Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Mixed race, as long as there's significant African ancestry, IS "Black".
So this is what Black women beauty contestants have to deal with these days? Nitpicking about how Black they really are, are they truly representative of the Black community, do they have too many European features to justify their winning the crown as a "Black" candidate, etc. etc.? I know those issues are out there, but can't we just let them enjoy their victory? Besides, did any with more "typical" (whatever ) African features enter the competition? Was that even a choice?
Just FWIW, my fave "Black" Miss Universe winner was a contestant from Trinidad and Tobago around 10 (gawd, maybe it was 15) years ago. She was not only pretty in a cute way, she had a sweet personality to go with it. Very genuine. Just my off-topic 2 cents.
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 12-18-2013 at 01:19 PM..
Then what is "mixed race?"
And what constitutes the look of the mixed race?
Obama's "mixed race", but he's also Black. ("Black" doesn't mean 100% African ancestry.) These days, most American Blacks are mixed race. With Vanessa Williams and Miss France, it's easy to point to their European facial features, and say, "Aha! That's 'mixed race'. " But there is no single "mixed race" look. (Assuming that for the purposes of this discussion, we mean Black/White "mixed race" as opposed to the almost infinite other possibilities.) Some would say that lighter skin is a sign of mixed race, but it's not. There are full-blooded Africans in Africa with lighter skin. There are all kinds of skin shades in Africa that have no European admixture. "Mixed race" is only an acknowledgment of certain DNA elements in one's ancestry. How that heritage manifests phenotypically varies infinitely. It can't be pinned down.
Obama's "mixed race", but he's also Black. ("Black" doesn't mean 100% African ancestry.) These days, most American Blacks are mixed race. With Vanessa Williams and Miss France, it's easy to point to their European facial features, and say, "Aha! That's 'mixed race'. " But there is no single "mixed race" look. (Assuming that for the purposes of this discussion, we mean Black/White "mixed race" as opposed to the almost infinite other possibilities.) Some would say that lighter skin is a sign of mixed race, but it's not. There are full-blooded Africans in Africa with lighter skin. There are all kinds of skin shades in Africa that have no European admixture. "Mixed race" is only an acknowledgment of certain DNA elements in one's ancestry. How that heritage manifests phenotypically varies infinitely. It can't be pinned down.
Obama is "mixed race" but the reason he is regarded as "Black" is because I've noticed that in the US everything what's not "white" is automatically considered "Black." While in the reality, there is such thing as "mixed race."
That would be a more correct definition for Obama and that would be a more correct definition for Miss France, because obviously there is more going there than just color of skin. You won't find the entire group of Africans looking more or less like her. Those are rare exceptions far and between.
Obama is "mixed race" but the reason he is regarded as "Black" is because I've noticed that in the US everything what's not "white" is automatically considered "Black." While in the reality, there is such thing as "mixed race."
That would be a more correct definition for Obama and that would be a more correct definition for Miss France, because obviously there is more going there than just color of skin. You won't find the entire group of Africans looking more or less like her. Those are rare exceptions far and between.
Well, yes, and I was going to add that. In the US historically, anyone with the slightest Black heritage, even if they looked White, was classified as "Negro" (back in those days). But today, anyone with some African heritage and some shade of brown skin can refer to themselves as "Black" (self-definition is a human right), and would probably be referred to by most others as "Black" or "African-American" or whatever.
The "mixed race" category is a relatively new thing. It might have come about as a result of the Census Bureau adding it as a category, by popular demand. But that demand came from people who's heritage includes complex mixes, like Tiger Woods'. People got tired of being forced to choose a race on the Census, when in fact they valued each and all of their ethnic heritages equally.
Would you guys call Jason Kidd, Tony Parker, Stephen Curry, Blake Griffin, Deron Williams, Shane Battier, Nicolas Batum, Joakim Noah, Mike Bibby and Kris Humphries BLACK?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) African features enter the competition? Was that even a choice?
