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kianamai — Multiracial Identity
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Published: 2017-03-23 04:43:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 59297; Favourites: 2489; Downloads: 76
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EDIT: Hey! I made a kind of extension of this comic on tumblr using a little dog cat named Puppittykianamaiart.tumblr.com/post/16…
Being mixed race is an interesting experience and the experience definitely shapes who you think you are. Because I arguably look more black, despite being 50/50, and it's easier for people to categorize me as such (African American), I just kinda accepted that over time. I started identifying myself as just African American. But that's not who I am. I'm mixed. Both of these things at the same time. Also I'm not even African. I'm Jamaican/Afro-Caribbean. NOT ALL BLACK PEOPLE ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN FYI.
But even when I tried accepting that identity, it didn't feel right. I grew up in Hawaii with primarily Japanese traditions and a Japanese American way of life. So I always thought I identified with being Japanese more than anything. But because I didn't look the part, it was never really okay with other people. Same thing on the other side. I don't "sound black" or have black features other than my hair and skin tone (which is also debatable).
The world is so set on being black and white and people having to fit into specific categories. Apparently, it wasn't until 2000 Census that multiracial people could fill in more than one category for race. I remember that always being stressful during SAT tests. Having to either pick Asian or Black. Anyways, I think it's important that you don't have these black and white stereotypes of people and how they're supposed to be whether it comes to race or gender or sexuality or occupation or anything. All people are different. Yes certain stereotypes exist for a reason but don't be surprised when people don't fit them.
Also just... like don't tell multiracial people the kind of things mentioned in the comic^^^ One, it perpetuates a lot of racially charged stereotypes. And two, it just fucks with us lol. It messes with our sense of belonging and identity and for the most part we'll just take it because it happens all the time and what are we gonna do, y'know? Don't try to categorize us. We just are what we are and that's all we can be
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Comments: 653
I have the same issue, I'm Irish and Pacific Islander. My mom is adopted though, by an African American family. So I kinda get tossed around by a lot of people guessing I'm a lot of different races.
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I remember an older friend of mine (like grandma age) told me that multicultural children had a very difficult way of growing up. I never really understood that back then. But after reading this comic and your puppitty, her words FINALLY clicked. I am so happy you made these. Seriously. I can say for myself I just never really knew because I've never experienced it or had one of my mixed friends explain this to me. Thank you for pouring out your heart and helping open peoples eyes.
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Truth be told, I always assumed you were somethink like jamaican or hawaiian or something, at least till you started posting your art about it. Truth be told, Im somewhat ignorant about the differences and subtle traits in races cuz, well, I dont care.... should I care? dunno... I dont care about the subtle details that makes one race diff from another. People are different, thats it.
You are you, and youre awesome. If anything, Im glad about the positive things youve gotten from the experience, how it has helped you grow and widen your perspective. And about the negative things... well....
*TACKLE HUG!!* You are amaizing and dont deserve that BS!
Good day~
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im very mixed (i took a dna test) and i identify as being a mixed race girl of color...i've had people be so condescending and outright deny me and its infuriating...just bc ur 100% white or 100% black (not like thats common but for my point-) means ur identity is valid but not mine?? get out of my life henny
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Have a friend and he is black, Asian and white but he only looks black and he is vey funny and he says he can just take offence to anything he wants, in a joke kind of way
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THANK YOU FOR THIS IM GOING TO THROW THIS AT EVERYONE I SEE NOW
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lol im asian.... i think
so i'm getting a dna test!!!
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Ack, I'm German-American (mostly) and people think I'm Hispanic (???) because of my skin tone and hair/eye colour like, how does this happen?
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Ah both comics are great and they put what I feel into visual stuff! I'm also half Japanese and hearing those things can get so confusing and frustrating!
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No kidding. I look SUPER White but I'm actually a mix of German, Native American and African American (in that order) but everyone calls me white-girl. And when I'm seen with my "non-white" grandparents people think I'm lying when I say "That's my Grandma/Grandpa" =_=; (both my mixed parents look pretty white too)
I once got shooed away by my black coworkers because I eating lunch with a co-worker from South Africa. I was "in their spot" What is this highschool? We both left and ate elsewhere, but I won't forget that "Boa you can stay" Ouch... He left with me anyway and was pretty confused over what happened.
And I really got into it with another coworker who was full native american. I commented on a rude remark she made and she tried to tell me that I needed "stay out of her business because my land stealing ancestors made me blind" When I cleared up that I was mixed and she was just a hateful person, she told me that my grandmother was a trader to her people for bedding a guy with whiteness in his blood. -_-; *grumbles*
And of course I have to be THAT person when I'm around caucasians who don't realize thier around a mixed person and they start spouting out things they think they know. To which I get the silent treatment as if I was the one saying bad things.
