Racial identity on government docs.

Holly - posted on 04/24/2013

I thought the "one drop" theory was no longer used because it's so obviously racist!

Holly - posted on 04/24/2013

I checked both boxes for both of my sons, but I was told that I had to chose only one. I refused to chose one over the other, so they chose for me. I am white, and they put my first son, who is very fair skinned with green eyes, down as white. They put my second son, who is slightly darker, down as black. I felt somewhat uncomfortable with both judgements, since neither one is completely accurate. I think that the government is going to have to come around to the fact that the standard categories don't always apply. Race is an illusion anyway!

Lacey - posted on 04/07/2013

Hmmm at my hospital they asked me what I wanted on the papers. My kids are 1/4 Native American and 3/4 White. I still chose to mark the N American box because that's what I identify myself as even though the both took his fair skin and hazel eyes. I guess if the hospital were to fill out the papers they would have been marked as White. It's probably a "what color do they represent more clearly" thing. I myself am 1/2 white and 1/2 native but when people ask me I tell them I'm NA because if I said I'm white they'd look at me funny because I am clearly brown, lol.

Kateri - posted on 04/06/2013

I am pretty sure that I got to choose the race of my children in the hospital. However, I am white and my children's father is El Salvadorian, and my children look white. There is no choice that says white/hispanic.......there is always a choice saying white/non-Hispanic. I always choose that box and cross off non.....essentially making my own choice to say white/Hispanic.

Lee - posted on 04/04/2013

My beautiful daughter, almost 19, will be quick to tell you she is black AND white.

That being said, when she was born in Florida I was told she would be the race of the father (black) even though he wanted no involvement in her life and was therefore not on the bc. Of course it's not just since he has never been in the picture. There were so many problems from both races whilst raising her in the south...glad to be out west, barely any issues here ever!

Ashley - posted on 03/28/2013

That's exactly how I feel. I carried the child and care for the child yet I am not genetically allowed to lay claim to her. It's frustrating.

Ashley - posted on 03/28/2013

It is very ironic you went through this experience as I go through the exact opposite! I am black and my daughters' dad is white. My daughter looks completely white i.e. fair pink skin, white facial features, blond hair and blue eyes. I am a single mother and her primary care giver yet everywhere I go they insist on marking her ethnicity as Caucasian! Even when I insist they put black especially like places at the daycare where it was very hard for me to pick her up for a while if the same workers were not there when I dropped her off. If I mark black on a form they give me a funny look and then ask what the father is and say they have to go by the fathers race. I don't think this would be happening at all if she looked black or biracial. I think people see what they see and if they have any say in it they mark what they want. I feel this will be confusing for her as she grows up because she is always around her black family members. Sorry for the rant...First post

Nadrina - posted on 02/17/2013

I'm black and my hubby is Mexican. We have two beautiful boys who were mark as being Hispanic... Which I am ok with. I feel that my children know who they are. Even though the world may be confused about their race. They are pretty sure of themselves. They learn both of our cultures and aren't confused a bit as to who we are as a family... I could care less what the gov. marks on their forms.

Jami - posted on 02/02/2013

Same thing happened to me. My kids were both listed as black because they go by the mothers race.

Saraya - posted on 01/25/2013

They did the same thing with both of my kids in the hospital when they were born... They told us that you should always put the "minority". I am white and my hubby (their dad) is black/puerto rican and a tad of white. Our kids really don't even look black so i find it a bit odd for them to be classified as "african american".

So basically complete opposite for me.

Eve - posted on 01/25/2013

I'm really confused. Recently my child told me they had a survey in school regarding race/ethnicity. First of all, I found it odd that there was no choice for "multi-racial" or "other," and she wasn't allowed to check more than one box. Her teacher basically told her to pick "Latino" because they go by the father's ethnicity, but I did remember hospitals going by the mother's race. Either way, why force a child to pick one or the other? I try to raise my daughter to be proud of her heritage from both sides of the family.

