When you hear the term “mixed girl” who do you think of? Names like Zendaya and Rashida Jones may pop into your head.
What does it mean to be of mixed-race? For most people, it means to look racially ambiguous, to have perfectly tan skin at all times, to have the best curly hair?
But when does it ever seem to be synonymous with black?
Many women of mixed race face struggles with identifying in their race. They may feel pressured to categorize themselves into one group or feel too different to belong to another. They are persistently told who they are and what they are. How are they supposed to feel when society is constantly labeling them?
For example, in 2014 Zendaya was cast to play Aaliyah to the late R&B star in Lifetime’s forthcoming biopic (that has since halted production). She immediately received tons of backlash and widespread disapproval that ranged from not being seasoned enough to play someone as big as Aaliyah to her not being “Black enough” to represent Aaliyah. She defended herself by referring to her African-American father.
In 2015, Rashida Jones was interviewed by a reporter that inquired of her, “Why do you look so tan?” calling her “tropical” among other things. She replied, “Well, I am ethnic!”
Why must we tell someone who they are or what they are and are not enough of?
The intrusive way in which questions like this are thrust upon women of mixed race is disgusting and forceful. Not only do the people asking about their racial makeup feel entitled to know personal things about their parents and families, their lives, and my history, but they feel like their “need” to ask questions is more important than getting to know them for their accomplishments, their talents, and their personalities.
Some questions that I’m sure mixed girls are tired of hearing:
1. “What are you?”
2. “Oh, so you’re half-white?”
3. “I want my kids to be mixed-race.”
4. “You should have kids with [insert race here]—that would just be so crazy!”
5. “I love seeing different mixes of people.”
To literally ask someone “what” they are dehumanizes them, they are HUMAN. To assume that someone can only be “half-white” to be of mixed race debases the value of many other individuals who are mixed without being “half-white”. To have an obsession over desperately wanting your children to be mixed-race exposes an insecurity that you may have about your own race. To only think of mixed-race women as an ingredient for your fantasies genetic smoothie is kinda disgusting. To think of people only as the “mixture of what race(s) they are” is a societal trend that America and many other nations unfortunately place too much value in.
The pressure to be mixed and beautiful has deeply affected the community of ”black” women, who find themselves finding their own value in having ‘mixed” features, in sugar-coated compliments such as, “Your hair is so beautiful, you must be mixed with something”.
Let mixed girls be their full authentic selves. Let them not have to prescribe to an either/or category. Let them identify in their blackness and still be considered beautiful. Let them be human.