Within today’s society, it has become substantially more common to see mixed race families than it was even just 20 years ago. However, it still isn’t common enough to be accommodated or normalized. Growing up mixed race, specifically half-white and half-Asian, my life has been filled with an abundance of experiences, some good, some bad, but all relevant to my genetic make-up.
As every child does, I grew up watching almost every Disney movie imaginable. When Halloween would come around the corner, those beloved Disney characters would always be everyone’s first costume choice. However, around the early 2000s (when I was a kid) there wasn’t very much representation for POCs in the media. So when my blonde-haired blue eyed friend would look like Cinderella with the most minimal amount of effort, I would have to consider wearing the most itchy and irritating wig ever to even come close. Still to this day, there is little to no representation of mixed-race individuals. Because of this, every Halloween still sparks the same issue but somehow worse. Because I look somewhat Asian, I could be Mulan, but I also look white, so to someone who doesn’t know me, I may look like I’m culturally appropriating. Then you go to someone such as Moana because my hair looks exactly like hers, but I’m pretty pale so then once more I look like an insensitive white person culturally appropriating. But again, I’m too ethnic-looking to properly resemble any of the European Disney princesses. This whole issue of too white to be Asian but too Asian to be white always seems to be a common issue, so much so that with friends or family, or genuinely wherever I go, I will always be the minority.
Another fun aspect of this is because I have a very “unique/exotic” look, people never know “what” I am. I have curly hair, asian eyes, freckles, and a very filipino/pacific islander nose, ergo fully mixed. And just by existing I seem to prompt people, wherever I go, to play a fun game of “guess my ethnicity”. Personally, I have no clue why my genetic make-up is so interesting to people, but I will never go long without being asked, “Where are you really from?” or “So like, what are you?”. After years of these questions, I’ve learned to make it fun for myself. When someone asks me “What’s your nationality?”, which for reference is more like where you were born or where you reside, I always answer, “Canadian.” The look on their faces when they try to figure out how to get the real answer without sounding essentially racist is beyond entertaining.
These little moments of never feeling like I belong or fit in anywhere or moments of people being nosey are never fun, but like most things in life, there are also many positive aspects. When I was a kid, I despised looking different because I wanted to fit in, to the point where I’d spend the morning trying to scrub off my freckles, but now my features, like my freckles, curly hair, and natural tan, are so popularized in the media that people always compliment them. Also yes, I’m aware I shouldn’t suddenly love certain aspects of myself solely due to the envy of others, but you have to admit, it does help.
Another pro is being able to experience various cultures easily and frequently. Going from intimate dinners with multiple forks at my grandparents’ house (white side), to a non-stop buffet with 50 people (Asian side) within the same weekend will always be my favourite example of cultural variation. I’ve always taken it for granted to be able to experience both cultures right at my fingertips. Although now that I’m older, I can truly appreciate how lucky I am to have both versions. All of this to say that I love being mixed-race because it has shaped who I am today, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.