Who Else is Pregnant with a Mixed Race Baby?

Rynleigh · September 2012

PrimRoseMama:
Why? I think it's an effort to acknowledge a growing population of biracial babies. "hapa" is a cultural movement that focuses on incorporating all portions of a person's identity and cultural ties. https://hapavoice.com/whatishapa/ The identification used to be derogatory, but has since been owned by the community with pride.

Because I believe we can raise our children in a multicultural environment without giving children a reason to focus on racial divisions. I'm Irish and Dutch on one side, Cherokee and Choctaw on the other... but I'm not hapa, a mutt, mixed, or anything else - I'm a human being with rich heritage.

My daughters are all of that as well as Spanish and Norwegian. They're also not hapa or mixed. They are just children. If they have children who have African or Korean or Inuit heritage, they will be my grandchildren. Not mixed children. Not mulatto children. Not hapa children. The best way to recognize that more and more people are multiracial is to stop treating racial differences as something that makes a person more or less distinct than others. Very few of us in the Americas, in this day and age, are of single ethnic lineage.

Honestly I don't freak out on people who choose to represent themselves with terms like that... I just find it unnecessary and a little depressing that we label some people that way specifically because their parents heritage lines have visually distinct traits, as though their skin colours define their cultural heritage.

KmfMjf1024 · September 2012

Never heard these terms either, but I take OP at her word that she meant no offense.

I am 100% Caucasian (Irish, English, Polish, German, French) and my husband is half German and half Puerto Rican. I think he/she will be absolutely gorge

MRSVELA07 · September 2012

I'm African-American and my husband is Guatemalan and Ecuadorian.

101Mims · September 2012

My DH is of old Yorkshire and Malaysian heritage. I?m from old Yorkshire stock too. Obviously our DS is just the cutest baby!!! - very pale Cafe au lait skin, slightly almond shaped hazel coloured eyes and wonderfully asian straight chestnut red/brown hair.

It?s a fab genetic mix if I do say so! There are lots of blonde/red heads in my family so I?m really excited to see what this next little girl is gong to look like.

rosesarepink · September 2012

mellie86041:
My LO will be Irish, Italian, Mexican and Japanese. I can't wait to see what she looks like!

She will be beautiful! That is such a cool mix! Did you know Keanu Reeves is part Japanese?

PrimRoseMama · September 2012

Rynleigh:
PrimRoseMama:
Why? I think it's an effort to acknowledge a growing population of biracial babies. "hapa" is a cultural movement that focuses on incorporating all portions of a person's identity and cultural ties. https://hapavoice.com/whatishapa/ The identification used to be derogatory, but has since been owned by the community with pride.
Because I believe we can raise our children in a multicultural environment without giving children a reason to focus on racial divisions. I'm Irish and Dutch on one side, Cherokee and Choctaw on the other... but I'm not hapa, a mutt, mixed, or anything else - I'm a human being with rich heritage.
My daughters are all of that as well as Spanish and Norwegian. They're also not hapa or mixed. They are just children. If they have children who have African or Korean or Inuit heritage, they will be my grandchildren. Not mixed children. Not mulatto children. Not hapa children. The best way to recognize that more and more people are multiracial is to stop treating racial differences as something that makes a person more or less distinct than others. Very few of us in the Americas, in this day and age, are of single ethnic lineage.
Honestly I don't freak out on people who choose to represent themselves with terms like that... I just find it unnecessary and a little depressing that we label some people that way specifically because their parents heritage lines have visually distinct traits, as though their skin colours define their cultural heritage.

To each their own, but Hapa is about considerably more than race and skin color. It is also cultural, but the label is what bothers you more than what it symbolizes. I get that. I sincerely believe its every person's right to identify how they choose.

There are unique challenges to a biracial child. Choosing to ignore them doesn't help anyone, but we can agree to disagree. Race is never going to be a "non-issue" just because anyone says so. IMHO its better to embrace all portions of one's culture. Hapa is just a unified way to do that.

We can always agree to disagree. Big Smile

SQuaid · September 2012

SunshineShades:
rosesarepink:

I'm sorry, offensive to whom? I live in a multi-cultural city where most of my friends are having halfie babies (and this is what we all call them). Maybe the terms are just different in CANADA versus the US. I've never heard of Hapa before but it's cute.

I have to disagree here. I live in Canada and have NEVER heard either of these terms before. So while it may be typical slang in your city, I would not say it is a typical CANADIAN term.

