying blackness, (2) be an uncle or aunt tom, (3) must be self hating, etc.. pretty much makes me want to run far and wide from that community. It's almost like a form of emotional blackmail that you can't be part or half black and claim the other side because it is "denying blackness." Every other group gets to be mixed and proud of it - asian/white, latino/asian, latino or native american/white, jewish/asian, etc.. etc... But if one of your parents is black, then that's the end of any recognition of a mixed background, including a mixed cultural heritage. And I do see it as enforcing the antebellum, slave era, one drop rule. And I reject it.

The issue of what a mixed person looks like (as an adult or child) raises a lot of separate issues as to how they will self-identify, which self-identification may change over time. I don't really feel like going into that. But I felt strongly enough about the above to post on this thread, which I also rated (1 star).

I'm not exactly sure, no. But I have known white people who strongly identify with a european heritage, so will proudly call themselves "irish", "italian" or "british" for example. If you are asking if there is a presumption that people from Europe are racially white, then, yes, there is that presumption. The opposite presumption is true of africans - if you learn someone is "south african" for example, would you automatically think they were of dutch or european africaanz descent? or would you think they were black? I think it does boil down to numeric majorities/minorities. It makes less sense in the US with all the diversity, especially as the population grows more and more non-white and also mixed.

But there are always exceptions. For example, the delicious Marcus Samuelson - swedish and raised by swedes but racially ethiopian.

I don't see it as an either-or choice. You can be multiracial and be Black, and any other culture you want. I see myself as multiracial, Black and Latina, for example. I think if you WANT to call yourself white you can too, but in most cases white people and others won't accept this. I don't see why a person who is mixed with Polish and Black can't say they are Polish or Black Polish or whatever - if they have a Polish name, speak Polish, know Polish traditions etc. then they are Polish - since when do Poles have to be only white?