I have done research on the lives of biracial children for over 3 months. After conducting my research and doing an interview, I still believe biracial children have a harder life than children born of one race. I think biracial children not only have to face racism but they also have to overcome identity issues that they will be faced with during some point of their lives.
I think its important for the parents of biracial children to make sure their children are educated about racism. Educate them about the customs and heritage of all the races that the child is apart of. And most of all, make sure their children know how special they really are! By doing this, when their children are faced with racism or an identity issue the children will have an easier time going through the ordeal and still maintain a positive image about themselves.
I hope with these blogs and the essays I have written, people have become aware of how important it is to treat everyone with respect! Everyone wants to feel accepted! Biracial children are faced with many obstacles every day...let's not make racism one of those obstacles anymore!
It's funny many blacks I have encountered have this misconception that being Biracial is easier and that we experience less racism because we are Biracial, when that couldn't be father from the truh. Even history can vouch for that.
ReplyDeleteI have constantly been bullied as a kid for being both black and white people feel like I need to pick a side. Black kids and parents said I had to be and act black because of my skin, white kids said I had to act white because I don't look like a complete black kids. I was constantly bullied for it.
I had many relationships where parents did not want me to be with their sons because I was dark skinned and they assume black racial stereotypes, and black parents who didn't like me with their black son because I had white cultural heritage.
Kids from both a white and black background would often beat me up because of race alone.Yet people around me of either assume I have it the easiest when that's a huge mistake to assume.
Thanks you for posting about this topic because theirs still a huge misunderstanding about how Biracial kids are treated.
I agree with you completely Death Kitten, I am a mixed race black/ white woman and I have also experienced racism from both sides heavily as a child and now subtly as an adult. I married an Asian man and we have multiracial children. The layers of racism we face seems to keep compounding.
DeleteThank you, Jen Beal, for offering suggestions on ways for parents to help multiracial children with this issue.
I am also biracial (West Indian/British) with light skin that tans terribly easily. Because my skin isn't ghost white, Caucasians call me 'black' and say I look 'black' while non Caucasians think I look white. It's as if Caucasians cannot distinguish various shades beyond 'black' and 'white' ignoring that most people including Caucasians are in reality varying shades of pink to olive to brown to dark brown. I find this so infuriating!
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