Why is Kamala referred to as a Black Woman?

[Vior]

Watched a doc on iplayer and it struck me that many commentators referred to Kamala as a black woman. It’s not just sloppiness as some of the black, democrat women participating did similar.

It intrigues me. Especially as a woman with a half Indian daughter. I think I would be pretty surprised if DD referred to herself as purely English or purely Indian. She can pass for both depending on tan.

I know the US has a much different view on race and assume it is based on that. Genuinely interested. Not rage baiting. Have googled the question and no answer has really emerged.

Because Trump is using it to stoke race wars.

He's such a fucking poor excuse for a human being. It's beyond belief that the republicans think he's a good representative for them.

Popularity among potential Democrat voters?

I know that is why Trump questioned if she is Indian or Black (the doc touched on this). But many black women in the documentary did similar so there is something else to it.

Her father is Black, her mother is Indian. Being mixed race with a Black parent means you are Black. See also Obama. Obama's mother is white and his father was Black.

Her father is Black Jamaican and this takes two seconds to Google.

Because she isn't white or am I missing something here?

It's how she's perceived

Seems popular. Biden referred to himself as a black woman too.

I’m aware of that.

She is Black. She's also Indian.

Whether she describes herself as Black, Indian or Mixed is up to her.

No it means you are half black and half something else.

I don’t know why people are being snarky.

I’m trying to start a discussion on US vs UK perception of race.

Not everyone is an ignorant troll. Jeez

They had the one drop laws in America 🤷‍♀️

People will use whatever they can to get votes. Joe Biden used his Irish heritage because he knows so many people in the US are descendants of Irish immigrants. Kamala Harris can use her Jamaican heritage when she wants, and her Indian heritage when she wants. It's politics.

Because she is black. She is also Indian. She is also mixed race.

If black people were banned from being president, she'd be banned.

If there was a group for black people, or people of Indian origin, she could attend them.

To use your example... Your daughter could describe herself as 'Indian' or 'English' or 'mixed race'. It would probably depend on the context in which she was being asked. KH hasn't said she is 'purely black' has she?

I think race is such a sensitive subject in the states. If Kamala, or others, referred to her as 'mixed heritage' or some such, there would be issues like she can't accept that she's black or she's trying to dilute it, or trying to speak to too many communities etc. The poor woman can't win.

I do think in the US, it is more common to call yourself black when you're mixed race, like Meghan Markle who doesn't really look black but who's certainly come in for plenty of racism.

I'm also parent to mixed Indian heritage children and they are generally seen as Asian in our very white area and even confused with the (very few) other fully Asian kids. On forms we would tick white/Asian but how they are perceived is Asian. Some is DC school friends are shocked when they see me!

It's called convergence and lots of people do it. It's actually a sign of accommodation & intelligence and generally unconscious.

She's a woman

She has black heritage (one parent black)

Why does it matter?

she is of mixed race heritage. She can call herself either or both “Indian” and “black”

for centuries racist were all too happy to define someone as “black” (well worse terms”, “Indian” or “Jew” with less ancestory and genetics than Kamala with dire consequences.

all this focus on it still comes across as racist tbf

I’m in the UK. One white parent/one black parent and class myself as black.
What is so surprising? It’s not an American thing

It’s interesting to me as the mother of a mixed child. I would be very surprised if my child referred to herself or was referred to by others as a white girl (my child is white passing most of the time)

It seems an American thing to do. She's biracial.

I think it's an USA v UK cultural difference thing. It's unlikely she'd be described as black in the media if she were British

It’s not an American thing; all the mixed people I know personally refer to themselves as black. I’m mixed but I don’t refer to myself as black as I’m very white passing and dont even look mixed but everyone I know who is mixed does (only speaking of people I know)