Mixed people are the new 'Black' people?

Question

Now please understand that I have the utmost respect for people of mixed heritage (specifically black and white) but am I the only one that has noticed the trend in ALL media adds where they have a mixed baby or girl or guy in place for the 'ethnic' model. So they're sort of like Diet cola but in this case 'diet black?'. Trust me, I'm not jealous and I'm not trying to sound mean or ignorant but it's just interesting what is considered socially acceptable and what isn't. What I'm saying is that there should be white models, black models, AND models of mixed heritage instead of one or the other or using one as the substitute for the other.

It's sort of like the casting director was like, "Oh, lets put her/him in the ad and we'll use him/her as the token ethinic person"

Everyone is free to comment.

Answer 1

Mixed people are nothing new.  Every five years or so, people try to act like bi-racial people are something new.  Legend has it that Josephine Baker had a white father.  Etta James has a white father.  Bob Marley had a white father.  Halle Berry has a white mother.  There is like a century between all of these people.  They are all mixed and were all considered Black.  Alex Haley's half-white former slave grandmother was no different.  The only difference is perception.

Answer 2

Yeah, and it's stupid. Like every teeny bopper sitcom has the main character who is almost always white with perfect teeth, hair and skin, and they always have the black friend and the asian or latino friend (the asians and latinos seem to be interchangeable for some reason). And they're usually for comic relief, which is ridiculous.

Maybe there's something wrong with how I notice people, but how do you know when someone is of mixed heritage? Is it something you just know by knowing who the actors are, or is it a different shade of skin or way someone looks?

Answer 3

I'll have to agree with you on this one. It's like brown is the new black. There are no black women on Desperate Housewives. They have a mexican woman and three or four white women. Black women get desperate too,lol. Also, on the show Kevin Hill (it was canceled) they had a blacklike woman on the show. She is mixed but was cast in a supporting roll.

There aren't many black shows on t.v. with black women at all. I only know of one and that's The Game.  Even with Girlfriends two of the black women were mixed.  I think black women are fading away from t.v. and movies. I think it's pretty sad.

Don't get me wrong. I think that lighter skinned black women should be cast in roles but they should cast darker skinned black women as well. We are such a diverse group.

Answer 4

Hummm...I think you have an interesting perspective.  I think as a society...if you are mixed with black than you're considered black.  I am not saying that it's fair but its how things are in America.  It's going to take a lot to change...I have noticed it as well and it really doesn't bother me because I do consider them black...light skin yes...but black none the less.  

Answer 5

Are you talking about how Halle Berry is hailed as the first african american woman to win an oscar, but her mother is white and her father is black?  And how Tiger Woods is hailed as an african american, along with Obama, even though they are only half black?  

My answer is that, honestly, they look african american, and are proud to have that heritage.  And most of us are not 'pure' anything nowadays!    

Answer 6

I totally and utterly agree. Me and my sis was talking about that the other day. People think its acceptable to place someone who is mixed with black  to substitute all people of color.