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The number of Americans who identify as multiracial is growing at three times faster than the normal population, and like virtually all people of color, they have encountered racism in their lives. Even within their closest circles.

Family relationships across races add another layer of complication for people who are already straddling two or more worlds.

At least in the US, a vast majority of multiracial people (roughly 90%) say they have not been mistreated by a relative or extended family member because of their mixed-race background. But it still happens.

So when Twitter user NFTina Turner tweeted "I don't think the racism mixed race kids face from their own families is discussed enough," people responded with their own personal experiences.

#1

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Becca Kuehn
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My jaw actually dropped when I read your post. I'm sad and sorry that you were exposed to such ignorance as a child.

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The top 5 states with the highest percentages of Americans who identified as multiracial in 2019 were California (12%), Texas (6%), Florida (6%), New York (6%), and Pennsylvania (4%). Multiracial Americans are evenly split for gender (50% vs. 50%) and about 2 in 10 (19%) hold a college degree, compared to one-third (33%) who have a high school education. Levels of education among multiracial Americans are comparable to those of the general population and have remained stable since 2014.

Interestingly, most adults with a background that includes more than one race do not consider themselves "multiracial." When asked why, 47% of those with multiple races in their background cited their family upbringing and/or their physical appearance.

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    #2

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    troufaki13
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good for you! You don't need this kind of people in your life!

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    #3

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    A.M. Pierre
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Of course all racism is stupid and ridiculous, but this is extra stupid to me. To hate a sweet little addition to your own family over their skin color? If that can’t get you to open your eyes, nothing will.

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    For multiracial adults, experiences with discrimination are often tied to racial perceptions. For example, in 2015, about 7 in 10 multiracial adults who said most people who passed them on the street would describe them as black (71%) or multiracial (72%) said they have been subjected to slurs or jokes because of their racial background, compared with 55% among those who said most people would describe them as hispanic and 44% among those who said most people would describe them as white.

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    Yes, family dynamics are influenced by many factors other than race but, overall, biracial adults tend to have more contact with relatives from one of the races that make up their background than they do with the other.

    For example, biracial adults who are white and black have much more contact with their black family members than with their white family members. About 69% say, over the course of their life, they have had a lot of contact with their relatives who are black, an additional 19% say they've had some contact with their black relatives, and 12% say they've had only a little or no contact with them.

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    Conversely, 21% of biracial white and black adults say they have had a lot of contact with their relatives who are white, and 13% say they have had some contact. 1 in 4 say they've only had a little bit of contact with their white relatives, and 41% say they have had no contact with them at all.

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    #10

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    Rissie
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    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's because racism is just a very specific form of assholery.

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    #11

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    Lj
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    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can't imagine what's like to have a dad (or mom) who doesn't accept, and worse ridicules, half of your genes. I mean, wasn't it his choice to be with your mother? And even if he had been forced to be intimate with her (seriously doubt it), you're his blood for crying out loud, and CHILDREN. I think this speaks of something very lacking at the core of some people. [Edit: Oh forgot what I was going to say, the actual first reason I wanted to comment - I love curly hair.]

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    One person who has felt these tensions firsthand is Victoria Anderson. Growing up as a child of a white woman and a black man in a small town in Maine, she was constantly reminded she was different.

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    A close relative nicknamed her "jungle bunny," she told CNN. Another relative once turned her framed photo so her face wasn't visible. Oh, and she wasn't allowed to play with some white cousins, an insult that added to the discrimination she received from strangers.

    #12

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    Ray Heap
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That Looks like an old picture from the times when People wern‘t „offended“ by a doll.

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    Commander OwO
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Same, so many people are like "omg, somebody's been spending a lot of time in the beach!"

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    Viviane
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    3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's appalling when a grandparent puts monetary value on skin colour. My grandmother was a male chauvinist, but luckily there was an ocean between her and her grandchildren. I don't remember that visit when she gave my brother money whenever he asked but gave me a little money and refused to give me more. It sure pissed off my mother who had to grow up with her brother being favoured.

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    Doug The Pug
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    more "acceptable"? Which part of calling them half Pakistani and half Greek is unacceptable?!