Kelly - posted on 08/28/2012

It depends on the state you live in and if you are married or not at the time of the birth. I worked for the hospital system in FL and when I had my oldest daughter (who's father is mexican and native american and I am white) we were given the option of checking all her races and her birth certificate lists her as multiracial and then breaks down further. However when I was living in AZ and had my son (who's father is black and we were not married at the time) I was told that AZ follows the "one drop theory" and my son would be listed as black because my (now) husband signed the affidavit of paternity (required if you are not married and want the fathers name on the birth certificate) and he is black. However had he not been present or refused to sign the affidavit they would default to the race of the mother and my son would have been listed as white. When I argued the fact that he was biracial and I wanted his birth certificate to reflect that I was given paperwork to file against the state to get it changed and that would require actually going to court with them. I really didn't feel that was necessary as a piece of paper does not define who my child is and how we raise him is what matters. But all in all it depends on the state you live in and the marital status at the time of the birth. It is not a national policy as far as listing race so the states have their own and often for census purposes

Misty Florine - posted on 08/28/2012

I knw that the govrnment and organizations require race to be listed on forms when applying for service and occupation. However, during slavery time,African American eventually gained freedom but the proble with racial identiity was never fixed. Scientifically, children has some of their mother genes and even their blood type. Basically, if the mother is white and the father balc,howbeit that the child is only of the father ethnicity. Again, some children have all of their mother blood type and genes so how could a child race be excluded from the woman that carried that child within her womb. This debate has never been challenge to the right people. something needs to be dome about this.This idea is discrimnatory against females. The women carried the children for nine (9) months and is excluded. How about that?





Misty

Victorya - posted on 10/06/2010

I filled out all my sons documents and I check black and white. I think that people are ignorant to ignore mixed children. I think i should look at some documents to find out if they had been changed from what i put.

Carol - posted on 09/13/2010

oh wow she lied to you. Everything is under the father, i fill everything out as black,my dads black so im black my kids are white because my husband is.

Shanae - posted on 07/29/2010

I would like to apologize for the ignorance of some people but don't think I actually have that much time! My husband is mexican and puertorican I am african american with that known "indian factor" in my genes. I have three beautiful children with him, and each time I filled out a BC, I was told that the baby is whatever ethinicty the father is. I, like you was annoyed when I had my son recently and he cleary has a hispanic last name and looks more so....but the lab technican labled him african american only and didnt list the fathers ethiniciy. Don't get me wrong, I am proud to be a beautiful black woman but I was annoyed and a little ticked off....the reason being is that not only do they test your newborn for all sorts of disorders of the blood and etc for the newborn screening but it is important for them to label ALL ethinicites due to the fact that some diseases are more common in certain races. I was very suprised that in this day and time that that professional wasnt more thorough with his job. I myself am a healthcare professional and I always ask about ehinicity because it is vital. But it only makes sense....THE sperm comes from the father!

LaWanda - posted on 07/29/2010

It says other on all of my children's documents. I filled everthing out and anything the hospital filled out says other because that's what I put. I don't want my children classified like that. My husband and myself have a very varied racial background and I think it's inappropriate to place peole in boxes. I wouyld love to check none of your business, but for some reason thats not an option on the forms. LOL

Kelly - posted on 07/28/2010

I know that it is in fact a policy that they default to the mother's race however there is also an "OTHER" box that can be checked. I am white and my oldest daughter's father was Mexican and Native American. I was delighted when the nurse gave me the forms and I saw "OTHER" on them. Why should my child have to be defined by just one race? Granted we should be able to check off every box that indicates a race our child is and "OTHER" is exactly the best but a better option than just being pigeon holed.

Brandy - posted on 07/23/2010

i was able to fill out all my own documents. so i marked down that he was black. the nurse came back in and told me i should change it because his father wasnt on the BC. i told her that it doesnt make fully white. needless to say, she didnt bother me about it again.

Shamekia - posted on 07/23/2010

I have all three of my child's races on her documents. Do not allow them to push you to choose. That is so wrong. I am also mixed and all my paperwork says ethnicity puerto rican, race black. Race is really just what you take it to mean though. Because their are black race puerto ricans and white race puerto ricans. I think that they should have a more diversified list. I used to see multi-racial when I was younger, but not anymore.

