This brown girl is married to a very white boy.
Like blond haired, blue eyed, gets burned without SPF 60 white boy.
We have 3 brownish daughters-each varying in their degree of brown.
Do these girls at all resemble this?
This is a mulatto. The word mulatto derives from the word mula which is a hybrid of a horse and a donkey, better known these days as a mule. In recent years, it has become a term meaning a person with one black and one white parent. However, I will never refer to my children with a word thats true origin means mule.
Say biracial. Say mixed if you must although mixed always makes me think of mixing cake batter-but I am weird. Whatever you do, before you say the word mulatto, think of this picture of a mule and how it in no way resembles a beautiful human being.
Okay stepping off my soapbox now.
Hey Tai, I hopped over here from facebook to read, and I'm so glad I did. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I am realizing as I grow older and wiser hopefully to be careful using any label that I might put on anyone- no one wants their child to be known as "the autistic boy", the word "illegal" has been in the news lately as being affrontive, and I loved reading your insights into the word mulatto. I for one was just totally ignorant of the word's origins, and you are right-- I would totally cringe to hear my children labeled like that. Your daughters are beautiful! I want my children to grow up to reject the labels that the world would place upon them, building their identity around being children of our Heavenly Father, and taking upon them "the name of Christ". Thanks for enlightening me on this word!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen!!!
DeleteI love this post! I agree with your sentiments and can identify with you since I have a pink, two carmels, and a milk chocolate in my variety pack called children. (I like labeling them with things I love, if you couldn't tell!) I hope your message spreads far and wide. It can make a positive difference.
ReplyDeleteYour kids are lovely.
ReplyDelete