I am from Canada too and I have not heard these terms either.

KatK421 · September 2012

rosesarepink:
Our baby will be half Chinese and half English, dying to know what he/she will look like! Any other bumpies having multi-racial baby?

My sisters children are half Korean and half Irish, and they are the most beautiful kids I have ever seen. They look predominantly asian to me, but some people have told me that they look like me (obviously an impossibility, there is no genetic relation). Both of my sisters are adopted and are Korean, two of DH's cousins are adopted and are Chinese. I'd be lying if I said that we're not a smidge disappointed that our babies won't be asian. Embarrassed I cried when I found out that I wasn't adopted (I was 7), but I was absolutely DEVASTATED when I found out shortly after that I wasn't Korean either!

18Emily · September 2012

I'm an Italian American and DH is Brasilian. We can't wait see our baby girl.

thatoneredhead · September 2012

Eye-roll at turning this post into a PC thing but...

Me- English, Irish, Native American

Husband- Mexican, German (so white for being half hispanic, looks european Spanish)

Result in sig

rosesarepink · September 2012

SQuaid:
SunshineShades:
rosesarepink:

I'm sorry, offensive to whom? I live in a multi-cultural city where most of my friends are having halfie babies (and this is what we all call them). Maybe the terms are just different in CANADA versus the US. I've never heard of Hapa before but it's cute.

I have to disagree here. I live in Canada and have NEVER heard either of these terms before. So while it may be typical slang in your city, I would not say it is a typical CANADIAN term.

I am from Canada too and I have not heard these terms either.

Let me clarify. I live in VANCOUVER and it has one of the highest concentrations of ethnic Chinese residents in North America. Unless you live in an area with a large concentration of Asians, you're probably not going to hear the word mixie or halfie. And if you do live in one of these areas and you do not hear those words uttered ever, then you are living in a BUBBLE.

rosesarepink · September 2012

KatK421:
rosesarepink:
Our baby will be half Chinese and half English, dying to know what he/she will look like! Any other bumpies having multi-racial baby?
My sisters children are half Korean and half Irish, and they are the most beautiful kids I have ever seen. They look predominantly asian to me, but some people have told me that they look like me (obviously an impossibility, there is no genetic relation). Both of my sisters are adopted and are Korean, two of DH's cousins are adopted and are Chinese. I'd be lying if I said that we're not a smidge disappointed that our babies won't be asian. I cried when I found out that I wasn't adopted (I was 7), but I was absolutely DEVASTATED when I found out shortly after that I wasn't Korean either!

Can I just comment that you are TOO CUTE FOR WORDS?

DJ1845 · September 2012

Ya know, I wasn't expecting anything like this when I opened this post...

LadyNikon · September 2012

this decaf life:
eponine7682:
Lucky2K13:
mommajewels87:
rosesarepink:

mabenner1:

??

I would guess the is due to the fact that the way you have chosen to word the title and content of this post with words such as "halfie" and "mixie," it sounds as if you are referring to a designer breed dog instead of your biracial baby.

This. As a biracial person myself, if my mom described me as a halfie or mixie she would definitely get the side eye from me lol.
Welcome to the world of raising a biracial child!
Yeah, this makes me think of terms we use for mutt dogs which is not nice...
Growing up I jokingly called myself a mutt all the time when people asked about my nationality. I'm caucasian but I'm such a mix it was an easier response. Is it PC? No but it's a joke of an answer.

I call myself an american mutt. I am way to mixed. But it on paperwork when asked.

Snarling Fox · September 2012

Lurking in...

for those who are unfamiliar with the term "hapa" - it's a Hawaiian word meaning "half".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapa

Lurking back out...

ridesbuttons · September 2012

rosesarepink:
SQuaid:
SunshineShades:
rosesarepink:

I'm sorry, offensive to whom? I live in a multi-cultural city where most of my friends are having halfie babies (and this is what we all call them). Maybe the terms are just different in CANADA versus the US. I've never heard of Hapa before but it's cute.

I have to disagree here. I live in Canada and have NEVER heard either of these terms before. So while it may be typical slang in your city, I would not say it is a typical CANADIAN term.

I am from Canada too and I have not heard these terms either.

Let me clarify. I live in VANCOUVER and it has one of the highest concentrations of ethnic Chinese residents in North America. Unless you live in an area with a large concentration of Asians, you're probably not going to hear the word mixie or halfie. And if you do live in one of these areas and you do not hear those words uttered ever, then you are living in a BUBBLE.

