PAULA PATTON AND HER PRECIOUS BABY BUMP
Precious star Paula Patton arrived at the 3rd Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel on March 4, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California.
In related news, Paula has revealed that she is offended by the term ‘biracial’.
“I find [the term biracial] offensive. It’s a way for people to separate themselves from African-Americans. A way of saying ‘I’m better than that’”
“I’m black because that’s the way the world sees me. People aren’t calling Barack Obama biracial. Most people think there’s a black president (Source).”
Paula is due to have a baby with singer Robin Thicke in May.
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86 Comments to “PAULA PATTON AND HER PRECIOUS BABY BUMP”
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very pretty lady
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Yeah? Well get use to it because your baby will be biracial.
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That may really depend on how the baby looks. Tracie Ross is “bi-racial”, too, but that is not necessarily what she looks like when you see her on film or in photos. She just looks Black.
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Amen to that Paula, Amen. That is all it is a way to separate themselves. I find the term offensive as well. But if people want to be called biracial I will refer to them and only them as biracial. I think the term is racist, myself, as in bi-racist.
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Idiot…this is exactly why she said she does not like the term… because of dummies like you
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And is she eating? She is way small for like 7 months!
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She’ll probably balloon right at the end of the pregnacy.
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Paula looks great!!! As far being called bi-racial, I dont like the term either but society views most biracial children who have black blood in them as being black. When we see Halle, Tiger and Paula, we dont refer to them as being bi-racial, they are black! It is what it is.
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Why do people make comments on the size of someone when they are pregnant? “Is she eating” Of course she is. She doesn’t have to be HUGE in order to be 7 months pregnant. I got that question so many times during BOTH of my pregnancies. Just because she doesn’t look like you may have doesn’t mean she’s neglecting herself. Please get a grip. People are different and carry children differently. And not all of us get as big as a house when we are pregnant.
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Thank you, and if she wasn’t Black, that stereotype of pregnancy would not have been applied here. She should have no problem getting whipped right back into shape ala Heidi Klum because as an actress her career depends on it. She is so inspirational on so many levels.
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Right on, Paula. I knew there were more reasons to love you other than just for your physical beauty. There is some content in your character. And thank you for playing one of the redeeming characters in the movie “Precious” (absent the lesbian cliche, of course).
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Yes, hers was one of the best characters in precious, and I’m not offended by her being a lesbian. Gabourey Sadibe was great, and Monique did a great job but I was disappointed that such a CHARACTER has be considered for award worthy. Our characters always have to negative to be award-worthy. None the less, I think Gaboury is special, I like her a lot.
And Paula had a strong presence in ‘Precious’ that I think was also award-worthy. Her and Lenny Kravitz too.
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Agree.
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Why would her role as a lesbian even be up for offense? Lesbians do exist.
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Did you know that this movie was done in Europe with an all white cast. This problem has no color, it’s universal.
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I swear in some pictures her belly looks huge and in others it looks tiny! I guess it depends on whatever she’s wearing at the time. She looks very pretty. I’m happy for her and Robin!
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I absolutely LOVE Paula Patton’s comments. Lay it down girl! Being black is a state of mind as well as a race, and flows beyond the color of the skin and race. To be proud to be black is to be proud of our heritage, our culture, our connection with the motherland (AFRIKA), of our people, of how far our people have come and the struggles we have mastered to be here, and to continue to fight, endure, and struggle against racism in this country and in other countries. Say it loud, say it proud, I’M PROUD TO BE BLACK GOTDAMMIT! because that is what being BLACK is about!
Her hubby may be white, but he seems like a CONSCIOUS white man that knows what is up and is willing to stand behind or beside her in her struggles as a BLACK woman, and the black struggle in general, and is proud to have a BLACK woman by his side – without thinking it belittles or demeans his race, culture, and himself. Some of us should be so lucky to have a CONSCIOUS white man (or hell – even a black one) as that. I’m sure they both can raise confident and proud BLACK children, no matter what their skin color or the texture of their hair. Congtats to Paula. **hand claps***
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nappykat, I love your avatar as well as your comments. Having a Black wife lends more (street) credibility to Robin Thicke, given his style of music. These two for that reason seem to be a match made in heaven. Just my opinion. Robin walks the walk, and is not just making a living pimping the Black community by aping its soulful sound to make money.
