Do people intentionally ignore Meghans biracial heritage?

[JamSandle]

I'm not disputing that many media swipes at Meghan had a racist tone but im really confused as to how many people keep talking about Meghan as being black. I'm assuming many people saying this are American? I dont know many biracial people, myself included, who refer to themselves as only one race. It seems a very American thing to me.

When people talk about Meghan, especially when negatively, why is it considered racist, completely disregarding that she is half white? And especially when she was first introduced, many people didn't know what ethnicity Meghan was. I think she actually has a look that could be quite global in terms of being from anywhere, but she has quite a Southern European/South American look to me.

Again...im not saying there is no racism towards Meghan. But I find it off that people ignore that Meghan is not black, she is biracial.

So...a sense that a biracial person becomes a stand in for a black person which undermines black representation.

Of course if you're saying mixed race is black it makes no sense BUT if you're casting an all black family but you pop three biracial children into the family, most would agree its not accurate casting.

I think casting can be quite a mixed bag.

You can get mixed race actresses playing black women, but then I’ve noticed when you get castings for eg children of one mixed race and one white parent, the child is always represented as very clearly mixed looking.

There’s a lot of children in my family with this mixture, one mixed race and one white parent, and their appearances vary wildly.
Going from ‘typical’ mixed race looking with curly Afro hair, where you would assume her parent was black, to full on white looking, with blonde hair, blue eyes, wavy/straight hair.

You get a mixed race woman playing a black character, having a child with a white character, and then a black child playing the mixed child.

There seems to be no thought about it in casting, and black and mixed race actors just seem to be interchangeable

Yes, I agree. I was just confused for some reason about your question. Not sure why my brain wouldn't process it.

Lots of pushback in Hollywood, and for good reason.

I agree, OP, and I think it's odd but there are many mixed race people who 'identify' as black, mainly because most associate it with racism. Therefore once Meghan mentioned racism, she became "black" in many people's eyes.

I also think it's odd that those same people find it offensive that Meghan is a much white (if not more) as she's black.

What's wrong with being white, I wonder?

I know for some People Meghan marrying Harry was sort of a fantasy of there's. Black girls could identify themselves in Meghan - maybe they felt accepted along with Meghan at the time. But yes...I think with black and white pairings there does seem to be an extra level of taboo.

I wonder if this is true for Asian/black, Middle Eastern/black and other biracjal people. Would love to learn more.

Identify what?

marrying into an inbred family?

Hahaha! I think what Meghan marrying Harry seemed to initially represent which was a modernising of the royal family and a greater acceptance.

Isn't it bizarre how those who hated the RF for their racism, etc suddenly rejoiced that one of "their own" has achieved status in the RF?

What racists think that marrying an American (because people are most shocked she’s an American actress) is modern … not because she’s black.

harry - how do you know she’s not acting

I don’t know one black person that has ‘rejoiced’ because a mixed race person married into the RF. Do you? Or are you just making assumptions based on what you read on MN?

I do.

My husband is mixed race, olive skin green eyes, our children are lighter with very dark hair blue eyes, all identify themselves as white. However some of my DHs siblings and nieces/ nephews consider themselves black.

I forgot to add that every single black person I know (that I’ve spoken too on the topic), always speaks about MM’s ignorance to the RF. Anyone with an inch of common sense should know that being a person who has a drop of black in them, wouldn’t be treated nicely by the media and/or the institution. No one has rejoiced at her joining this family as it really was a stupid decision

I see Meghan as being at least as white as she is black. Genetically, she is probably more white than black, due to slave owners often having sexual relations with some of their slaves. However, that doesn’t change the fact that many people with any black ethnic heritage identify as black because that is how they feel they are viewed and treated by others. In Meghan’s case it is irrelevant whether she looks black or ‘biracial’. We know her ethnicity and that influences how she is viewed, consciously and/or unconsciously.

This is as true in the U.K. as it is in the US. And black people know that there probably isn’t less racism in the U.K. than the US. It’s just less blatant here. In keeping with the more timid, mild-mannered nature of the population who value politeness over being genuine.

It’s great that increasing numbers of people with both black and white ethnic heritage see themselves as such, both privately and publicly. However, different people have different life experiences and therefore view the world and themselves differently. The facts are not in question but perceptions and what flows from those perceptions are not set in stone.

Excellent post.

I would love to know how those people went from hating the RF specifically because of their racism to then rejoicing. What are they rejoicing about…

I don't even follow them unless on here but even I saw clips of some black people doing exactly that, including someone in Sainsbury's on the phone to her friend, all giddy and making a holiday out of their wedding.

However I don't know anyone personally as people I know have better things to do.

By the way, I wrote "those who hated the RF", not all black people. You've gone ahead and assumed those you know are counted in my post.

No one has rejoiced at her joining this family

You speak for everyone now?

Are you mixed black white? If so where you brought up in a black or white community?

That's great, however, People will treat you how they identify you not how you identify yourself. If they view you as black they will treat you as such. That is the mixed heritage or lighter skinned ethnic persons curse (one of them).

Its not American culture that caused mixed heritage people to identify as black, it's home grown prejudice and structural racism.

Only those individuals can answer if they are black, mixed heritage or something else.

Meghan is at least seven eighths white, probably much more, both her mother and grand mother are mixed race and her father and grand father white. She uses heavy fake tan. She has white skin, with pink tones when not fake tanned. Her children are also white skinned and with red hair,

she Was also raised predominantly by her father, with no black culture.

she identified as Caucasian until suits.

she is biracial or mixed race, but she is predominantly a white woman.

That's so rude. Not talking about Megan, but who are you to say how someone should identify based on the actual colour of their skin. I can't stand it when someone says oh, you're 1/16th therefore you're not really that race. So ignorant!! Shame on you!