Wow I just noticed how long it's been since I last posted on here. My apologies to my two readers. :-) Life's been crazy. I hope all is well with you.
I came across an interesting piece you may or may not have seen on Yahoo. Check it out, it is about the rise of "bi-racial" Americans and how important the 2010 Census will be for documenting just how much our society has become more Mixed. Worth the read.
Here it is.
Showing posts with label bi-ethnic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bi-ethnic. Show all posts
Monday, December 7, 2009
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Being Mixed In Texas
We just got back this past weekend from a trip to Texas (Austin and Port Arthur) to visit family for Thanksgiving. It was a good trip, though we drove all the way there from L.A., some 22 hours straight one way. Hey times are hard and flying was out of the question. It was well worth it seeing all the family, on both Dianna's and my side.
But what was particularly interesting to me on the trip, which hadn't happened in three years, was noticing again the reactions or looks we got from people when they saw our Mixed family. We get so used to be in L.A. where we hardly get noticed at all, that I completely forgot about the fact that in many parts of the country, like Arizona, New Mexico and especially Texas, seeing a Black and Mexican-American couple, and their bi-ethnic offspring, are not the norm. While we did not get any reactions that were overt or negative, I certainly noticed there were plenty of times when people gave the family the double-take and that long, slow glance at all of our family. If only I could have read their minds. That is the only thing that would have made it more interesting. And needless to say, the looks of curiosity were definitely more noticeable in the small towns we would stop in to gas up or to use the restroom facilities.
Ah, life in America. I had to hold myself back from saying to these people, "Get used to it, more like us are coming soon." But I think driving through these towns and red states with the "Obama '08" sticker plastered on the back of the car was enough tweaking of their noses we needed to do.
But what was particularly interesting to me on the trip, which hadn't happened in three years, was noticing again the reactions or looks we got from people when they saw our Mixed family. We get so used to be in L.A. where we hardly get noticed at all, that I completely forgot about the fact that in many parts of the country, like Arizona, New Mexico and especially Texas, seeing a Black and Mexican-American couple, and their bi-ethnic offspring, are not the norm. While we did not get any reactions that were overt or negative, I certainly noticed there were plenty of times when people gave the family the double-take and that long, slow glance at all of our family. If only I could have read their minds. That is the only thing that would have made it more interesting. And needless to say, the looks of curiosity were definitely more noticeable in the small towns we would stop in to gas up or to use the restroom facilities.
Ah, life in America. I had to hold myself back from saying to these people, "Get used to it, more like us are coming soon." But I think driving through these towns and red states with the "Obama '08" sticker plastered on the back of the car was enough tweaking of their noses we needed to do.
Labels:
bi-ethnic,
bi-racial,
bigotry,
black,
Mexican-American,
mixed,
red states,
Texas
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Passing
I just read an interesting letter in an article online by a bi-ethnic woman (black and white) who ran into the problem of people at her job holding it against her when they found out she was mixed with black. They apparently did not know this because she does not "look black" in that she has green eyes, fair skin and straight hair. So since she never brought up her mixed heritage they assumed she was part of the "all-white" club at this particularly law firm in New Jersey. And some felt she had hoodwinked them by not proclaiming her half black status at the door. How interesting.
This makes me think of two things. One is that people need to learn, and learn quickly, that these days there is a lot more ethnic mixing going on than most know, so it would probably be smart to not make assumptions about what people "are," even when they look like something you assume to be obvious. The second thing is this whole issue of "passing," or pawning oneself off to be something other than what they are, ethnically speaking. That New Jersey woman had no obligation to wear a sign saying, "by the way, I am not all white" nor should she have felt obligated to pronounce it to people. As long as she did not deny that fact or hide it out of shame or some other reason, it sounds like the problem was not hers but the people who made assumptions based on skin color.
The problem was probably that people at that firm had made comments about blacks or other minorities, not realizing she was minority (multi-ethnic) as well. If people would just treat all people with respect then they wouldn't have to worry so much about the language or joke they are about to use with someone, someone who may or may not be what you think they are.
This makes me think of two things. One is that people need to learn, and learn quickly, that these days there is a lot more ethnic mixing going on than most know, so it would probably be smart to not make assumptions about what people "are," even when they look like something you assume to be obvious. The second thing is this whole issue of "passing," or pawning oneself off to be something other than what they are, ethnically speaking. That New Jersey woman had no obligation to wear a sign saying, "by the way, I am not all white" nor should she have felt obligated to pronounce it to people. As long as she did not deny that fact or hide it out of shame or some other reason, it sounds like the problem was not hers but the people who made assumptions based on skin color.
The problem was probably that people at that firm had made comments about blacks or other minorities, not realizing she was minority (multi-ethnic) as well. If people would just treat all people with respect then they wouldn't have to worry so much about the language or joke they are about to use with someone, someone who may or may not be what you think they are.
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