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Nappykat – (giving you a standing ovation)! Your comment was excellent! I wish more of us loved the skin were are in. James Brown sung a song way, way back in the day, “Say It Loud, I’M BLACK AND I’M PROUD!. We used to stand, fist raised (figuratively, of course) when that song played. We were a proud people. I miss those days so much.
Anyway, bravo on such a great post. I hope more of us become proud.
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@Nappykat, Very well said. You echo my emotions and I could not have put it better. If I had seen you comment first I probably would not have left the one I did.
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And another BRAVO! HERE.
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This Hollywood couple is so special. Both are so accomplished in their own right.Beginning a family truly must be the icing on the cake for them. It doesn’t hurt that her hubby comes from money and Hollywood establishment (Dad is Alan Thicke), either.
You knew what to do, Paula…marry up if your going to marry out. Sweet!
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How is she marrying out if shes half white? even though she looks black because black seems to be the stronger gene in most bi racial people.
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She herself is stating that she identifies as just Black so I’m assuming that’s how she feels.
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Halle Berry seems to be the preeminent/predominate “bi-racial” actress that is ever discussed at BCK . To use her as an example then, when she chose to marry, she married two Black men (don’t forget she chose to be a Nahla’s Mama with Gabriel..they are not married). If Paula says she identifies as Black then she is marrying outside of her self identified race.
I wonder why her statement of Black pride is so bothersome to some? What a bizarre phenomenon!
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@Pisces, hi sweetie! Hope your day is going well.
Girl, I really don’t understand why her comment is bothersome to some people either. I’m telling you, it just seems as though some people are so obsessed with being biracial or mixed. It’s a phenomenon that puzzles me as well. If you find the answer, please let me know, okay.
Have a good one, Pisces!
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Hi Teri, I hope you have a glorious day and weekend, too.
I applaud you on your post, too, as well as nappykat’s. Here we go again with certain people wanting to bash Blackness. I’ve put in my 2 cents and now I’m out before the bizarre half wit personal attacks begin.
Take care and have fun!
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I dont think the term bi racial is offensive. I just think it means belonging to more then one race, I dont think calling someone bi racial is separating them from other people, When Barack calls himself black, its almost as if hes not including his moms race also which is half of him.
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Barack and everyone else knows he has a white mama. He stated before he calls himself back because that’s the way people see him. During the election, and even now, people didn’t care that he had a white mama. He’s received death threats and so much hatred and anger, that it didn’t make a difference. He paid homage to his mother, so I guess that’s his way of acknowledging her as being part of him.
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I hope Paula raises her child to have pride in both of his cultures. Because he will be a biracial child. I have many mixed raced nieces and nephews and they are well-rounded children with a high sense of self-worth because they identify with their African roots and Scottish-Italians roots.
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She knows that she can raise them to be proud of both sides of his/her heritage; but she does know just like Halle said her mother told her……the facts of life. Because once that child is old enough to hit the streets alone, if they haven’t taught him….there’s certainly some nasty person waiting to do it for them. I personally found the way the president was raised made it more difficult for him to understand certain treatments of him because of his color. I mean the people who were making his life hell were the same color as the people who loved him and protected him the most. That must be really confusing when one is a child. In reading his autobiography; he had no father to come home to who had experienced these thing and could help him through them or comfort him. So all this talk about people not having the same appreciation for both sides of their heritage is bunk. I’m sure he loved his mom and his grandparents as much as I loved mine; but when he hit the streets those people out there didn’t appreciate both sides of his heritage. And according to him, they let him know it. The one thing that the right wing fringe hates more than anything else about his being president, regardless of his white maternal family, is that he is Black and they will always see him as Black even if he wears a picture of his maternal family on his lapel. So why is he expected to keep beating people over the head about his family? It is what it is and he is mature enough to understand it. It’s crazy, but that’s the way it is and until we can change it, that’s the way it’s going to stay. So a part of loving your children is teaching them how to survive. Halle said her mom told her early in the game that she is Black. People act like this “bi-cultural”is something new. Those children on the plantation who knew that “ole Massur” was their father were still Black, still slaves and were treated as such. Only difference now is legal marriage.
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So true and it seems like the same talk that Halle’s Mom gave her was the same talk someone gave Paula Patton along the way. I love Paula’s style from head to toe..especially her shoes. She’s a beautiful class act representing all parts of who she is.
