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Ok, real talk, I'm mixed race (white british/Black caribbean) raised around mostly white family
I had the experience of growing up with 2 absent dad's (one we thought was my dad, one who was my bio dad). Both were rubbish, absent fathers.
I grew up with white family
I had the experience of growing up with 2 absent dad's (one we thought was my dad, one who was my bio dad). Both were rubbish, absent fathers.
I grew up with white family
and family friends calling me "Oreo", telling me I wasn't "like those other black girls" and "you're not black, you're brown".
I grew up scared of black women. No joke. I used to hide in the wardrobe as a kid because my 'auntie' was 'intimidating' and I didn't know how to talk
I grew up scared of black women. No joke. I used to hide in the wardrobe as a kid because my 'auntie' was 'intimidating' and I didn't know how to talk
to her. Partly autism, big part misogynoir.
I grew up in anti-blackness in a white family who would never say n*gga/er & froth at the mouth at others saying it, but are still content to drop p*ki (hi bradford lol)
I internalised and reiterated, "I'm not black, I'm brown"
I grew up in anti-blackness in a white family who would never say n*gga/er & froth at the mouth at others saying it, but are still content to drop p*ki (hi bradford lol)
I internalised and reiterated, "I'm not black, I'm brown"
I didn't have Black family and those I very sporadically lived entirely different lives to me. Ofc, I know now that this is the difference in socialisation and proximity to cultural roots yeh. I couldn't access the Black side of my family.
When I got older and was more able to
When I got older and was more able to
Choose for myself I met my bio family. Some wonderful people, only I was a late teen with a mental illness that my rasta bio-dad didn't believe in. He was also homophobic. I had the choice to squash myself more to be able to access family, or distance myself -
As I had to with my white family while unlearning all these lessons.
One of the biggest things for me was finally realising that actually, No, my being brown doesn't mean I don't suffer from anti-blackness.
Flashback to 6 y/o me being called a "Black bitch" on the way home from
One of the biggest things for me was finally realising that actually, No, my being brown doesn't mean I don't suffer from anti-blackness.
Flashback to 6 y/o me being called a "Black bitch" on the way home from
school and my older white brother about to punch this kids lights out. I remember the confusion, the "oh I'm different to my family".
I learned I was Black, I learned that my whiteness will not protect me when it comes to racists.
I learned I was Black, I learned that my whiteness will not protect me when it comes to racists.
I also learned that I'm white enough when white people want support, but I'm too Black if I disagree.
I also learned that to some Black people I'm too 'white' for them.
Flashback to me at 16ish meeting my other half brother, "does dad know you talk like a white f*ggot."
I also learned that to some Black people I'm too 'white' for them.
Flashback to me at 16ish meeting my other half brother, "does dad know you talk like a white f*ggot."
This things are true. Mixed (B/w) people can feel too much and simultaneously not enough.
Depending on who we're around, we must assimilate to survive.
We must dig for our roots and come to our own conclusions.
So yes, being mixed IS a different experience needing its own
Depending on who we're around, we must assimilate to survive.
We must dig for our roots and come to our own conclusions.
So yes, being mixed IS a different experience needing its own
discussions. But it needs NUANCE.
We have to MAKE the spaces we need to talk about this (hello @ this thread). We need to ADD TO discussions, not talk over others.
We have to MAKE the spaces we need to talk about this (hello @ this thread). We need to ADD TO discussions, not talk over others.
That doesn't mean we can't acknowledge that yes, we DO benefit from a system that worships whiteness because we're CLOSER to whiteness than our darker skinned siblings.
That is true at the same time we still suffer from white supremacy, and we suffer in different ways, is true.
That is true at the same time we still suffer from white supremacy, and we suffer in different ways, is true.
Call yourself whatever the fxck you want, yeah, but some of the rhetoric can and does influence colourism.
Our existence is nuanced.
Our conclusions must be equally nuanced.
Ok bye, am done!
Our existence is nuanced.
Our conclusions must be equally nuanced.
Ok bye, am done!
