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.

Same as Meghan Markle, and she was black here, wasn’t she?

She wasn't perceived as black by most South Africans when they visited.

because america runs on the one drop rule. google it.

It’s your daughter’s ethnicity, so up to her (or you atm) how she describes herself, but to me “English-Indian” would mean that the person IS English, ie born in England, and is of Indian descent ethnically on both sides, not that they were half English and half Indian. Especially as “English” does not mean “white.”

Like when people say “African-American” they are not half African and half American. And even if they were, why would “American” mean “white?”

Nationality and ethnicity are different things - I would say a person of this descent who is born in England has an ethnicity which would usually be described as “mixed race( or heritage): White and Asian”. Their nationality would be British.

As I said though, it’s certainly not for me to tell other people what their ethnicity is!

The reason mixed race people usually identify as Black is because the 'Otherness' from the more dominant white group in society means you are more usually perceived as Black and receive racism etc. So your Blackness is what is more obvious and significant. People don't usually view mixed race people as white. Secondly, people can identify how they like. HTH.

Because we're obviously not white.

People don't ask where you're from if you're white unless you have a non-native accent.

You tried to educate yourself independently on US v U.K. racial classifications and didn’t come across the one drop rule?

What did your attempts at independent education entail?

...according to Fox news and rightwing propagandists. I saw the supposed accent change from Harris, it wasn't.

It's about as credible as immigrants eating cats.

In my case, I don’t ’identify’ as more than black than white, but no one has ever shouted abuse at me in the street or treated me a certain way because I had a white parent, but many have done so because I have a black parent.

So his white side is now irrelevant? Or if Kamala becomes president Indians shouldn't be as proud as Jamaicans and the black community?

Obama identified as black because it gets the votes and this is coming from a black person so don't come to me with accusations of racism. He was raised by his white family not his black family, his black father returned to Kenya and had nothing to do with his upbringing.

Because she's black? In a country where black people where not wholly enfranchised until 1968? You can't see why race might be an issues in the USA elections?

In a country that had slavery and segregation you can't understand why it might be slightly more important or different than the UK?

Meghan looked a lot more black when she didn’t straighten her hair, so when she was a child and I think some of her teenage years. To make herself get more work or to “pass” I’m sure she made herself look more white when she was younger and I can’t say I blame her. And then also embrace the black side of her when it suited her. Totally up to her though.

To me Meghan is mixed race. I know several black one parent and white or other heritage parentage and on the whole they don’t really refer to themselves as black it’s mixed race or maybe bi-racial. Depending on who’s brought them up they either embrace the black and white sides of their person or just the one. Some of them do refer to themselves as black but in my experience they really don’t. This is in England though.

This is an interesting choice for a first post. But, sure. You’re not trying to start anything.

Not in the US - historically, the “one drop” rule means that if you have any black heritage whatsoever, you are black.

This avoided the offspring of white slaveowners raping black slaves being seen as anything other than black.

"white passing" is a phrase out of the early 20th century. You need to bring yourself into the present. I am shocked that you'd use it. The ideology behind it, is that it is "better" to "pass" as white than be seen for who you are. You may not have known this, but now you do. Stop using it.

Because she is one?

As others have said, her father was black and her mother Indian. So she is both a black woman and an Indian woman.

Yes. I'm American and that's where it stems from in the US. Because of those laws, culturally most Black Americans refer to themselves as Black or identify as Black even when mixed race because US laws historically considered them Black.

Yeah because every Trump supporting racist twat see's Obama or Harris and think - now let me stop and establish their racial heritage? Nope they see a black person first and foremost - that's kind of how it works.

It doesn't make the other side of your heritage less relevant - but it's not what people see - being a black present is very important in a see of white politicians

I thought meghan was Mexican until I was told she was black sometimes it's not that obvious

Because society never sees us as white. Nobody would look at me and say I was white and I’m sure as hell not afforded the privileges that white women are.

I’m half black/half white, raised only with my black family in this country and always have and always will consider myself as a black woman. l

However, even though I am half white, when trying to figure out my heritage for the last 40 years nobody has ever suggested that I am white. Or even half white.

I’ve had everything from Indian when my hair is straight to Brazilian/Egyptian/Turkish when my hair is curly.

Also OP the term ‘passing white’ is incredibly offensive and outdated. Please look up the history behind the phrase and stop using it. Especially to describe your mixed daughter.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain I agree with you. She's mixed. Obviously if she wants to call herself black that's her perogative, but unless she does the PP telling me she's black, end of, can do one.
I look similar (ethnically, sadly not as beautiful) as Meghan and I definitely don't consider myself black, so I don't appreciate others deciding for me. I'm mixed. Because BOTH my parents heritage is important to me.

It doesn't matter how he was raised, or that you are black, Obama self-identifies as Black.

"He was raised by his white family not his black family, his black father returned to Kenya and had nothing to do with his upbringing."

So, what???

My view has absolutely nothing to do with Trump, it's fact he is half black half white and Kamala is half black half Indian. And both sides of their heritage are important and should be proud. Trying to pretend Obama is just black and Kamala is just black is false and identity politics.

@greycrocs I also look sort of Egyptian or maybe Greek. But I don't identify as black. I think maybe the difference is partly that you were raised by your black family and I was raised by white family

1. You are confusing race and nationality. Someone can be Black and American, Asian and English.

2. People are treated differently based on how their race is perceived. Kamala is perceived as Black, or partially Black, and therefore uses that term to a) identify herself as she feels is appropriate and b) explain her experience to people in a racially hierarchical country.