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I echo your sentiments exactly, Khrish. You know, you mentioned how it must’ve been confusing for him to be rejected by the same race as the people who raised him. That made me think about us as black people. We experience the same thing. While so many of us spend time worrying about how biracial people are seen, we, black people, experience our own hell from outside (whites/others) and inside (blacks/African-Americans). That’s a whole other story.
I guess that’s why I’m so puzzled as to why some black people are so concerned about how mixed people are seen, when we have enough problems to deal with just being black. Just a thought.
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My friends, who are Black wife and white husband, have two sons. Now the mother is very conscious that she sees her children as bi-cultural. On the other hand, the father who is white and a part of the police department, has begun early to teach his sons that they are Black. Strange, isn’t it. He knows what’s out there and he knows what can happen to his sons. His love for them is to nuture and protect them by arming them with the truth of what the real world is all about. He doesn’t do this in a negative way but with lots of love. They know that their father and their father’s family love them, but it is important to him that when the time comes, they are sent out into the world realistically. The conversations that I have had with him about his boys have been so interesting. They things he already accepted and knew would have certain results surprised me. I would not have thought that these things and ideas that came from my conversations with him would have been considered by a white man. Maybe that’s my ignorance. He has put some serious though into the life of his sons. He really loves those boys and he does more for and spends more time with them than the mother, who he pampers heavily. I was surprised because I would have thought that the mother would have been more concerned with that fact. She, however, is more concerned with them staying out of the sun and keeping themselves looking less Black like her. Go figure! Other friends who have bi-cultural children have basically offered the same label to their children, especially the girls. They refer to their children as Black as well. So I kind of wonder where the people on this site who are bi-cultural get their ideas. Perhaps their families are older and just don’t think as forward as a lot of the people I know who fall into this same category.
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I really enjoyed your post Khrish. It’s refreshing to hear that a white father to two mixed boys has that type of outlook on the world. I don’t mean to sterotype, but it is my experience from the black women i’ve met who are married to white men, that they all feel the way as the lady you described. Its baffling.
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Regardless of how Paula identifies herself she is still biracial. She has to wear sun screen to prevent against skin cancer that is prevalent on her mother’s side of the family. Her mother is in fact battling it right now. Self identification as black doesn’t change those genetics.
Robin says she’s black and has only mentioned her mother being White once but only to say it was easier to be accepted because her mother was on his side.
I have absolutely no problem in what she said, I agree in some ways. I just don’t like her calling the term offensive or stereotyping those who use the word as uppity.
I am proud to be black but because I choose to say biracial when speaking of my parents does not make me ashamed of my blackness. I am just proud of my mother as well. And unlike others, I refuse to make my mom feel uncomfortable intentionally when we are out in public.
If you know me, you know what race my parents are. No, “I didn’t know your mom was white” for me. The woman who gave birth to me deserves better than that, if you ask me.
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Believe it or not, medical doctors advise even dark skinned Black people to use sun screen to prevent the damaging effects and cancer causing UV’s of the sun.
People don’t have to believe me, you can ask your own personal doctor or research further online.
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Black people have to wear sunscreen too. I was tested because they thought that I had skin cancer. So we need to pay more attention to ourselves and stop buying all these myths that have been out there for year. So wearing sunscreen means nothing. This woman says that she is Black, so why can’t that be accepted instead of other trying to tell her what she should be or how she should see herself. Some of you act like she should be ashamed of something.
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Khrish, I am so glad that you survived that scare you had that precipitated the doctor having to check you out. You and I both know that the remark about Whites having to worry about skin cancer and we don’t was a warped, back handed attempt at a racial slur under the guise of presenting a medical fact.
I researched to see if Paula Patton’s mom had skin cancer and I couldn’t find any info about it. I did find out more about her R&B G singing hubby..his Mother is soap opera star Gloria Loring. I knew his Dad was a celebrity, but I didn’t know his mother was, too.
Paula you done good, girl.
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That’s kinda one sided on a double standard don’t you think? Just as person takes pride in being black why can’t a bi-racial or multiracial person take pride in who they are without being made to feel like ”you think your better”? Instead of just being proud to with who they are? Just as you are proud to be black a double standard don’t you think? Why is so bothersome to some people when a person says they are bi-racial or multiracial? They term mulatto is ok but bi-racial/multiracial is not? I’m the mother of a multiracial child myself don’t understand why she should only half identify her self due to societies woes. Biracial/Multiracial people do exist why is that so hard to swallow? This is not the Jim Crow era people really need to get pass this.
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Here we go!
