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.

I agree.

I'm not sure what's crass about racial identity when society has chosen it as a thing. It's definitely up for discussion.

Fun fact: West Africa is not a country. There are the same cultural distinctions as with Pakistani/Indian and Bengali.

It’s not necessarily about MM not getting her own identity right. It’s really about how others (the media, society, friends & family etc) view mixed race people. Some people believe if you’re not white, then you’re black. Others believe that you’re not fully black as you’re also half white.

I believe that mixed race people are not black. And they’re not white. But they’re both and that’s absolutely fine. They may identify with their black side (or white side of the family) more, but you can’t just drop one and claim the other. That’s my opinion anyway but if a mixed race person views themselves as black, who am I to tell them who to identify as?!

Well we definitely agree on something so I'll stick to what we agree on.

On another note, I also know MM calls herself biracial - it's the general public who believe that experiencing racism automatically makes you black and once a mixed race/biracial black and white person entered the RF, she became a black princess through whom they can live vicariously, who typically call her black.

My biracial friends identify as black because if they even look a bit not white they are treated as black. So it makes more sense to them to identify as black. They aren't treated as a white person they don't identify as white.

@SighsTheNewWord okay:)

I'm in the UK too, and myself siblings and most I know refer to ourselves as black. Most others refer to us as black too, usually. Of course sometimes I say mixed too, and others also say mixed sometimes or will never call me black and only call me mixed. Generally though I hear and say black.
I did notice many people were eager to point out Obama was not black but mixed though, not sure why but it really stood out to me at the time. When people did refer to him as black, a lot of people would reply that he's half white too so mixed not black.

The only thing that surprises me with her is that she is quite light and when mixed people are her tone that's when I most often hear them being referred to as mixed and never black. My niece is similar skin tone with similar hair type and people always call her mixed. My nephew, her brother, is more obviously half black than she is when you see him, and people call him black!

I think the extracts realised from the book and the response shows that the irritation is not due to racism. I think anything the extracts released so far show that racism was not evident.

This is not aimed at anyone in particular on this thread but the posts do remind me of what I've seen.

I see people peddling the bs about identifying themselves because of how others see you and people identifying as black because of racism.

Firstly, these are two of the most illogical statements I've come across.

What does 'how others see you' have to do with what you actually are? Isn't it a case of opinion vs fact?

Since when is it okay to give others power to identify you based on their opinion and you accept it because boo hoo it's how others see me and treat me, therefore I am who they say I am?

What other group is allowed to identify how others see them or allowed to "choose" their identity over fact?

I find it extremely insulting and denigrating to black people that anyone runs into the "black identity" because they experience racism and "treated like a black person". In other words, is black inadvertently a synonym for the 'garbage disposal', where anyone who's been chucked out of somewhere or who's treated like crap decides to join what - other crap people?

I've never understood why someone can't be a mixed race person who's also experienced racism? Why can't that person receive empathy as a mixed race person who experienced racism?

It's also interesting that some mixed race people who run to find a different identity don't tend to be those who had much to do with black people before. It's probably why they don't find the mixed race identity as something deserving of ridicule and 'crap' label but black is.

If you're treated like crap = you belong to the crap category.
When you're not treated like crap = you belong to the "not crap/better" category.

I don't think people should pick and choose what they are only based on how others see or treat them, as opposed to who they really are. I know they do and I can't do anything about it (nor do I want to) but I just think it's bizarre and sets some dangerous precedents.

I agree. This is really a healthy way of going about mixed racial identity.

The surgeries and procedures she chooses to have specifically made her look more white-passing than if she had stayed natural and certainly made herself better looking. They were positive choices for her.
Andrew Tate is naturally more likely to be mistaken as being white and he has had much less alterations to his face. Troian Bellisario as well.

If she was talented enough an actress then she could have forged a career which never relied on using her sex appeal in every gig (and there weren't many of those). Mixed race actresses of her age were making it in Hollywood and beyond : Zoe Saldhana, Halle Berry, Thwandie, Naya and she was not getting anywhere because her acting is pants.

I agree with this. No depth and I think this is also a part explanation for why she is disliked outside of her profession - she’s always acting and people can sense that.

Fun fact: West Africa is not a country. There are the same cultural distinctions as with Pakistani/Indian and Bengali.

My apologies I didn't mean to offend @ImaginaryDragon I was just trying to give an example and it seems I was a bit ignorant in this.

No need to apologise. It's far more important that you seek knowledge and understanding on the what, when, where and why of race and identity outside of MN. It will make you see threads/dicussions like these in a completely different light.

*What does 'how others see you' have to do with what you actually are? Isn't it a case of opinion vs fact?

Since when is it okay to give others power to identify you based on their opinion and you accept it because boo hoo it's how others see me and treat me, therefore I am who they say I am?

What other group is allowed to identify how others see them or allowed to "choose" their identity over fact?

I find it extremely insulting and denigrating to black people that anyone runs into the "black identity" because they experience racism and "treated like a black person". In other words, is black inadvertently a synonym for the 'garbage disposal', where anyone who's been chucked out of somewhere or who's treated like crap decides to join what - other crap people?*

I agree wholeheartedly with this especially the last paragraph! I always come across comments (even from my friends) where they say, ‘my white side view me as black so I’m obviously not white.’ It’s like peoples opinions outway actual fact. It also seems that it’s like ‘well the majority of people see me as lesser than them so let me join the group of paupers over there.’ I don’t like it at all but again, who am I to tell a mixed race person that they’re not something when they believe that they are

This is highly reductive. Neither of you has the right to identity police others". There are some obvious exceptions Rachel Dolezal, Oli London etc

Don't be stupid @Thefriendlyone

I agree, especially when the opposite doesn't seem to be allowed. I've seen where some people (both mixed race and black people, as people of other races) choose to identify as white or want to not be identified as anything and they get mocked and laughed out the room or threads or comments.

Blackness seems to be free for all and the only time "yOu Can't pOlicE hOw oThErs iDeNtify", and I think it's inadvertently putting black people in their place once again by telling them you have a right to say who they can or can't accept.

Why aren't other races forced to accept anyone else?

and people of other races

...right to say who they can or can't accept.

Or more like what they can or can't do.

In both of my posts I have said that I don’t tell mixed race people how to identify. If they want to identify as black (I’ll say it louder for the ones in the back) then who am I to say otherwise.

I don’t police how people identify at all but I think the reason one identifies how they do, is quite important. As a black woman, it’s so rubbish to essentially be told ‘well I’m not good enough to be able to join that group other there so I’ll just come over to you poor sods.’

Anyway, this isn’t about me. This is about how people view many mixed race people including MM