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kianamai — Multiracial Identity
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Published: 2017-03-23 04:43:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 59317; Favourites: 2488; 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
A lot of people just assume my ancestry dates back to England, but I'm actually a mixture of Irish, Scottish, and Hungarian. The Hungarians are known to have a high percentage of Mongolian ancestry, which you can see in the almond shape of my eyes. Technically, I'm CaucasianxAsian, though mostly on the Caucasian side of the spectrum. But if I were to put down 'mixed race' on any kind of official form, no one would take me seriously :@/
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I haven't felt that struggle when it comes to race, but I can relate to you in the part about people telling you who you are not. They don't get to define you, only you get to decide that.
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That's interesting Kilala, You're basically two in one!
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aah I totally understand you! I'm half African half Norwegian!
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Dont regret anything Ki!! You are wo you are and whether they accept it or not, atleast YOU can say that YOU are smarter than all of them. Because you are the one who realy knows <3
Keep being awesome my friend <3
On a side note, I get you Ki.
1/8 Pacific Islander, 1/8 Scottish, 1/4 Blackfoot Indian (Native American). The rest is mixed up italian and Irish. Its a..um... alot of shit together XD
You know what I get told everyday though?
"Nah you're definitely Mexican." "You can't be Scottish, you dont have freckles, and your hair isn't red." "You're lying about being a native american indian for tax exemptions. Your skin is too light."
well let me tell YOU, doubters.
My hair does turn red in the summer, and my eyes get green af if you piss me off. I tan better than ANY scott/irishman I know because of my blackfoot heritage. AND JUST BECAUSE MY EYEBROWS ARE ON FLEEK IT DOESN"T MEAN IM HISPANIC!!
*sighs* the struggles. We make it work XD
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as a white person im unable to relate to you.. but im sorry this is something you go through! I wish people were more considerate about stuff like this.
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People think I'm German but I'm actually an English, French, Irish, Scottish and German mix.
Hence my light German accent
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Bah! You are what you are what you think you are and nobody can say otherwise. People like to label. It's what we do. Doesn't make it right.
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A bit odd that they say you should only be in one group as if they "know" your race more than you do. While I may not share your pain (or annoyance), I find it utter horses s**t that people say you should only fit in one category. One race or another, single or multiple, we should only focus on one thing: we are all human. And that what matters the most.
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Same here! People say I look Korean or Chinese, but I'm actually Filipino 
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Yeah, I understand that! I'm half Chinese and half white, but most of the time, people have no idea what ethnicity I am XD They think I'm hispanic or philippine. But overall, it doesn't matter my appearances. I just me and that's what matters
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What are you? Perfect and no one can say otherwise.
(super platonic by the way)
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Why would anyone say this?? This is like telling someone they love strawberry ice-cream when they're neutral to it or don't even like it.
The metaphor could much better, but bear with me...
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Yeah Im half Pakistani and half White,but the problem I have is most people think i'm Latino or Mexican. So random people will start speaking Spanish to me and these Mexican guys will hit on me... I appreciate it so much more when people just ask what I am instead of assume I'm Mexican.
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My boyfriend is African American/ Argentinian. His dad is from Philadelphia and his mom moved to America from Argentina. Many, many people have labelled him as "latino" or "Mexican". I even have this one person who says he looks like a Vietnam vet who is gonna snap at any moment, which makes me kinda mad because he is the sweetest, most gentlest man I've ever met. The people who judge him for his skin tone are nothing but blind. They only see him for how he looks. 6'3, strong, and black. Not for how he really is.
So, I may not be mixed, but he definitely is and I can relate secondhadedly. I'm sorry for what people can say and do.
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... Wow. I never really had this problem, so I never realized it could be a problem. I identify as Chinese/Caucasian, but since I look more white, people don't really think of me as part-aisan. I think it comes up more for you because you have a darker skin tone, which is complete BS. Just because I look white doesn't mean I should get away with it if you don't.
Then again, I think if someone told me this, I would completely ignore it and, if they get too pushy about it, them. You are who you are. Don't let anyone else try to tell you otherwise.
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Right there with ya Ki, I'm half black and Hispanic, with Native American from both sides of the family. Been told I look South African, Jamaican, Native American, Hawaiian, I'm from EVERYWHERE. lol
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From multiple races too, but since nearly all of them are from Europe (with one exception) I'm slapped with the "white" label and have to hear how much of a horrible person I am half the time.
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I am sure my comment will get lost in the sea of comments here- but I totally relate... It's even worse to be multi-racial in typically anti-black communities. I am mixed myself- black, native, and chicanx- I was raised in a Chicanx life style, speak Spanish, etc. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I didn't experience being told similar things about not being/looking enough of either of my races. On top of that- racism against black people in the Chicanx/Latinx community is a big thing.
I am glad you made this comic because God, this is most definitely an experience I have lived and will probably live for a long time.
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This is awesome! I'm Caucasian/Latino and all my life both sides have told me I wasn't enough and it really messed with me as a kid! This is a great message that more people need to realize.
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Same with me. I'm 1/8 aboriginal on my dad's side, but no one believes me when I say I am. I've learnt to start carrying a picture of my parents around with me so when a know-it-all idiot tries to dictate to me what I am and what I'm not, I can rub it in their face and shove it down their throat. It annoys me sometimes too because my sister has a dark olive skin color and black hair, my brother has a tan skin color and black hair and here I am with pale white skin and chestnut hair. I know I had at least one person ask me if I was adopted. Genetics are weird.