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Yes and we are going to keep on going!
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@Pisces. My day is going well. Thank you. I hope yours is as well.
Girl, as far as the personal attacks, take it with a grain of salt. State your case and stand by it no matter what because you make some very intelligent and thoughtful comments. That’s the attitude I have, Pisces. I blog a lot, but I’ve never seen a board with so many hostile people. I love BCK so I won’t stop blogging here. I just ignore the foolishness and keep it moving. Girl, keep doing whatcha do!
Now back to the topic at hand. If people spent this much energy trying to figure out how to make the world a better place to live and raise our children in instead of being fixated on how someone wants to identify themselves, we’d be so much better off. Black, white, mixed, biracial, triracial, multiracial, Martian, who really cares in the long run? We all eat, shower, and use the bathroom the same way. If you are mixed, so be it. Identify with that, and we’re happy for you. It’s not that serious. I don’t care how someone identifies themselves as I have more important things on my plate than to worry about it. If Paula thinks the term “biracial” is offensive, that’s her right. What are we gonna do about it? Scold her and tell her how she should honor her mama? I’m sure Paula honors and loves her mother very much. She knows her mama is white, for crying out loud. When I meet people, I look at them as human beings and could care less about their genetics. We talk a good game about not seeing color, but Stevie Wonder can see that it ain’t happening. I am a black woman, and very proud to be, but it doesn’t not make up all of who I am. Being black and a woman is a huge part of who I am, but it doesn’t define my worth. I’m a whole package, and not just my race or gender. I wonder why we don’t spend time discussing what really matters in the world? Maybe, just maybe, we’d all get along better, but I’m not holding my breath.
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@Teri…very, very touching and well stated. All of your posts are so proactive. Very profound and I really loved the Stevie Wonder reference. Funny, yet poignant!
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@Jonella, When you say people need to get passed that, this is not the Jim Crow era….you are talking to the wrong “people” about that one. Even if we all started calling ourselves mixed and multiracial today and all of tomorrow, the translation would still be the same. Many people use the distinction because they dont want to be referred to as black. But in the end, no matter how you change it up and put asterisks next to it, it’s still translates as the descendent of Africa, so the meaning is the same. This will be our fourth or fifth name-change, damn.
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Jonella I am not biracial. Both of my parent are black but I love your comment because I’m sick of reading about this crap. I am so glad that you are not closed minded. There is nothing offensive about embracing all of who we are. It all starts within. These women are insecure and are going all out to point out that we must ALL be black no matter what. God made this world for all of us and we can love and reproduce with whoever we want. As long as we aren’t hurting anyone, who gives a damn???
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I agree Jonella. My children are biracial and it would offend their father if they didn’t claim his heritage just as it would offend me if they only claimed his. I will teach them to be proud of both sides of their heritage and to hell with anyone who has a problem with it.
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Yea it’s like if I told her dads side she was only black I don’t think they would be to thrilled about that. It’s ok for her to say that she’s black but it’s also ok for her to say she’s filipino too. If you look at my child it doest take rocket science to see she’s part asian so why is it so bad for her to say she is? That’s all I’m trying to figure out.
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People should identify themselves with what makes them most comfortable. If she identifies herself as a black woman, that’s wonderful. That said, there is nothing offensive about the term “biracial” (unless, of course, we get into the whole issue of race being a social construct. We are all simply one “race” of people–human beings). My daughter is biracial–and she looks it. Most people can’t tell if she’s white or black, except for her curly hair and even then people stop to ask me if I’ve permed it (and these are white people asking if I’ve permanently curled it using chemicals). The problem I have with Paula’s statement is that you should never choose to identify yourself based on what OTHER PEOPLE dictate. Just because society views a biracial person as white or black doesn’t mean they have to identify themselves as such. There’s nothing wrong with embracing the heritage of both of your parents, especially when those parents loved each other enough to create a life.
Also, the term “biracial” encompasses identities other than African-American, so I’m hoping her comment was taken out of context and exists within a larger conversation abut black/white identities.
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I’m not biracial but I believe that ignoring any part of you is wrong. I like the term Biracial. For instance, if I were white and my biracial kids grew up never acknowledging my heritage/culture/ethnicity, I would be offended. What’s so wrong with celebrating ALL of you???
