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The terms '''multiracial''', '''biracial''', and '''mixed-race''' describe people whose ancestors are not of a single ]. (Biracial strictly refers to those with ancestors from exactly two races). One example might be a ], a term used in the U.S. in the colonial period to describe a person with mixed ] and ]n ancestry. The term is also used in many Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries presently. Another might be the ] who are descended from Caucasian and indigenous American ancestors. It is sometimes a matter of opinion if people are mixed-race, because races themselves are not clearly defined. This has caused some problems for census-takers. The terms '''multiracial''', '''biracial''', and '''mixed-race''' describe people whose ancestors are not of a single ]. (Biracial strictly refers to those with ancestors from exactly two races). One example might be a ], a term used in the U.S. in the colonial period to describe a person with mixed ] and ]n ancestry. The term is also used in many Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries presently. Another might be the ] who are descended from Caucasian and indigenous American ancestors. It is sometimes a matter of opinion if people are mixed-race, because races themselves are not clearly defined. This has caused some problems for census-takers.


Revision as of 20:35, 16 June 2006

File:Mixed race boy.jpg
This boy has parents who identify themselves as being of Australian and Japanese ethnicity.

The terms multiracial, biracial, and mixed-race describe people whose ancestors are not of a single race. (Biracial strictly refers to those with ancestors from exactly two races). One example might be a mulatto, a term used in the U.S. in the colonial period to describe a person with mixed Caucasian and African ancestry. The term is also used in many Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries presently. Another might be the Mestizo who are descended from Caucasian and indigenous American ancestors. It is sometimes a matter of opinion if people are mixed-race, because races themselves are not clearly defined. This has caused some problems for census-takers.

Multiracial also describes a society or group that is composed of people from more than one racial or ethnic group. See also multicultural and coloured.

Place in society

File:Kianandremee.jpg
Biracial twins Kian and Remee Hodgson. Kian (right) has a more African appearance, while Remee has a more Caucasian appearance. Both of their parents are half black, and half white.

Societal acceptance of mixed-race marriages and offspring varies widely from person to person and region to region. In Nazi Germany, harsh race laws were enacted to establish racial purity. In the United States, especially the Southeast, marriage between African American and White American people has historically been looked down upon and legislated against. As recently as 2003, Taylor County High School in Taylor County, Georgia has held separate Prom celebrations for black and white students; however, some similar phenomena occur equally because of cultural differences and not specific prohibitions on marriage or dating. However, recent data suggests that multiracial marriages are becoming increasingly common in the United States.

In 2000, The Sunday Times reported that "Britain has the highest rate of interracial relationships in the world". Apparently contradicting this, more recent census data shows the population of England (as a sub-section of the UK) to be 1.3% mixed-race (2001), compared with, for example, 1.4% in the U.S. (2002 estimates; see below). However, as most of the English population is of one race (white)—even more so than in the US—there are fewer opportunities for interracial relationships in England. In support of the report's conclusions, it can be calculated that 14.4% of English residents not identified as white are mixed-race, compared with 7.5% in the U.S.

The mixed race population of Canada, at 1.2%, is the fourth largest group in the country, greater than the Filipino population.

Censuses notwithstanding, any count of numbers of mixed-race people is subject to dispute. People may identify themselves as members of one single racial category despite having (potentially many) ancestors belonging to other categories, for various reasons. For instance, genetic studies of black Caribbean people show an ancestry that is on average 10% European and 90% African. Also, a considerable portion of the U.S. population identified as Black actually have some Native American or European American ancestry. One third of White Americans have significant African ancestry. Much of these categorization phenomena occur due to current or past cultural stereotyping or segregation.

Multiracial individuals are often presumed to have an identity crisis because of not being able to answer questions such as "Are you Black or White?", perhaps due to having a sense of identity that is very different than people who claim to be of just one race. Most multiracial people cannot or do not identify with just one group. To complicate this further is a common phenomenon of a mixed race person not being 'claimed' by any of the ethnicities that runs in their veins. Example: a mixed Black and Asian person may be called "Asian" by the Black Community, but then called "Black" by the Asian community. The person may be called different things by different groups, thereby making it nearly impossible to have one singular answer the oft-asked question, "What are you?".

Multiracial children in the United States

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Actress Halle Berry was born to a white mother, and a black father.

The proportion of multiracial children in the United States is growing rapidly. Interracial partnerships are rising, as are transracial adoptions. In 1990, about 14% of 18- to 19-year-olds, 12% of 20- to 21-year-olds and 7% of 34- to 35-year-olds were involved in interracial relationships. Given the variety of the familial and more general social environments in which multiracial children are raised, along with the diversity of their appearance vis-a-vis their component races and their family members, it can be difficult to make generalizations about multiracial children's challenges or opportunities. The racial identity of children and their parents in the same multiracial family may vary or be the same, to different degrees. Some multiracial children feel pressure from various sources to "choose" or to assimilate into a single racial identity, while others whose identity or lifestyle is perceived to be closer to some of their component races than others may feel pressure not to abandon one or more of their ethnicities. Still other children grow up without race being a significant issue in their lives.

Categorization and censuses

Some multiracial individuals feel marginalized by US society. For example, when applying to schools, for a job, or taking standardized tests, all Americans are asked to check boxes corresponding to race or ethnicity. Typically, about four or five race choices are given with the instruction to "check only one." Many other such surveys include an additional "other" box, but this unfortunately groups together individuals of many different multiracial types (ex: Caucasian/African-Americans are grouped with Asian/Native American Indians), as well as individuals who feel their race or ethnic identity is not included in the standard groups (ex: Arab, Asian Indian). Perhaps most acceptable in the "multiple choice" format of race is to both provide an "other" box and to allow selection of multiple boxes, but some individuals will not be satisfied with any box checking.

Tiger Woods is of African, Thai, Chinese, Native American and Caucasian descent.

There remain many circumstances in which biracial individuals are left with no real response when asked for demographic data. But multiracial people won a victory of sorts with the 2000 United States Census, which allowed participants to select more than one of the six available categories, which were, in brief: White, Black, Asian, Native American (North, Central or South America), Pacific Islander, Other. Further details are given in the article: Race (US Census).

In contrast, the 2001 United Kingdom census offered specific mixed-race categories: "Mixed White and Black Caribbean", "Mixed White and Black African", "Mixed White and Asian", and "Other Mixed", as well as "Other ethnic group".

Formal recognition of legitimacy

Anti-miscegenation laws in the USA not only applied to blacks and whites but also to Asians, and less often to Native Americans, because of the frequent history of US Settlers bearing children with Native Americans. Hispanics of White, African, or Native American descent were also legally forbidden to marry whites in a few states. In December of 1912, an amendment to the Constitution was introduced to abolish racial intermarriage: "Intermarriage between negros or persons of color and Caucasians . . . within the United States . . . is forever prohibited." These anti-micegenation laws were declared unconstitutional by The Supreme Court in 1967, in Loving v. Virginia.

See also

References

External links

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