Paula Patton Brands “Biracial” Offensive
Does the term “biracial” offend you? Paula Patton thinks it should. The Precious star — who is the daughter of a White teacher and an African-American attorney — is creating a stir with some remarks on race she made during an interview in the March issue of Women’s Health Magazine.
“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,’” says Paula, who is expecting her first son with crooner hubby Robin Thicke this spring. “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….People judged me because I was light-skinned. [They'd assume] I didn’t want to be part of the black race,” she says.
I think biracial people are just trying to be inclusive of all that they are, rather than simply acknowledging their Blackness while omitting the other parts of their heritage. Do you agree with Paula?
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On March 31st 2010, Wtfever wrote:
What an idiot, ‘everyone’ does not see you as black Paula, and since when should someone have to let others define who they are?!
On April 4th 2010, SB wrote:
Uh, This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You’re offended that people are calling you what you really are? Earth to Paula: You’re no more white than you are black. That’s what being biracial is. Obviously she has serious low self-esteem about being half white and hates her white side. Pretty sad. I feel bad for whichever parent is white. To know they have a daughter who is ashamed of them.
And by the way, don’t think many people view Paula as black. She doesn’t look black. She looks like she’s Hispanic, actually or more white than anything. Despite that, she is half black and half white and she should be proud of that.
And since she brought this is, you really can see what a “good” role model Obama has been for the biracial and multiracial citizens of America.
I hope I never have a biracial child who is like this.
On April 25th 2010, Tara wrote:
So, Paula may have mispoken but so have people here, indicating that there are racial, ethnic and cultural misconceptions in America.
Hispanic, Latino etc. is NOT a race! There is no way to look English-Speaking is there? Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters are of the same nationality and linguistic group but not the same race.
Zoe Saldana and Cameron Diaz are both Latina, but not off the same race.
Does Paula Patton look like Cameron Diaz, no? Is there a way to look Spanish-Speaking? Tell that to all the black people in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Panama etc. etc.
People like to group people into “white”-looking, “black”-looking, and “other” (brown, tan, red) (often arbitrarily). Of course, it is annoying that other people define us, but that is how it is. Like when people feel insecure around young black men…heaven knows, they want to be seen just as young boys but color defines us as who we are in this world, especially in the US, given its history.
I think what she was trying to say is that most people of African decent in the Americas (not so much for recent immigrants) are a mix of races but were usually considered black. Alex Haley’s book “Queen” which was turned into a mini-series illustrates this quite well.
To be “Black” in America already means usually that you are part “White” so the term biracial for some is redundant.
On June 27th 2010, arie wrote:
Biracial is an offensive term, as so is mulatto and mixed race. I mean, isn’t a child born to a German mother and a British father a mixed race child? They are called White. But the Germanic race and English race are different, as is thousands of other examples.
In my opinion, as a mother of a half-Chinese, half Carib child who looks quite Oriental; I really denounce the usage of such words as ‘mixed race’. I object to people calling my child that. Even worse, is the term “Blasian” for a black-asian child. Who comes up with these notions?
I think a proper, dignified term should be created and respectfully administered. And I understand what Paula means.
On August 23rd 2010, marqwetta wrote:
I think what paula was trying to say was that many people do see her as being black because she is a woman of color, so that is what people identify her as, they wouldn’t look at her and say she was white becuz she doesn’t look that way, it is how people see her!
On November 10th 2010, Tee wrote:
When it comes to human beings, there is one race: human. Therefore, I think all of you using the term “biracial” are idiots. And anyway, how is her decision affecting your life? You’re still paying your bills right? Still going to work everyday right? Mind your damn business.
On December 9th 2010, Tanner wrote:
And yet she met, fell in love with and married the whitest man in America. Go figure. I am Bi-racial and proud. I have embraced and love my mixed/ multi/colored and absolutely diverse family. The outside world is what it is and when it is all said and done it comes down to knowing you have been the best person you can be not what others think of you. When I first read the article I was offended because I thought wow she is catering to the ugliest views out there and putting herself in a box with a label that was written hundreds of years ago. Undoing lifetimes of work and struggle for equality. But as I write this I am just sad for this poor woman and for the state of the world she will be bringing her child into because in the world I grew up in I received love, joy and the best of my parents backgrounds and life experiences without a thought to the hue of my skin. Don’t get me wrong I am not wearing rose colored glasses but at night I lay down and feel proud of who I am. All of who I am. And I wonder how many people feel and think the way she does.
On December 9th 2010, JJ wrote:
So does she think her child, who is 75% white and looks mostly white, is black or mixed? Or white?
She’s crazy. Hot, but crazy.
On April 14th 2011, fgas wrote:
paula sorry to say it. but being biracial isnt offensive, you sound very ignorant saying that
and i actually think you just offended the whole biracial community
On April 14th 2011, fgas wrote:
and it sounds like she is trying to separate herself from being half white.
whoever thinks biracial is an “offensive” term sounds like a blazing idiot. its not derogatory at all.
its a term to describe ppl of two different races.
i hate how some ppl feel like they have to “choose”
when a black chromosome and white chromosome tie together, your mixed. and thats that. your not one or the other. your both. dont let the way other ppl see you define you. i was bullied all thru school but i didnt let their words define me.
On May 20th 2011, robin thiche married a nut case wrote:
when she was acting she never acted like a girl with black soul .. You could tell she was acting white
robin thiche has more soul then her and even though hes white the man has a sexy vibe about him
she a pretty girl but far from a black women
get it toghther girl or someone is going to take your man
On September 19th 2011, jc wrote:
I really like her as an actress (was great in Deja Vu), but don’t understand where she’s coming from. Biracial will soon be a very common term if not already and doesn’t have a negative or positive connotation. Personally, I think overall, biracial people (black/white, hispanic/white, black/hispanic, etc) are more attractive. Look at Halle Berry, Mariah Carey, Rashida Jones, Alicia Keys, Nicole Scherzinger, of course Paula Patton, etc). If anything, I would think it more offensive to refer to someone as black or white who was biracial; it’s like totally disregarding part of who they are. For those who commented that she’s anti-white, that really makes no sense, being that she’s married to a white man.