What determines how a biracial person classifies himself?

Question

I am half black and half white but I look 100% like a white boy. People would never guess I am 50% black. I consider myself to be white because that is the color of my skin. I don't ever deny that my mother is black and people will know that if they meet my family. I also married a woman who is half black and half white, she looks white too. In fact, neither of us knew that we were both half black. I thought she was 100% white and she thought I was. It was so funny when we met eachother's families. BTW, all of our kids came out white.

So, if you are half black and half white is it based totally on your appearance which group that you identify with or consider yourself to be. I noticed that the people who consider themselves biracial usually look biracial. Barack looks black so he considers himself to be black I guess.

Answer 1

It's definitely appearance but also a choice to a lesser extent.  It works more one way than the other.  A white (biracial) person will be more easily accepted as black by black people despite their white appearance.  However, white people will seldom accept someone who is black (biracial) as white.  Part of this is due to the racist notion that white has to be pure but black can be mixed.

Furthermore, it's a very common misconception or even an urban legend that one drop of black blood makes you black.  You can actually be up to 50% black without showing any obvious African traits at all.  There might be some subtle signs but people will not notice them if your skin color is white.

In Latin America, especially Brazil, race is based only on skin color.  They have "black" "dark brown" "light brown" "white" and "yellow".  People in the same family could be classified as different races.  Spain and Portugal were a lot more tolerant as colonizers than the English and they rapidly intermixed with other races.  England's legacy is the racism and separatism we still see in America today.

The most scientific way to classify a person's race is DNA testing.  It will give you exact percentages.  Although DNA is not always a good indicator of appearance so appearance must also be a factor.  Imagine if the police are looking for a missing child who is biracial, if the child looks white he could be sitting right under their noses and they would not find him.

Answer 2

I'm the opposite, I'm half black and half white, but I look 100% black, I think what determines it is what you look like.

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I classify myself black, but I never deny my mothers heritage either.

Answer 3

depends on what race your father is what you go by

Answer 4

- Yes it is very much based on appearance but experience should be factored in as well; Barack could still call himself mulatto but because of some racial experiences he had, he doesn't

Answer 5

The person decides for him/herself.

Answer 6

Ppl think im mixed but am not anyways to answer your question it depends your still mixed race...I knew a girl like that her name was Lisa and she was in my sec school in my form and i tell you that girl could pass for 100% english girl with no doubts her hair was caucasion her skin,eyes,nose...were caucasion no trace or *****!d in her anywayz i had an inkling she had jamaican ancestory...,and she told me her mum was black i was shocked so was everybody cuz she looked white...and her mum was darrrk! too...so it was weird but neways with all the slave trade buisness her mum might of had a white gene....dat was dominant....she was 50%jamaican50%scottish. looking 100%white.

Answer 7

I am a mixture of many things. I embrace all of my roots. I hear that I look white, chicana, Asian. I always tell them. I am Black Dominican/Irish. I however will check the I am black box because at the end of the day, it is who I am.