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I am mixed and I don’t find the term offensive, when you say mixed or biracial it means you are freaking mixed, period end of story. I don’t consider myself black because my dad is black and my mom is white, I consider myself biracial. I am both, I get pissed off when people say oh she is black, I am not just black I am white too and I let it be known, I accept both races not one.
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1. Biracial is not an offensive word, just because a person is a biracial it doesn’t make them mixed with black anyway, and the ones who are, sure as hell doesn’t mean their trying to disassociate themsleves with their African-American heritage.
2. The world thinks alot of things about alot of people especially black people, it doesn’t mean their correct.
3. Her baby hasn’t been born yet and with genetics nothing is guaranteed, so what if her baby is born turns out to be Robin Thicke’s twin skin color and facial feautures alike.
5. I can understand a person saying that they identify with one culture better than another, but race is something that you can never deny or change no matter what anyone else says or thinks (there is a difference between race and culture).
6. This is something that she should’ve kept to herself (yes I’m saying it, just like when alot of people said that Gabby S. shouldn’t have said that Mike Tyson was scary, and I need no nasty words from people who agree 100% with what she said just because she said something they agree with) because it’s offensive. I know that we as African-Americans want to spread having pride in our African-American heritage but it’s DISRESPECTFUL, HURTFUL and just plain WRONG to tell children that are biracial that they should conform to being just one race just because the “world” already sees them as this that or the other thing and because of what the “world” considers right, wrong, and comfortable.
7. (Just in general) I know that we as humans are visual beings, there is nothing wrong with that, but if a person tells us that they are biracial and would like for us to recognize that, then we should repsect that. So many biracial people don’t choose saying that they are only black, but rather resign themselves to the fact because they know people aren’t going to at least make an effort to remember that they are biracial and respect it.
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Show me one comment in this thread that is telling or dictating to any child what they should or should not conform to. To be indignant you need to get your facts straight first.
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@Pisces I wasn’t referring to anyone in the thread.
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@Victoria, thank you for clarifying. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. It’s Friday..thanks Victoria for giving me a pass.
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@Pisces It’s cool.
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I know that we as African-Americans want to spread having pride in our African-American heritage but it’s DISRESPECTFUL, HURTFUL and just plain WRONG to tell children that are biracial that they should conform to being just one race just because the “world” already sees them as this that or the other thing and because of what the “world” considers right, wrong, and comfortable.
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Victoria, are assuming that WE (black/African-Americans) are dictating how biracial people should perceive themselves? Do you know the origins of the “one drop rule?” We didn’t create it. Like I’ve stated in my previous post, I don’t care how people identify themselves. Whether we like it or not, there will be a certain aspect of society that will always consider biracial (black/other), black. That fact became evident with our president. This is reality. We can scream about claiming all these different races all we want. That’s life. It shouldn’t matter of they don’t conform to this way of thinking if they, like they claim to be, are secure with whom they are. Why are people, in particular, black people, so concerned about this? I’ve lived a long time on this planet and don’t ever hear other races discussing this like black people do. I keep asking hoping someone will give me a clear, concise answer as to why, but apparently we are going to keep rehashing the same ole tired conversation.
P.S. Why is the argument always in the negative when some biracial people claim to be black? I bet some people wouldn’t be hollering about it if they dismissed their “black side” and claimed the other. I really don’t believe people would have a problem with it.
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I LOVE your thinking, Teri.
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@Teri I don’t think that only African-American people are the only ones who dictate how biracial people should percieve themselves and I know that they didn’t create the one-drop rule, but African-Americans shouldn’t act like some of us not all, but some don’t follow that rule and fuel it (Not that the one drop rule matters any person with common sense knows that it holds no real clout). I don’t know why everyone always harps on about society this and society that and other people this and other people that. Who is society, society is the people and we are the people and we are all apart of society, so we have say in HOW we LET people percieve us, whether your White, Black, or Biracial. People are not born secure in who they are, that is developed over time. Every person starts out as a child, how can biracial children or any child for that matter feel secure if there are people telling them that they should only be this or that. I don’t know much about how Paula Patton was affected by her mixed race when she was growing up, but although it may have been okay for her to just say I’ll just tell people I’m black, for lots of other children it’s not that simple. Some children ask questions like if my mothers black but my fathers white than why am I telling people that I’m just black or just white, when in fact I’m both, and does that mean I’m hiding something about myself, and does that mean I’m ashamed of myself. I understand that some parents don’t want their children to encounter racism and hate but their are children who feel like they shouldn’t hide half of who they are for the sake of making someone else feel comfortable. I don’t think that the answer is to just tell biracial children that they are one race instead of standing up and making society recognize their mixed heritage.
