Comments on: Am I Colored – Alpha Boy Edition

By: Holli

Holli — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:23:57 +0000

Interesting post. I am the mother of a biracial boy as well – looks like he’s about the same age as Alpha Boy

He has grown up in Africa (where I work) at an International school and literally there is no racism or ignorance. It’s great.

My partner comes from South Africa where the term coloured refers to a race of people in that country – a term the people use to refer to themselves, and a term which is not considered derogatory there at all.. interesting how language and terminology evolves in different countries!!

Great blog – I’ll be back! PLease also visit me over at Holli’s Ramblings about life in Ghana as a displaced Canadian

By: 4badgirlzonly

4badgirlzonly — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:45:03 +0000

“Even when you have bi-racial kids, ignorance and stupidity surrounds us.”

What exactly do you mean by this? Do you mean that because they are bi-racial, they should be exempt from experiencing racism specific to people whose parents are both African-American?

…I don’t want to misinterpret your meaning…

By: Toliver

Toliver — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:51:47 +0000

This was an interesting blog i must say, simply because that is a topic that has come up several times in my personal life. I am a 22 year old black guy, and I chose the phrase “black guy” on purpose. I will get into that but first let me say this. I am a dad as well, I have a pre-school age daughter and God-daughter. So i can understand what you are doing by taking the time to educate your children. Which is something alot more dads need to do, that is a topic for later. So i will just get to the point

I live in the Florida panhandle, look that up and you will have an idea of the social climate of which i live in. There are alot of multi-racial families here and even my God-daughter is mixed (filipino and hatian). Natuarally there are alot of immigrants that live here, many are from the islands off the coast of Florida and the Carolinas. My point is i use the term “colored” and i understand the historical connotations of that word. Trust me if there is anyone who understands it is me. So the obvious question is “why do you use that term then?” Well for one simple reason there are alot of people who are the same skin tone as me, talk like me and live in my neighborhood. However, they are not african-americans or such as myself quickly gravitate towards being such. I use the term as a means fo describing a person in general but not immediately labeling them with one nationality or ethinic group. Example at first look David Ortiz, Wyclef Jean, and Halle Berry, appear as being african-american; and most people would ‘assume’ as much. But then they would be wrong and immediately calling them ‘black’ is equally offensive do to some peoples skin tone sensitivity. So i call them “colored” which is a way of including all darker complected individuals. Spanish speaking people, Latin American and all others can be included in that terminology. So for me it is a way to include everyone with insulting there nationality or ethinicity if i am knowledgable of such.

Thanks your blogs are very intelligent

By: Sheila

Sheila — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:25:56 +0000

Being that my biracial daughter is receiving literature from colleges, we have seen this term used, ironically, by schools that are promoting diversity. I was shocked the first time I saw it. I don’t remember what school the brochure was from, but on the same page it touted its Diversity Day and social clubs for “colored people.” I am still a bit puzzled by the use of this word in college promotional material. I’ve seen it more in her college mailings than I ever saw it in my life. I was beginning to wonder if it was somehow acceptable and I missed the memo.