These are all rare events but I absolutely can sympathize. Honestly my favorite exchange had to be when a girl from Korea came to work at my store. A bunch of co workers were talking about their heritage when my friend pointed at me and said "Oh she's native american." The Korean girl's face lit up so bright and she grabbed my hand and said "OOOH WooooW! I thought they all wore feathers!" To which everyone went dead cold silent and I burst out laughing so hard. She was so sweet. XDDDD
Yeah I'm TOTALLY aware of how people are completely blind to the fact that there is mixed people out there. People are so quick to slap a label on you because they think they know better, but they don't. Hell even my own family is accused of labeling me. "Your hate for shoes must be from your native blood...Where did you get that butt from? Not my side, must be from your black side." Yeah these are real things said to me by my own parents/grandparents.
Don't let it bother you too much. You're uniquely you and even though a lot of people in America say they're a mutt, most can't trace it back or it's mostly hearsay. That makes you special! XD
Accept you are who you are and.. as for the tests and papers.. just put whatever you think will get you the best option in the end. xD My dad use to always check "native american" for me even though I should check white based on percentage.
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Just read the Puppitty comic, and I feel compelled to let you know how adorable I think you are ^^
I admire that you took a negative and turned it into a positive, cute way to explain something sensitive to people
Never change Kilalaaa, we all love the person you are ^^
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I can relate to this on so many levels! I'm half Mexican and half white, but I don't look Mexican at all so people never assume. While on one hand I'm lucky and grateful that I am privileged enough to not have to face racism (even if it means people often make racist comments around me not realizing I can tear them apart for it), on the other hand it makes me upset that I'm never seen as apart of the culture I was born into. Even my siblings often tell me I'm not Mexican enough and it kinda makes me feel like the black sheep of the family. Thanks for making this it's nice to know that others don't feel like they can fit into a certain category that society deems fit when it comes to race
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You don't 'sound' black? I know people have accents & I know they probably didn't meant to come out like that but still...
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xD I´m mexican, but everybody thinks I´m asian because of my eyes and light skin :v I don´t get bothered about it, it´s...actually... funny xD :v but sometimes it gets annoying, I remember when I was younger :v I was like 4 years old I was playing in Burger King and a girl came a told to me "Hi, Are you chinese?" I kindly told her I was not :v and she just didn´t care and started to ask me to say "Hola"(hello) in chinese, I started to explain her and she just couldn´t get it and she got mad at me :v just because I wasn´t apeaking chinese >:v so I just turn around, I was like "Okay, I´m done" :v And in my school I receive the same question "Are you japanese,chinese etc.?" :v I don´t even have asian family xD My mom is native mexican and my dad MAYBE has some french and spanish blood but :v nothing related with Asia xD
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LOL who cares, why do you need to identify yourself as something else than yourself? why do you even care about what do you are genetically or what people say about that, im half european half south-american and i only remember that when my mom brings it or my friends joke about it. You are awesome at drawing, you like steven universe, you made...
whatever that is... you are not a race, you are a person. Stop caring about something so meaningless
PD: said this assuming that you are talking about identity and not privilege or racism, that is a different issue.
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I love both of these comics. While I'm not multiracial, I do have to back up my multiracial friends who get put down and labelled with this kind of thing. Really great depiction of this in both comics!
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I sort of have a milder version of this. Even though I'm white, I am half American and half Irish (my dad was born and raised there), grew up in a lot of different countries (but mostly England), and currently attend university in America. It's pretty confusing, just answering "Where are you from?"
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The puppity comic is so cute, and deep! This topic as a whole is a really good one for comics like this! I am sorry you have to go through with this, and I wish I could relate more. The only thing I can relate with, is when people found out my family has Mexican ancestry, I was greeted with many racial slurs & stereotypes. I also was criticized for dating people, and having adopted family that were outside of my race. It's all so stupid. So, in some very small ways, I get it, but I know I'll NEVER be able to know what you've gone through, and wish I could be there for you more! What I can tell you, is who you are is what you make of yourself. Your race may be a part of you, but it doesn't define you. To us, you are still the awesome person we know and love!
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Others can point you in the right direction, but only you can say what you are exactly.
For the record, that is the best advice I have since most people would say I am white and leave it at that even though I am germen, Irish, Scottish, and polish, sure it is all white ethnicity but it does not hurt to look deeper on a person's heritage. Anyway, the point is basically the old saying never judge a book by its cover.
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I'm triracial
but never get this treatment.
Though I do understand how you feel
and I'm sorry!
You're beautiful! No matter your race!
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Oooh
Japanese<3
It doesn't matter what you are
You're still human
You're still beautiful
Stay strong💕
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I read the comic. It was so sad and cute! It looks like something kids could read to get an understanding about mixed races. Trevor Noah experienced the same racial issues growing up. I suggest watching his comedy shows.
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Have you ever heard of or seen "there she is!" ?
It's something I saw a loooong time ago when I was little and when ever I feel like I don't fit in or if I'm scared that doing the things I want to do might end badly, I watch it.
It might not have as big of an impact on you as it did me, and it might not even be the mesage you're looking for, but I still recommend it.