In response to your P.S. I don’t think it’s negative that Biracial people claim to be black if they are black mixed with something else. Don’t think that I think that at all. I just think it’s not good to deny the other half of yourself. I also think that there’s a big difference between saying you identify with this races culture more and saying you are flat out only this race when you know you’re biracial. I can give you my opinion on why black people get stuck more on biracial and race in general more than other races, but the fact of the matter is there are many different reasons and none of them are necessarily wrong.
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Victoria, I disagree with the statement, “…we have say in HOW we LET people percieve us.” We don’t have say in how people perceive us. If that was the case, black people wouldn’t be so loathed in our “society.” If we could’ve changed people’s views, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, and we would’ve been perceived as equals 400 years ago. This, obviously, is not the case. Society, to me, is the human population at large – the one we live in, and often the one that dictates social contructs. We don’t have to agree with them or even live by them, but they are in place.
As far as children feeling secure in spite of how others perceive them, I think that starts at home. There are so many children with low self-esteem, especially black children. It’s up to each parent to instill values, love, and self-esteem in their children regardless of their race. I think you would agree.
Victoria, if a child is mixed, and they want to claim all of whom they are, no one is stopping them, but that child cannot control how someone responds to them. Unfortunately racism will always be prevelant in the world we live in, and biracial people have to deal with it just like everyone else.
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We always have a say in how people percieve us, and this is not 400 years ago, and no one ever said that you get what you want by snapping your fingers. It’s insane to just chalk society up to being the way it is, and it’s never gonna change. I
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Teri, I have to agree with you again. Right on point. To somewhat digress… one bi-racial kid who has grown up really messed up is Mel B. Her White Mom is constantly reaching out to try to help her and Mel has totally rejected her. She didn’t even invite her to her wedding and they don’t speak.
But in Mel’s choice of men she obviously relates to her Black side.
I know it has nothing to do necessarily with race, but something’s wrong there. I just never think of Mel as being bi-racial because of how she looks, but she is and there are pictures of her mother online, who Mel looks just like with only beautiful mocha skin as the difference.
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Teri we always have a choice in how we let people percieve us. This is not 400 years ago, and no one ever said you got what you wanted by just snapping your fingers. It takes hard work to change. As long as people believe that racism will always be prevelant it will be, because no one wants to change that for future generations, they’re okay with it. Quite frankly if everyone lived by the same mentality of this is how it is and this is how it always will be, and society were the same as it was 400 years ago, African-Americans would still be niggers picking cotton and rice, because no one would have any hope of things changing and having a better life. 400 years ago we were different from what we are now, 400 years ago we didn’t have the options that are available to us now, but as time went on we fought for them and while Whites didn’t like it, they had no other choice but to give us the rights we rightfully deserved, but in the process they also took notice that we are not beneath them, not all of them and definitely not the whole race, but some, and as time went on some more and some more and some more. Society changed and is still changing because we changed it. One person less thinking that African-Americans are not their equal, can make a world of difference.
Yes, it’s up to parents to give their children self-esteem, and no they can’t control how another child responds to them, but I’m thinking that they could notify the school if any accident that seems like racism is happening or the school and the parent. If the parent doesn’t want to do anything oh well, but the school would have to address the situation. If you’re at the park and a situation occurs that seems like racism is being projected at your child, then look for the other child and go address the parent, if the parent blows you off than oh well, but at least you can say you tried. I think that parents should call these other parents out on their BS, that they’re passing down to their children. Teaching starts early on and I think doing this will show more children how to stand up for themselves, instead of having to put up some fake facade of not feeling hurt by someone else’s petty rejection.
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Slavery in the United States did not end 400 years ago, slavery officially ended when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified January 31, 1865 which makes that only 145 years ago.
Up until that time in the United States, no bi-racial children were born out of the free will of at least one of their parents if that parent was a slave because it was deemed against the law. This held true for other non-white people living in the U.S. during that period also.
Most bi-racial babies were born as a result of rapings and White entitlement as slave owners. Those are just the cold, harsh facts and realities of of history in the United States. It can all be accessed on the web or in books at the library.
Thank God for progress.
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Well, I will say personally that I have decided not to purposely have a mixed child. I think its a hard way to live mentally. Ive heard to many horror stories to purposely bring a mixed child in the world. If I end up giving birth to a mix child it will be devine order because consciously I couldnt do it.
