Thoughts on the term "biracial"

[Anonymous]

It's more ethnicity than race. As a full-blooded Italian, I was tested for a specific blood disorder when I became pregnant with both kids. Apparently, Italians share this condition with those living in countries in Northern Africans. (makes sense if you look at the distance btw. Sicily and Africa)

So although I'm "white" technically, I can't say that all whites are tested for this very same condition.

It's much more complicated than superficial skin coloring.

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't change anything for me, but I'd like to be able to pass along my family's history to my daughter, if she wants to know about it. All I have is little pieces. So you're right, nothing changes in my day to day life but I wouldn't say that it's meaningless to know or not know. I'm not looking to understand myself any better than I already do. I'm also not looking to find out that I'm related to royalty.

I have a form of anemia that can be treated in several ways, and some of the options are related to race. My dad has the same form of anemia, but he also has high blood pressure and heart damage. Those all have treatment options that can be more effective if a person's race is known. I'm not saying that knowing the information that I wish I knew would help for sure, but wouldn't you want to try the best treatment options that you could?

Maybe for you, it would be meaningless, but maybe we have very different opinions regarding what has meaning and what doesn't.

[Anonymous]

meant to say Northern African - have to beat the grammar police!

Anonymous wrote:It's more ethnicity than race. As a full-blooded Italian, I was tested for a specific blood disorder when I became pregnant with both kids. Apparently, Italians share this condition with those living in countries in Northern Africans. (makes sense if you look at the distance btw. Sicily and Africa)

So although I'm "white" technically, I can't say that all whites are tested for this very same condition.

It's much more complicated than superficial skin coloring.

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't change anything for me, but I'd like to be able to pass along my family's history to my daughter, if she wants to know about it. All I have is little pieces. So you're right, nothing changes in my day to day life but I wouldn't say that it's meaningless to know or not know. I'm not looking to understand myself any better than I already do. I'm also not looking to find out that I'm related to royalty.

I have a form of anemia that can be treated in several ways, and some of the options are related to race. My dad has the same form of anemia, but he also has high blood pressure and heart damage. Those all have treatment options that can be more effective if a person's race is known. I'm not saying that knowing the information that I wish I knew would help for sure, but wouldn't you want to try the best treatment options that you could?

Maybe for you, it would be meaningless, but maybe we have very different opinions regarding what has meaning and what doesn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am half Asian and half white (the white is a mix of ethnicities). I consider myself biracial, but I usually just say that I'm half Filipino and half white when it comes up--I don't say "I'm biracial." I've never thought of biracial as being just black/white.

And to agree with a pp, I am NOT half Asian and half American. I am 100% American. I find it offensive (although understandable) when someone refers to my white half as "American." (As in, "Oh, your dad is Filipino and your mom is American?") No, both my parents are Americans, and Americans come in all races.

I hope my daughter will have the same attitude as you when she's older. Kip Fulbeck has some great portrait books called, Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids and Part Asian, 100% Hapa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't change anything for me, but I'd like to be able to pass along my family's history to my daughter, if she wants to know about it. All I have is little pieces. So you're right, nothing changes in my day to day life but I wouldn't say that it's meaningless to know or not know. I'm not looking to understand myself any better than I already do. I'm also not looking to find out that I'm related to royalty.

I have a form of anemia that can be treated in several ways, and some of the options are related to race. My dad has the same form of anemia, but he also has high blood pressure and heart damage. Those all have treatment options that can be more effective if a person's race is known. I'm not saying that knowing the information that I wish I knew would help for sure, but wouldn't you want to try the best treatment options that you could?

Maybe for you, it would be meaningless, but maybe we have very different opinions regarding what has meaning and what doesn't.

If you really want to pass on your families history and have $200 to spend, go to the National Geneographic Project. You will find out how your ancestors traveled out of Africa. That is where we all came from, we just took different paths.

I too find it interesting to know where in the world my family came from, so I can pass it on as well. However, for me it is more for cultural reasons rather than race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our baby is aisian/amrerian (spouse/me) but I don't consider her biracial... this may incite a flame war but when I hear the term "biracial" I think black/white although there are so many other options out there... just curious to know if others feel the same way or am I outdated and racist?

So what do you consider your child to be? White? Asian? Something else?

Honestly, I don't know. She has her dad's burmese nose but my english hair color and texture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our baby is aisian/amrerian (spouse/me) but I don't consider her biracial... this may incite a flame war but when I hear the term "biracial" I think black/white although there are so many other options out there... just curious to know if others feel the same way or am I outdated and racist?

So what do you consider your child to be? White? Asian? Something else?

Honestly, I don't know. She has her dad's burmese nose but my english hair color and texture.

PP here

so how many of you even know where Burma is as a country? haha. geography lesson for the day and no -- Aung San Suu Kyi is not the end all be all for democracy in Burma. find it on the map... google the country...learn something new that's not about africa or india or south america


She's half Burmese and half english/irish - whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am half Asian and half white (the white is a mix of ethnicities). I consider myself biracial, but I usually just say that I'm half Filipino and half white when it comes up--I don't say "I'm biracial." I've never thought of biracial as being just black/white.

And to agree with a pp, I am NOT half Asian and half American. I am 100% American. I find it offensive (although understandable) when someone refers to my white half as "American." (As in, "Oh, your dad is Filipino and your mom is American?") No, both my parents are Americans, and Americans come in all races.

I hope my daughter will have the same attitude as you when she's older. Kip Fulbeck has some great portrait books called, Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids and Part Asian, 100% Hapa.

Thank you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our baby is aisian/amrerian (spouse/me) but I don't consider her biracial... this may incite a flame war but when I hear the term "biracial" I think black/white although there are so many other options out there... just curious to know if others feel the same way or am I outdated and racist?

So what do you consider your child to be? White? Asian? Something else?

Honestly, I don't know. She has her dad's burmese nose but my english hair color and texture.

PP here

so how many of you even know where Burma is as a country? haha. geography lesson for the day and no -- Aung San Suu Kyi is not the end all be all for democracy in Burma. find it on the map... google the country...learn something new that's not about africa or india or south america


She's half Burmese and half english/irish - whatever.

You mean Myanmar?

[Anonymous]

I don't call it bi-racial. I call it 'mixed'.