Being mixed in a society that disparages mixed heritage

Mixed heritage is now seen as normal, but it wasn’t always the case. In fact, people of mixed heritage would say that a lot of stereotypes are still relevant today. If we showed a lot more different types of mixed heritage and different cultural traditions in medias, maybe we could reduce stereotypes and educate society on what being mixed really means.

How does society see mixed heritage nowadays? Which stereotypes should we break? How do mixed-race children feel about their ethnic roots?

How it feels to grow up in a mixed household

Growing up in a mixed household may be confusing sometimes, but it’s also quite enriching. In some mixed households, more than one language is spoken, and this can reinforce the mixed child’s connection to its different roots. In some of these households, only the language of the surrounding culture is spoken. This doesn’t mean that their connection to both their parents heritage is less present. In fact, there are other ways to connect with both cultures.

Mixed children can learn through stories and traditions or even specific family events. They have a different vision of religions, traditions, and realities. They have a different way of thinking according to their ethnic roots. Most mixed-race children would say that they are more open-minded due to this ethnic mix and that it helps in striking up a conversation. However, it’s not that easy as a lot of stereotypes are still persistent.

selective focus photo of girl in shirt smiling

Most stereotypes mixed-heritage people come across are often racist clichés. They feel like they are bullied by non-mixed people due to those clichés. Here are some clichés mixed people can hear from others:

  • You’re pretty for a black person
  • Asians often eat dogs
  • Polish people are alcoholics, so you must be too
  • You speak well for someone who has lived in Africa
  • You've got a strong character; it's because of your origins
  • You, Asian people, are the one who brought Covid to Europe
  • Asians are slaves making iPhones

Those were stereotypes that people could say but imitation can be seen as bullying also. For example, imitating an Asian accent and slanted eyes while talking to person who has Asian origins.

What society thinks of mixed heritage

two women using chopsticks for eating

As said earlier, mixed heritage has become a society’s norm and people don't pay too much attention to it anymore. The fact is that when we talk about mixed children, usually what people see is a mix of a white person and a black person. 

However, that’s not always the case. There are many types of mixed heritage, such as the European-Asian mix or even between two European countries, like Polish-Belgian. There are perhaps twice as many types of mixed heritage as there are countries on this planet.

Why do people think being mixed means having a white parent and a black parent? It all comes from the media, movies and series. The only mix that is represented is that one, because it’s the most frequent and obvious one. But what they don’t think about is that people of other mixed ethnicities can’t relate to the characters. As a society that encourages diversity, we should show a lot more different mixed ethnicities and diverse cultures. People would feel a lot more included if their ethnicities were represented.

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