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I like your thinking, Victoria.
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I didn’t know she felt that way! I suddenly like her a lot more and i’ll try to forgive her for stealing my boyfriend!
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Ha, you funny girl!
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I don’t understand why people keep saying that it is Black people who want them to dismiss the other part of their heritage if one parent is white. Black people have nothing to do with it. It’s the group that they want to accept them that’s imposing the standards and treatment on them. Most of us don’t really care, but only pass along info to let you know what the “real deal” is. If Black people were the ones to force perceptions upon them, there would be no problems. We don’t make the rules so you’re upset at the wrong people. It’s the other people who don’t want you so you need to ask your parent who feels betrayed why his/her people don’t accept you. Those are the ones you need to vent your anger toward, not those of us who are Black. We accept you, whether you want us to or not. I have never heard one person complain about Black people acceptance because they one parent that is White. It’s always the people of that parent who is white who gives them the problem.
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@Pisces, back at you! I enjoy your comments too, and I love to be able to see different points of view and discussions that come from them.
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well my question is why is she wearing those heels and she’s pregnant lol
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Lordy Lordy it seems Paula started more controversy than the
2010 SPRITE STEP OFF!!!
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Some people seem to be reading things that were not stated. Nowhere did she state that people shouldn’t embrace their entire heritage, she commented solely on the term “biracial.”
I don’t think not using the term or not constantly reminding people that you have one Black parent and one White parent (or any other races/ethnicities) means you’re denying one of your parents or that you’re not proud of who you are or any of that other nonsense people try to say it implies. Everyone KNOWS Paula and Halle and Alicia etc. have white moms. They’re not denying anything and they clearly love their moms.
Frankly race and culture are things that you either are or you’re not. You can’t be “part this” and “part that” or “half this” and “half that.” Frankly I feel it’s an insult to both/all cultures in reference and to the people of those cultures.
If someone wants to refer to themselves as biracial, that’s their choice but they need to be consistent with it. Some people are quick to call themselves biracial or half this and half that or get offended if others refer to them as one race or the other but when it comes time to benefit they’re more than willing to accept the label, i.e. scholarships, organizations, festivals, social interactions etc.
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Victoria, I know you’ve heard of the word, “volition.” Everyone has free will and the right to believe and perceive the way he or she chooses. From my experiences, we have never been able to control someone else’s perception. We can educate people and give them truth, and hopefully they will see the light and change. It is possible. Yes, we’ve come a long way, but as you can clearly see, not far enough.
I doubt anyone is okay with racism except the racists because it benefits them. There’s a man by the name of Tim Wise. He’s a white man that breaks down white supremacy and how they think. We cannot battle that mindset without knowing what it’s about and how to combat it and handle it. All this, “We are the World” and “Kum by Yah” isn’t reality. I wish it was, but it isn’t.
Victoria, don’t get it twisted. I’m not suggesting that we say, “This is how it is” and leave it at that. What I’m saying is while we are trying to make things better for our children, and us, we have to acknowledge that there are forces that work against us. As quit as it’s kept, many of those forces come from within. It would be great if we start with US first, but that’s a whole other story.
I agree. As parents, it is our duty to protect our children any way we can.
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@Pisces,
I really didn’t know that about Mel B. I really don’t know much about her. Why is she rejecting her mother? I mean, it must be serious for her not to have been invited to her wedding. Wow.
Yeah, Pisces, there are a lot of mixed people who relate to their black side. My brother-in-law has about five mixed kids (boys and girls) from a previous relationship, and ALL of them have married black AND consider themselves black. I was discussing this subject with him just yesterday. His mixed kids are black as far as they are concerned and they are happy about that, period. End of story.
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Teri, apparently Mel B.’s mom didn’t want her daughter to rush into the marriage with Stephen Belafonte so soon after her relationship with Eddie Murphy. Mel didn’t want to hear what she was saying and so she stopped speaking to her.
Like you Teri many of my relatives are biracial, my brother’s first set of children are. My best friend from childhood who passed several years ago was biracial too. My experience has been with them that they really just consider themselves Black mainly because the people who they have been raised by and nurtured by have been African American people.
They know how to interact and get along with everybody because that’s what they’ve been taught. They realize that to survive in this competitive world you have to always put your best foot forward no matter how you look but they also know racisim issues apply to them, too.