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We were just discussing this in our class on contemporary women writers, as we're reading a series of books by biracial women writers, and a number of them deal with being biracial in America, and dealing with the kind of comments your comic discusses. I don't know if you're interested in reading these types of books, but I would suggest Tracks by Louise Erdrich (Native American/White) or basically any book by Danzy Senna (who is African American/White). I've only read her book You are Free, but they're both fairly well known.
[Tracks does include mentions of sexual assault, just as a warning.]
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People in my country is not racist after culture.
Like where I live they tell me I am same like them and I am here like.
No. Actually no. Having blonde hair don't mean I am from here.
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I have several blood relatives that are African but I'm whiter than most. I also have Hispanic heritage too, but literally everyone I try to tell that don't believe me. Usually it takes people hearing my last name or seeing my grandfather before they get this look of amazement like "Oh shit he's telling the truth?!"
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I have a buddy of mine who catches flak for not "sounding black". It really is a damn shame when people judge what they expect you to be rather than who you are.
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"Rather than see who you are" I should say
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Wow... I honestly hadn't really seen anyone express this before. It's good insight to something that I cannot personally struggle with (At least, in the race category). I'm sorry Ki... That must suck a lot :/
But I mean, if it helps, I think you've really helped a lot of people break categories and helped others to understand how painful stereotyping can be through your stories. That's one of the shining reasons I follow you- not just fantastic art, but fantastic inclusion and fantastic portrayal of modern problems. ^^
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You have pick race in SATs?? Oh my, America is so messed up. I don't understand why we should categorize people by ethnicity.
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One would think the world would have gotten past matters such as this ages ago...
Categorizing people and telling them what they should be is a douchy thing to do but that's what humans are. A bunch of douches. Sad fact.
But to all people whom this issue affects, you're perfect just the way you are, don't let anyone tell ya otherwise and keep doing you!
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this vaguely reminds me of Wolf Children, and the children struggling to grow to
fit into their double identities... ;o;
i'm really sorry this stuff happens to you though; i used to say stuff like that when i was
younger. my mom is hispanic and africain american, but she has really light skin, so when
i was smaller (9 or 10?) i asked, "are you white???" and she just kinda laughed at me and said,
"No, I'm black." i was really confused, but I came to understand a few years back. xD
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I think people who are biracial are so special, beautiful, and unique ~
its so cool and I hope you feel better, your you and that's what is important, not stereotypes :,0
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Being multi-racial like I am (Hmong, Chinese, German, Scottish, Spanish (Spain descent) and Native American, I fit no where. No one wants to claim me, and either say I'm white (When I'm mostly pure hmong) or I'm just a mutt.. It gets really annoying for us "Half-breeds" to live in a world of fully racial people....
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I'm biracial too ! I'm French and Guadeloupean and everybody thought I was arabic ! When I say it they don't believe me and say things like : "But you don't look like a guadeloupean !?" ....
..........In fact the most important thing (that some don't understand) is "We are all humans"....
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i understand that feeling sometimes... and feel like i dont belong
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You go! Tell the world how you feel! Let's get this deviant in front of a crowd!
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Eh, who gives a fuck? The hell does your skin colour, eye size, or speech pattern have to do with who you or anyone else are?
I'm tall, big nosed, and posh-sounding. Draw your impressions from that and prepare to be wrong.
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This!
This should be said more often.
Never understood why people put such emphasis on skin colour anyway.
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Don't let stereotypes and ignorance bring you down.
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There's no such thing as reverse racism. There is only racism. If you judge someone's character based upon the shallow concept of their outward appearance above all else, then you're a racist no matter your own irrelevant skin tone.
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Thanks I really needed this, especially now.
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Being biracial myself, I really appreciate you dressing this! All my Latina friends never knew I was half white, and all my white friends never thought I was half Mexican.
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Oh man, I have the same problem. I'm part philippine and white, so I have a medium skin tone. I am always mistaken for Hispanic and it kinda bugs me. ;w;
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Before I read it first time, I just kinda expected you to have Japanese blood in you 
I actually have a friend here in Finland who is 1/2 Asian She told me many years ago and I still struggle to remember if her father was Japanese or Chinese, but she's only told couple of her closest friends because she was bullied in her childhood for being an attention whore. Which I still don't understand since she doesn't look your typical Finn, it would havve made more sense if they had bullied her for being an "immigrant"
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I identify as white. Since everyone says I'm white.
Being American, German, Lithuanian, whatever just means youre white to society honestly for me. Even though Im half Puerto Rican. Im not allowed to say I am since I don't look the part.
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Man, that must be crazy to deal with. I personally think that biracial and multiracial are pretty cool. I think they are wonderfully unique and special, because they not just one race, they come from two or more. And to me that is just so cool.
Especially when a biracial or multiracial person is as awesome as you are. ^^
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In my opinion just ignore them people don't believe me and tell them I'm part native an Egyptian and and British stock I used to think of myself as special cuz I come from different backgrounds why they just come from one
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the struggle is so real my dude I have the same fucking problem. I'm mixed with German, Irish, and African American and yet when people look at me, they think that I'm just white but no, when I tell them that I am mixed they act like its a discovery of gold or something since I'm too light skinned to be blackish. I mean I can understand a little bit, but no one ever considers that I am mixed and I just get annoyed when they act surprised of what I am. *sigh* se la vi (I fucked that up) what are ya gonna do....
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