Yeah...I'm Canadian too and have never, ever heard this term before just now.

Sweetie, perhaps you should consider that it is you who is living in the bubble. And not a good one I might add.

rosesarepink · September 2012

ridesbuttons:
rosesarepink:
SQuaid:
SunshineShades:
rosesarepink:

I'm sorry, offensive to whom? I live in a multi-cultural city where most of my friends are having halfie babies (and this is what we all call them). Maybe the terms are just different in CANADA versus the US. I've never heard of Hapa before but it's cute.

I have to disagree here. I live in Canada and have NEVER heard either of these terms before. So while it may be typical slang in your city, I would not say it is a typical CANADIAN term.

I am from Canada too and I have not heard these terms either.

Let me clarify. I live in VANCOUVER and it has one of the highest concentrations of ethnic Chinese residents in North America. Unless you live in an area with a large concentration of Asians, you're probably not going to hear the word mixie or halfie. And if you do live in one of these areas and you do not hear those words uttered ever, then you are living in a BUBBLE.

Yeah...I'm Canadian too and have never, ever heard this term before just now.

Sweetie, perhaps you should consider that it is you who is living in the bubble. And not a good one I might add.

Then you must not be living in an area with a lot of Asians or have many Asian friends.

beccs98 · September 2012

I live in Toronto. Not in a "bubble". And I have never heard "halfie" or "mixie". I have no dog in this fight, but I just wanted to say, just because you may hear it a lot in your "circle" does not mean it is a popular term. Don't blame it on Canada.

sararn2004 · September 2012

AthenaKTD:
Our baby is going to be a hapa, too! Half filipino, half white. We can't wait to see what he/she is going to look like!

My 12 year old is mysteso(sp?...I sounded it out, lol). His dad is filipino and I'm white. New marriage for this one.

I think it's an adorable mix.

rockinmommy · September 2012

I am vietnamese, and my husband is half irish/half italian. Our DD looked just like him when she was born, red hair, pale skin, dark eyes (from both of us)....now she looks more asian than before, but you can tell she is definitely bi-racial. I can't wait to see what DS looks like, we are guessing he will come out more asian, and be the opposite, LOL.

teralane · September 2012

Yes, I am pregnant with a mixed race baby. I am white and my SO is black. We have only had one person who made a weird but rude comment... I have blonde hair and blue eyes and they told me my baby will have blonde hair and blue eyes, of course in front of my SO. Not the right thing to say, because we all know it won't be true!

mben1119 · September 2012

sararn2004:

AthenaKTD:
Our baby is going to be a hapa, too! Half filipino, half white. We can't wait to see what he/she is going to look like!

My 12 year old is mysteso(sp?...I sounded it out, lol). His dad is filipino and I'm white. New marriage for this one.

I think it's an adorable mix.

I think the word you're looking for is mestizo.

kuipogirl · September 2012

Snarling Fox:

Lurking in...

for those who are unfamiliar with the term "hapa" - it's a Hawaiian word meaning "half".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapa

Lurking back out...

I am also pregnant with a racially mixed baby. I am white; a large mix of European, and my husband is half Puerto Rican and the other half a mix of black, mexican, and Slovakian. He grew up mostly in Hawaii and so culturally identifies mostly with the Hawaiian culture. Because of this, we affectinately refer to our DS as "hapa" and will for this one as well. I had no idea it had become a new identity movement for racially mixed people.

brookeshea · September 2012

My LO will be half Italian & Cherokee Indian and half Bolivian. My DD is have Italian & Cherokee and half Colombian and she is BEAUTIFUL!! So im excitied to see how LO looks.

ashdonne · September 2012

Ok so I hadn't heard of the terms either. But you can see my gorgeous (I'm not biased!) DD in my picture below. DH is 3/8 Native American and the rest Caucasian. I am all kinds of ethnicities but mostly a Irish/Scottish/English mix with 1/128 Native American. DH is dark skin, dark eyes, almost black hair and I am blonde, green eyes, lighter skin tone. I'll be interested to see what DD #2 looks like as they could look completely different.

StfneTm · September 2012

I was born and raised in Toronto, the most multi-cultural city in Canada. And yes, the term "half-breed" used to be tossed around commonly as slang but it's rarely used now as it's so offensive. Calling someone a "half-breed" or a " halfie" or a "mutt" likens him or her to a dog. My child will be Indian and Chinese, and I or none of my friends would ever refer to her or him as "half-" anything.