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Teri, apparently Mel B.’s mom didn’t want her daughter to rush into the marriage with Stephen Belafonte so soon after her relationship with Eddie Murphy. Mel didn’t want to hear what she was saying and so she stopped speaking to her.
Like you Teri many of my relatives are biracial, my brother’s first set of children are. My best friend from childhood who passed several years ago was biracial too. My experience has been with them that they really just consider themselves Black mainly because the people who they have been raised by and nurtured by have been African American people.
They know how to interact and get along with everybody because that’s what they’ve been taught. They realize that to survive in this competitive world you have to always put your best foot forward no matter how you look but they also know racism issues apply to them, too.
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I personally don’t care how she chooses to identify. However, I am glad she is able to I.D with what makes her feel most comfortable and if she wants to raise her child with that identity, that is her right to do so.
I don’t get the responses that feel like she is some sort of traitor to the “biracial” race becase she feels the way she does. I don’t think anyone FORCED anything for her.
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@GTSA I agree. It’s like she has committed a sin or something. Truth be told, all Black Americans are Bi-cultural…so what! That and 2.59 gets you a latte at Starbucks. Stop blaming people because they choose to live their lives with less complications as possible. They have that right. I guess some people won’t be happy until they can have a census with Octoroon and all those other things to check. We’ve been there before and what did it get any of us? Just broken into groups measured with “brown paper bag” tests that did nothing but weaken us against ourselves to fight over scraps while the entree went to others. Simply a waste of precious life; Like a dog chasing its own tail. Maybe one day we will grow up and move on to more important and vital concerns. I still think that those who feel a dire need to let all know that they accept both sides of your heritage and want to be accepted by having a different name and classification, go on the websites with the people who give you the problems in proclaiming both sides and have this conversation with them. After all, they are the people who make the rules that determine what boxes you check. Not those of us in the Black community. Most of us just want to pull off a piece of this country for ourselves and our loved ones and come as close to happy as we possibly can. I think their anger is misplaced.
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I just wonder why if people choose to be outraged at Paula Patton, why aren’t they outraged that Robin makes so much money as a White man crooning like a Black soul singer?
Pimping the Black community to be a singing star. That’s the race issue here, in my opinion. Same for Elvis Presley, J.Lo, Madonna….the list goes on and on and they all end up in the end making more money and fame than Black artists.
I’m glad Robin Thicke finally became successful at it though. His career went through several changes before he settled or found success as “blue-eyed soul singer”.
He has a beautiful, classy and successful wife , no matter what she calls herself ethnically, and I am happy for them that they have way enough money between the two of them to take care of their kid. I’m also glad they got married, too. He’s established his street cred with me, and I would definitely pay to see him perform.
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Pisces, Madonna and Elvis have robbed the black community of our styles and pioneering of music but Robin Thicke is just being himself. He pays homage and respect to those who influenced him. Don’t name artists just because they are white and say they are pimping us. Some are guilty, others are doing it for the love of music. Like John Mayer, he expresses his love for the blues and its pioneers who of course are black and alot of us have respect and love for him and other artists of every other genre like Robin Thicke.
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Point well taken, Anonymous. I’m open to varying opinions…to each his own. I like Robin Thick, but I stand by what I said.
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You still have love and respect for John Mayer after his racist comments?
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sorry PlainMean. my reply to you hasnt published yet but I just googled it and u were right for asking me that. I had no idea and I think I just LOST alot of respect for him for saying something that ignorant. UGH! Good thing we won’t be seeing him on this blog anytime soon so forget him.
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“It’s away for people to seperate themselves from African Americans a way of say I’m better than that”
I’m glad she said that because that’s what i’ve always believed when it came to these people. It’s not always about them wanting to accept both sides its more about NOT wanting to be labeled as Black but if they could be labeled as white or whatever they WOULD NOT resist it nor would they be offended.
Everyone will eventually have their Black moment in life an since the majority of these people will be perceived as Black, the worst thing about these situations is most of these people have white mothers and they won’t be able to prepare them for what will come to them in life.
Alicia Keys was once asked about her racial background and she said she never had any problems about who she is because she has always accepted both sides. I don’t know what she considers herself but it doesn’t matter to me because i know if someone was to refer to her as Black or Italian she WOULD NOT be offended or resist it unlike some people who are biracial.
Thanks for calling these people out Paula and i hope your mom get well soon.
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Pisces, I can respect that
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