Posted on 04/07/2006 10:49:37 AM PDT by Alice Linsley
Growing up Bi-racial
Joshua Brown
(Joshua Brown is a cadet at Millersburg Military Institute in Kentucky. He is studying Journalism and Creative Writing.)
Their hair may be black or golden brown. Their eyes may vary from cat green to bark brown. Skin tone may be light with freckles or a Hawaiian sun tan brown. These are some of the physical features of bi-racial persons. Bi-racial persons are faced with tough decisions when it comes to their families. White parents-in-law may not accept white daughters-in-law, or vice versa. The children of bi-racial marriages are often caught in the middle, having to choose which side of the family they will identify with.
A person shouldn’t have to pick sides, but in reality a kid can’t wear Abercrombie without their black side calling them white, and they can’t dress in Roca wear without being questioned by white family members. People say that society doesn’t care about race barriers, but in the day to day of bi-racial persons, it is evident that society does. Decades after desegregation, many Americans haven’t adjusted to inter-racial marriages and bi-racial offspring. Unfortunately, children who grow up with families not liking each other often feel that they are the cause of the conflict.
My own family has seen this dilemma. At my nephew’s birthday party, his mother’s side (white) wouldn’t celebrate his birthday with our side of the family, so they threw him a separate party for their side. It is their choice, but are they considering how this may affect him? My nephew will go through this when it comes to the holidays also. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter become times of conflict and pain.
Sometimes I find myself tripping out about the clothes his mother lets him wear or the way she gets his hair cut. I like a coordinated and sharp look, but I would never try to dress him to fit in with only one side. It is tough to grow up having to please both sides of one’s family. For an interracial couple it is already tough, because they deal everyday with discrimination, but when they have to deal with watching their children suffer in strained relationships, it gets tougher.
People will need to open their eyes to the realities of bi-racial children and adjust. Why should a kid have to worry about things like: “Will grandma get mad if she hears me listening to rap music?” or “Will my uncle say something about me if I have braids?” Bi-racial children need room to live as normal children. What they need most is for their families to love them.
Well, I'm going to disagree with you on this one. I'll write more later.
In America it's different but I honestly can't think of any bad experiences we've had because of it. People just don't seem to care or notice that much. Given her heritage however my daughter does look remarkably caucasian and it's likely that many people don't even recognize her as being of mixed race if she's not with her mother.
bisexual?? :D
My favorite for the forms is 'earthling'.
How can we progress toward a "colorless" society unless some of us are willing to "bi-racial"?
Good question. Rap has done more as a catalyst than bi-racial relationships have. Have faith. The ones that desire it will have their wish in do time. Though it takes one to ponder....if this was the intention, why are thier differing cultures??
thier = there
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