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    "I heard from a relative in my house that she (my mother) never should have had me because you're supposed to stick with your own kind," Anderson, now 46, said. "I was never taught how to take care of my hair, so it was always a mess."

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    When your answer (and the search for it) to the question "Who am I?" is even more nuanced, support is crucial. And family should be its biggest provider.

    #16

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    Sleazy Weaver
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You're better off without them. Still, that's an awful thing to do to someone...

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    #17

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    JennyLaRue
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I know that people think saying they don't see colour means they don't have an issue with it, but I don't think people understand that not recognising race can also be damaging.

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    Becca Kuehn
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    😲 I've heard the same comment from a few of my white relatives. Ignorance of that magnitude is astounding

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    TheCatasaurusMeowMom
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's great! Be proactive and maybe people will learn to think before they speak (although, no lies, lots of people just don't want learn.

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    TheCatasaurusMeowMom
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And this is just one example of why I hate most people. It's not ignorance, it's a choice to be an asshole.

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    #28

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    Becca Kuehn
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My father is Native American and my mother is white. I wasn't allowed on my white grandmother's property because she said I was "too dark" .

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    #30

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    kjorn
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i don't get it... i mean my brain can't process that when you were a kid you could hate someone because of their color! when i was a kid my best friend were not white at all. one were from Djibouti (africa), one were from Cambodgia, one were from innu origin and i think the other one was vietnamese. i never choose my friend. it just happen

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    #33

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    #35

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    Pille P
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Again I'm baffled about parents themselves being racist towards their kids - why on earth would they then sleep with and have kids with a person of colour if it is such a drama for them afterwards???

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    #41

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    kjorn
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    normal looking... this is like we were kid and we use the color SKIN for drawing. we never think of that when we were young.

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    #43

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    TheCatasaurusMeowMom
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm so sorry that decades later, this still resounds with you. I classify people based on merit, not skin color. I'm a MOD for a grocery store, and not even kidding--if I need immediate coverage, I know the white kids will bail because they have no work ethic (and I'm a ginger, so that says something!). I immediately call my Hispanic, Black, and Asian employees, cuz I KNOW they will show up.

    #44

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    #45

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    TheCatasaurusMeowMom
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    For us (in MN, I live in the Twin Cities) having a large integrated race society, there is so much bigotry here! I spent almost 8 years in the Army down in the south. Never once did I get made fun of for being a ginger, I was made fun of for my northern-Midwestern accent. Like, why are people still going on about color and s**t? I was raised in SE MN, and had the highest Asian population in the state per capita. Did I EVER say anything racist about Asians/blacks/Hispanics/whomever? HELL no, my mom would have beaten my ginger ass immediately. Sorry for the rant, I just hate bigoted, racist, classist assholes.

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    #52

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    TruestBlack
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I get that ALL the time, I am Apache/White mixed. "You can't be Native American, you have blue eyes." *sighs* it's exhausting.

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    #53

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    Helenium
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mate she’s white has a mixed race husband and he calls himself smooth caramel lol he’s so funny

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    #54

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    Sleazy Weaver
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I know exactly what this post means. I'm white, & my whole family is white. My parents are both British, I'm British, I was born in Britain but grew up in America. I am not American, but I can tell my whole family views me as "the American kid" & they see me as inferior or uncultured for it. I'm seen as non-British & white even though I AM British & white. I know it isn't as bad as the other stuff on this list, but it's an example of how backwards the UK can really be at times.

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    #55

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    #56

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    Pille P
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My husbands nephew in south India was bullied by classmates in elementary school because people were saying his skin is too dark. I think it is just awful - the kid is absolutely handsome!

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    J. Normal
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think every person of color has experienced it, from ignorant people.

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    Deborah B
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And yet, judging from the posts here, "what about the children" is a very real issue; "How will any children you have be treated by both of your families and your community?" How can society discuss racism if talking about the racism that occurs, or may occur, is considered racist? Pretending racism doesn't exist "we don't see colour" is hurtful in itself, and prevents people from confronting and addressing problems.

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    DogMom
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think this whole list shows you can be related to a POC and still be racist as hell

    #78

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    DogMom
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    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Could she be a mixed race Puerto Rican who looks white?

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