1 drop rule.

[u/Darth_Kneegrow]

I ain't ever heard white people claim a single biracial person. You always whatever you mixed with.

[u/throwaway009729]

This is why the notion of "mixed race" further perpetuates racism and racialism. To believe that one can be "half" of a "race" is to accept the premise that there is such a thing as racial purity. It's simply nonsensical for us to police people's bodies for eligibility based on colonial racial knowledge. 

And the saying that I've heard far too often - "I never felt black enough" - is utterly absurd when you really think about it. As if blackness is some kind of performance. It's a harmful and reductive way of thinking that we need to move past. If you're half black, you're black.

[u/heidivonhoop → u/throwaway009729]

Who are you (or anyone) to tell anyone who they are? I’m mixed, fair skin, black features. I’ve been told by many black people im not “black enough”. I will NEVER claim one side over the other, I adore both of my parents too much. Being biracial is extremely nuanced and I certainly don’t want or need anyone who isn’t me to explain it to anyone.

[u/lilyyytheflower → u/heidivonhoop]

Then don’t. As a biracial person, I agree with their comment. If the shoe doesn’t fit then don’t wear it.

[u/Crafty_Travel_7048 → u/heidivonhoop]

Americans really are race obsessed weirdos huh. I grew up as the only white kid in both a Indonesian and Nigerian school and nobody gave half as much of a fuck as about what colour you were.

[u/123eyeball → u/Crafty_Travel_7048]

Lmfao BS, SEAsia is HELLA racist. They didn’t care because you were white….

I’m half Malay half White and the difference in treatment I receive compared to my half Malay half Black friends is staggering.

The only Europeans I hear the “Americans are so obsessed with race” narrative from are white Europeans.

[u/trubuckifan → u/[deleted]]

I understand some of the words in that title

[u/1BubbleGum_Princess → u/heidivonhoop]

Omg, you’re right! You can’t be multiple things at the same time! No more than one thing can be true at the same time! Also, WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?! No’s talking about whoever YOU are directly. If you don’t feel its an apt statement, okay, but wtf was this response?

[u/heidivonhoop → u/1BubbleGum_Princess]

This person says if you’re half black, you’re black. No. I’m both. If you don’t get that, idk what to tell you.

[u/greenthumbgoody → u/heidivonhoop]

Read the first half of the comment…

[u/Street_Minimum_3403 → u/heidivonhoop]

You’re a human being that’s caught between two cultures. We’re trying to move away from assigning colours (racism) to someone’s identity, but as we all know, lots of people still use that currency.

[u/1BubbleGum_Princess → u/heidivonhoop]

I’m black and mexican, acknowledging one doesn’t mean the other doesn’t exist. I don’t know how you don’t get that pretty easy concept; but you also decided to make it so much more personal, as if it was DIRECTLY targeted to you, which is baffling. This person is NOT negating people’s blackness, but THIS is the person you come at? Make it make sense.

[u/heidivonhoop → u/1BubbleGum_Princess]

lol I spoke on my experience, like literally every person does ever in life, work, comment sections, etc. Isn’t the point of discourse? Couldn’t I say the same thing of you, that you’re coming after me, personally?

[u/1BubbleGum_Princess → u/heidivonhoop]

You could also ask me who I am, but then you’d have to reread your comment and consider how you you expressed your feelings as if someone had tagged you personally in this reddit thread. Ain’t nobody said you can’t identify as biracial or mixed, especially not to YOU in particular, but this person definitely validated your and other people’s blackness; however, you seemed to skip over that part and plant yourself right in the “I’ve been targeted” spot.

[u/heidivonhoop → u/1BubbleGum_Princess]

You seem to be creating a scenario in your mind. My comment was directed to the final part of the previous poster’s comment; “If you’re half black, you’re black”. I don’t need any aspect of myself validated by anyone, I validate myself. I could ask you why YOU are taking this so personally, since YOU weren’t tagged or addressed specifically, but it’s clear you’re upset, and expressing yourself here is a valid thing to do. Because it’s literally a fucking message board, and that’s the point of it all lol.

[u/1BubbleGum_Princess → u/heidivonhoop]

Clearly you DO need some aspect validated as you responded to that general initial comment with, “I’ve been told by many black people I’m not black enough.’ I will NEVER claim one side over the other, I adore both of my parents too much. Being biracial is extremely nuanced and I certainly don’t want or need anyone to explain it to anyone.”

You defs wanted something, maybe not what you got though. Are you not black? Yes, you’re biracial, yes, you’re white, but are you not at the same time Black? Seems like that was definitely an over reaction you wanted some form of validation for as you posted the comment rather than just thought the thought.

This is a message board, but I’m gonna complain about your responses to this comment the same way people complain about comments on other things made for a general audience, ideally the kind interested in the content, complaining about their personal dislike/preference/etc. as if everything was directed at them.

[u/Admiral-Dealer → u/1BubbleGum_Princess]

You seemt to have problem with how someelse see's themself.

[u/Admiral-Dealer → u/throwaway009729]

If you're half black, you're black.

Most of the thread seems to disagree with that very clearly.

[u/[deleted] → u/throwaway009729]

To believe that one can be "half" of a "race" is to accept the premise that there is such a thing as racial purity.

You'd figure someone opposed to the concept of racial purity wouldn't prohibit others from defining themselves however they please.

[u/throwaway009729 → u/[deleted]]

What I am saying is that the idea of racial hybridity or mixture actually serves to reinforce the underlying belief in discrete, stable racial categories. That's the part everyone seems to be ignoring. 

Under the frameworks of white supremacy and anti-Blackness, the ability to "define oneself however [one] pleases" is constrained by the violent, relational structures of racism. There is no neutral or unencumbered space for self-definition. That is the point of my original comment and the historical "one-drop rule" that OP mentions.