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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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2 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.

#2

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troufaki13
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2 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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A.M. Pierre
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2 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.

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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Rissie
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2 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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Lj
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2 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.

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.

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Ray Heap
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2 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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Anne
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It does look like a 70s picture to be honest.. when awareness was not as well developed as it is now.

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Samantha Lomb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gollywogs were ( unfortunately) a children's series and I've seen plenty of white kids with them as toys in old pictures too. My guess would be this was an older relative looking to share a favorite childhood toy with the kid and not even thinking it was racist.

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Slune
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not young anymore. I'm caucasian and had a similar doll. I was proud of it because it was different. His name was Mocca and was best friend with my Teddybear collection.There was no racism at all!

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Brandy Dor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Was it rude? Or was someone trying to give the child a black doll at a time when black dolls really weren't widely available? Maybe it was done in kindness?....I repainted and the hair and body of 12 barbie dolls for my niece because mixed race dolls weren't as available then as now ..it wasn't a racist thing I wanted her to have dolls of every color because she is a rainbow with many colors and that's what makes her beautiful! I didn't want her isolated with just pale white blond barbie! Yes that doll is extreme but maybe they just wanted a different color represented when she played!

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More!
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back then these were just dolls. I recall reading that a white person started this movement against golliwogs. Is that true? I had one as a child, I’m mixed race. Never thought it was putting anybody down, it was just a doll. It was an insult to be called a golliwog as that was meant to be hurtful, but the dolls themselves were of no harm. Just the word, when used with malicious intention.

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Rissie
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't downvote someone asking. Not everyone is from the US. And yes there are very specific cultural phenomena there that are most definitely not universal.

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Boothy_Harmon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a rag doll that has become a symbol of extreme racism due to its caricature style depiction (similar to minstrels using black face). They used one as a mascot for Robinsons jam until disturbingly recently (2002!).

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CatWoman312
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay this is disgusting if the intent was to be racist, but we don’t know since maybe she was just trying to be nice as years ago finding black dolls wasn’t all that common. This also answers my question as to what a golly is from the previous post

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Judah Boogiemix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually overheard a 7 year-old kid call his mixed race brother some terrible names in a £ store mother just let it happen i had 2 intervene

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Odile Wipp
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am from South Africa. When I was a baby in the 70's I had a gollywog. I obviously had no idea that it was racists. It was one on my favourite dolls because of it's friendly face, bright clothes and it was soft. I am so sad that it is racist.

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Sarit Braun-Moss
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Remember, that was quite a few years back and things were not spoken of. In this case she probably thought it is a great thing to show her love for her grandchild. Never blame previous generation for their misdeeds in cases like that, it was their upbringing. Today is a totally different matter.

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Thomas Turnbull
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is nothing wrong with golliwogs I had several in my youth and so did some of my mixed race friends. We even had a dedicated Golliwog shop in the area. We had jam jars with golliwog figures on them. We took no offence from them.

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Angelica H
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

not only is that extremely messed up on so many levels, but that doll looks creepy af. talk about nightmare fuel.

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Henry Shane
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I mean there was likely a positive thought behind this, totes why you should expand your bubble. If all you have is white friends and a white perspective this likely seemed nice to the person creating it.

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Daniel Marsh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OK... Clearly, at some point, willful ignorance itself becomes racist, and this is clearly over that line, so please don't think I'm defending those relatives, but I have to wonder: Is this malevolence or stupidity? I'm vaguely aware of gollywogs; I know they are considered racist, but I've never read the books. Are we talking Aunt Jemima racist, lawn-jockey racist or klansman racist?

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sari swick
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it looks like a black version of a Raggedy Ann or Andy doll.

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Polly Culberson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sorry, but I don't know what a gollywog is, though I can see what it is. What does the term mean?

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Bonnie Edwards
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't people read their history? Golliwog dolls were made by the Egyptians to sell to the English (mainly soldiers), for touristy gifts. How it became a derogatory thing, I don't know.

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Bunny Lady
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This photo looks like it was taken a lot of years ago. If it was, golliwogs were a common toy and both myself and my sister had one. They represented no form of racism to us and just sat among all our other dolls and teddies as part of 'the gang'. I absolutely understand how they are not acceptable these days but please don't think that everyone who owned or made one years ago had any racist intent.

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FloridaMan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

is this racist because the doll is black or is it cus of something else

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Sarah Grape
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

.....would like to know what it is? is it a slavery reference?

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Bettie-Jean Neal
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have never ever heard the term gollywog, but I'm pretty sure I don't need to google it.

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Geoff CB
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These were just considered a doll in many countries, without any racial connotations. We are more aware nowadays. But maybe the term "white side" might be an ill-considered description, aren't we all genetically humans?

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Helenium
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We had those on marmalade. I didn’t really think it was racist until I grew up cause it’s just a toy. I don’t like them they’re creepy but still

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Suzanne Haigh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why is this racist? I had a golly when I was young/ my parents were never racist and I loved my golly

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Thomasin Grace
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You look about 5 months there so apparently you kept and liked it.

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Natalia A
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm surprised the parents kept it. The baby in the photo isn't a newborn which suggests the parents didn't throw it out.

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Honorary Malfoy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s horrifying how white people seem to portray black people, like Dr. Seuss for an example. As a child, I never really saw an issue, but now it’s just enraging.

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Commander OwO
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2 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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2 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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2 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."

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.

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Sleazy Weaver
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2 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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2 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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2 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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2 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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2 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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Becca Kuehn
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2 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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kjorn
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2 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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