I dont really like linking things to people but Here's a link to it if you want to check it out
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsWgrf…
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I'm Hispanic (Puerto Rico), but skin-wise, my mum is black, and my dad is white, resulting in me having "chocolate milk" skin. I cannot tell whether I'm black or white skin-wise... like, I'm too dark to be considered white, but too light to be considered black. It's confusing, so I somewhat relate to this. XD Though, I guess I have more... European features, I guess??? I dunno, to be honest. XD
Otherwise, I don't have a Hispanic accent, or know much Spanish, so it's hard to believe that I'm Hispanic unless I tell you.
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It really doesn't matter in the least. Racial and sexual identity only matters if you're some so of traditionalist or very sexually active. i know you're a good artist and that's good enough for me. and the ppl you're close to know you're important to them.
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I'm half American half Uruguayan.
No one knows where Uruguay is :c
Oh Well. Its in South America.
So I'm technically Latino.
But then no one notices I'm Latino and my latino friends dont think I am legitametely latino and I just want to fit in instead of being with the black people
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I think you're beautiful just the way you are!
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I'm mostly European, but I learned I'm also Spanish. People tell me "You cant have any Spanish. You're too white." Yeah, and?
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Next time just exclaim, "Bitch you don't know me!"
Also, I WISH my ancestry was that interesting. I'm German and Irish/English.
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That's still interesting! Irish history is crazy.
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You're part Japanese? That's really cool!
I'm only chinese canadian
i dont have a unique culture *sniff*
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Ki, that comic was adorable and had a very strong message. Fantastic job ki.
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Lol am I the only one who didn't assume she was anything, tbh I just see someones art of themselves and how I identify is like *tanner person* you are chocolate chip, I am vanilla,
I think its cool tho, u could just be from one of the whitest families alive and be natural super pale ;-;
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Race is a pointless label that people put too much focus on. You are you; molded by the culture you grew up with and the genetics you are. That is all that matters.
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I've had a strange experience with race I guess. I'm not really sure if it counts cause I dunno, no one really "judges" me for it, they more just seem mildly confused and curious. I've been asked if I'm Polynesian, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, or Hispanic, even by people of those races and from those countries.
I'm actually mostly white, with 1/4 black heritage (I'm not sure which country, probably an African one? Maybe? I dunno, we don't have good connections with our extended family so its kinda hard to construct a good family tree). Somehow, no one ever guesses that. I don't even really look white, even though I'm not as dark as say my uncle (whose 50/50). I've got dark curly hair (though a lot of girls ask me what I do to get like that and I'm all like...I wake up?), olive colored skin, and dark eyes that I guess are kinda squinty since I don't wear glasses as much as I should. So I don't really "feel" black, but I don't really think I'm white either? I've been putting African-American on those state tests and I just don't tell people unless they ask directly. And really, only close friends have felt comfortable asking me and I guess I don't feel too out of place cause one of them is Puerto-Rican, yet his skin is paler than mine. But it still makes me doubt myself and stuff.
It also makes me uncomfortable when I get told to put African-American for scholarships and stuff. I mean, I know that's its to make up for all the hate for the past two centuries that people like my Granddad and his parents and their parents faced, but I myself haven't really faced that hate, at least not full on discrimination (there have been small comments that more stem from ignorance than from racism). Which just pushes my confusion about my race.
Sorry if this seems like first world problems though. I dunno, I guess I should be grateful that people don't tell me what I am and that I don't get judged. I dunno, everyone else was sharing and I don't really talk about it with too many people
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To me, what you look and sound like is you! People who tell you what you are and are not should never have to matter to you.
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I'm Dominican and I'm told I'm not since I have no idea how to speak Spanish (but like.. I understand it?) and I'm "too white." it pisses me off but... it's ok. I know who I am.
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Hell i've seen black people tell other black people (100% black btw) that they aren't black because they have lighter skin, Why does this happen???
I'm sorry this has happened to you, Hopefully it dies down in the future.
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I'm African American and have been told "You don't sound black." people really suck sometimes.
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I kinda wanna know if your parents are also mixed or if they're one or the other.
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Ohmehgehd
Jamaican + Japanese = J AM A N E S E? !! ?
Lol I'm Spanish, African and like a million other things and people always think I understand whatever they speak lol.
like, guys i only speak english
plz
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I think it's pretty awesome that you're multi racial. Especially that you're mixed with Japanese and Jamaican!! Being one race is okay, but oh my, all the diversity when it comes to being multi racial~
I would never classify anyone as anything besides what they are, and if I'm not sure, I just don't worry about it. They are themselves, you know?
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i relate to this so much?? omfg
i'm filipino/white and i'm always getting shit from either group
i personally identify as both; i don't say i'm either race i just say i'm biracial or exactly what i am--filipino/white but ppl act like i have to choose and both choices are the wrong choice and it makes me want to SCREAM
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I'm (manly) Bolivian/ Isrealy but pale a/f with almost black hair....
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