AIBU To ask if the term Mixed-Race is outdated

[CambridgeEntry2022]

I don't want to cause offence by using outdated terms. Would it be more appropriate to use the term multi racial?

My kid had mentioned a boy at nursery by name which was let's say Abdul her grandma immediately said ohh is he Indian?
But why comment? Why is the colour of someone's skin so important to people?

You are making assumptions that it is about colour. If DD had come home and said she had made a new friend with, for example, a Russian sounding name I would probably have asked if the friend was Russian, but just out of interest.

I'm mixed race. My husband is of dual heritage but not mixed race. I think mixed race is fine.

It's usually not necessary to need to state race at all though is it? For instance my mum's neighbour was talking about a mutual friend and my mum couldn't work out which one she meant, so she said 'number 23 (or whatever) with the two little mixed race girls). But she could have said the two little girls, or that the mum was a florist, etc. There were a number of identifying things she could have said but she immediately picked the race element.

@MolyHolyGuacamole I don't discount you or your experiences either. It probably is a term that means different things to different people, based on what they've personally lived through. I definitely see it as a way to exclude me.

However, as another poster has said, it's a horrible term, because it implies if you don't pass for white, you've failed. I think that's probably the bit we can all agree on. It's a term that does not come from a good place. I don't like the concept of being held out to have won or failed based on your skin colour.

(Even if in some parts of the world, as you say, you will be treated as having passed or failed!)

@Ursulasunderstudy Don't call me dual heritage. Ever. I'm mixed race.

I'm mixed race and say I'm mixed race because I'm mixed races.

@RonaldMcDonald

"I did diversity training recently and the said we should never use mixed race - a complete no no
We were told person of colour, diverse racial or enriched racial background.
My work colleague is bi-racial and said why not use this term?. They said she could of course refer to herself as she pleased but we couldn’t to others"

What a lot of absolute BULLSHIT. Who comes up with this stuff. As the majority of mixed race people have said we want to be called mixed race. We are AWARE there's only one race. So if that's the problem then 'diverse racial' or 'enriched racial background' serve no purpose either.

Also I would NEVER refer to my mum as a 'person of colour' ... she's black.

It's a shame really that society is so confused and embarrassed about what it means to be mixed race or even to say the term out loud for fear of 'offending', to the point that I never once learnt about a high achieving mixed race person in school.

I find it offensive when people try to use all those new random phrases white people invented so as not to offend.

When I was growing up, the term was 'half caste' and whilst it was said with no intended malice, it obviously did cause upset.
In my wider family we have people with what would be deemed 'dual heritage' however they define themselves as "mixed race".
I can't see that this is anywhere near as offensive as the terminology I grew up with, but if I was needing to uses l the definition of people's ethnicity/heritage/skin colour frequently then I would ask what they preferred.

I use just mixed for my children. They look white, but in fact are a mix of several ethnicities and cultures, so mixed anything would be too specific. And people always assume mixed race means mixed with black, which isn’t the case (well not for many generations at least).

I'm mixed race and refer to myself as such. Whilst this doesn't mean it is the correct term, I believe it is and haven't come across another mixed race person who has been offended by it.

Diversity training is, sadly, usually a load of bollocks!

^my post got mangled by autocorrect, but hopefully was understandable. If in doubt, ask the person who you're referring to.

I have a mixed race friend and a white friend with mixed race children and both use mixed race. I've never heard anyone say dual heritage. Also I'm not sure its accurate to say dual heritage re the friend with mixed race kids as both she & husband are multi generation british, middle class, very similar cultural background... just one of them is black and one is white.

I seldom need any "taxonomic" adjective for people. It's hardly worth learning the latest ones before they become offensive.

"Dual heritage" is a bit of a mouthful. Anyway, I don't know how many heritages anyone has.

I think I'll just ask your name at an early stage and call you that.

If I've offended anyone, speak up and I'll apologise, as appropriate.

We were told person of colour, diverse racial or enriched racial background.

I'm amazed by this.i think if I referred to my mixed race friend as "person of colour" she would probably punch me/ghost me henceforth.

@RonaldMcDonald

I did diversity training recently and the said we should never use mixed race - a complete no no We were told person of colour, diverse racial or enriched racial background. My work colleague is bi-racial and said why not use this term?. They said she could of course refer to herself as she pleased but we couldn’t to others

Ahhh. And there we have it. E &Q training.

Meant E& D

I'm mixed race but not really duel heritage. (Parents from differing countries but similar upbringings) So to refer to me as duel heritage would be odd.

I think in the not too distant future so many people will be mixed race it will be more unusual to be single race.

@AlexaShutUp

This is what I am asking

Why are we still enabling racism by teaching children that because someone has a different colour of skin that they are different and categorising people that is pretty much impossible because there is so much diversity in the world

Yes I am white I'm also Scottish and my husband is English he has been subject to a fair amount of hatred just because he's English whereas I've never had any hateful comments whilst I've been there!

I just feel if it keeps being labeled then how are we ever going to eradicate it

All I can do is teach my children that things like that don't matter but on the news everyday we hear about racism it's unavoidable

For what it's worth I don't care what anyone colour if skin is I treat them like a human being

Depends on the country. In the UK , it’s mixed race. My child is mixed raced and I wouldn’t want her to be referred to as dual heritage in America it’s biracial.

Meant my child is Mixed Race

@Ursulasunderstudy

You need to use Dual Heritage not mixed race.

This is incorrect

Duel heritage suggested both parents are from different countries.

You can be from the same heritage but have different colour skin or be a different race. Therefore mixed race

Duel heritage is offensive

@RampantIvy

No I'm not making assumptions I'm wondering why it matters

I would think "enriched race", especially when espoused by Equality and Diversity training, is patronising.