Biracial Identity Part 2: Tips for Working With Biracial Families

Abstract

Hypodescent is a way of categorizing multiracial individuals such that they are defined by their minority racial heritage, no matter how small a percentage of their genetic makeup is associated with that racial group. By that definition, anyone with even 1% of black heritage is deemed black, which prior to the abolishment of slavery meant enslavement, stripping of one’s identity, and, in the era of Jim Crow laws, de facto loss of the right to vote and restriction from many public facilities. Hypodescent no longer dominates how we view multiracial identity, which has allowed biracial/multiracial individuals to have more identity options available. With so many options available, it is inevitable that many biracial individuals will struggle with identity development. This is particularly true for those whose external appearance is more monoracial, like me. Although technically biracial (half black, half white), I have green eyes, blond hair, and fair skin. Although many biracial children will not have identity development issues, we all have to handle issues ranging from minor stares to more serious issues such as being called and treated as an imposter. This is particularly relevant for child psychiatrists, as we are now in the era of the biracial baby boom, and multicultural children are the fastest-growing youth group in the country (an increase by 50% since 2010).1