Juanita - posted on 07/23/2010

My son is mixed Blk/wht the hospital was gonna put just black on his documents even tho i didnt have his father on it cuz he wasnt around. i am from montana and there is like no black people here and they r quite racist. it took me a good 2 hours talking to the doctor and the receptionist to have them put black and white on the papers. But it does seem like they do want to put just one race. I dont believe that should be right.

Ronnell - posted on 07/21/2010

I don't have race on my teens' birth certificate,nor do I have it on my own(I have a plastic card that tells when I was born,that's what they were giving out in the 60s as BC).I'm mixed as well as my children.My oldest teen is in college and she is half Spanish,so she checks the Hispanic box she is in college,the other two are half-Italian,yet the school puts down Hispanic for them in high school.My friend Carolyn Battle-Cochrane on FB is trying to get things changed for we biracial/multiracial persons.She is biracial herself,befriend her up here on FB.She's trying to get a show with Oprah so we can open up America's eyes to the fact that we want to be declared as biracial/multiracial people and not have to choose one race over the other.She is doing great positive things for the biracial/multiracial communities.It's time to end the one drop rule because it is racist and there are so many children who are biracial/multiracial out there and to come in the future.So,if you're a parent of a biracial/multiracial child,and/or yourself,search her name and befriend her :).

Mary - posted on 07/20/2010

i always choose other....

Melissa - posted on 06/29/2010

I was told that we are suppose to default to the father's ethnicity.

**I have the same problem when I fill out documents for myself.. I always have a hard time picking out, do I choose White or do I choose Asian..The problem is, I don't look Asian nor do I look white.. So I just usually pick white..

Emily - posted on 06/29/2010

wow that's crazy. when my daughter was born we filled out paperwork not them.

Alexan - posted on 06/29/2010

I'm black and my husband is white. I was told in the hospital that they would default to the father's ethnicity. We haven't fillied out anything with her ethnicity on it as yet, but she will definately be listed as multiracial because we all have a littl bit of this and a little of that in us :-)

Channelle - posted on 06/27/2010

Honestly I never thought to look. That's a good question though, because I'm white & my daughters father is black. I'm going to have to look into it now. BUT I did recently enroll my daughter in kindergarten & the paperwork asked for race. I left it blank because it stated that you can only pick on & obviously she's more then one. So when I turned in the papers the lady at the front desk told me I had to pick just one, I guess for statistics, & had me put white because I'm white. My mom has told me that I should just choose other & then write American on the blank line...since American's are pretty much all mixed with something.

Diane - posted on 06/26/2010

The first thing that came to mind is Obama. He is considered the first black president, meanwhile his mother was a white women. I am a mother of a five year old boy who is biracial and if you ask him what colour he is, he will say brown. His father is very dark, but he doesnt live with us and he has two older sister who are white. I dont know what kind of priviliges he will have here in Canada, but I am a firm believer of earning the things that you have. Also, I dont think his sisters would appreciate it if he were to have a better scholarship because of his race. Him being only five, its hard to tell what he will really consider himself as he grows older.I dont believe that his race is listed on any official papers, but if you look at him, he probably looks more black than white except his hair is not as course.

Erica - posted on 06/26/2010

I am white and my children's father is black. I have been known to mark "other" to their race if I can't choose more than one box. Their father's advice to me when filling out paperwork was to mark whatever box would be the most beneficial to the kids. LOL.

Cassandra - posted on 06/26/2010

they told me they cudnt b bi racial on legal documets ne more n that i had to choose to put either black or white...they didnt choosefor me...i live in georgia

Cherlyn - posted on 06/25/2010

No they didn't for mine. I have two biracial children and they are listed as black (I am white and my husband is black).My older three boys are hispanic and white and are listed as hispanic I am white and their father is hispanic). I believe that they go by the dad's race and not the mother's.

Jessica - posted on 06/25/2010

hahaha oh yeah on my census form, i checked every box there was :) we are all mixed with something.... :)

Jessica - posted on 06/25/2010

I think that nurse or whoever was full of crap... sorry to say.. but I am White and my fiance is Mexican.... my Arianna is obviously mixed, especially next to the all white babies lol and they actually asked me what she was... lol I was kinda shocked but glad they did ask and not just assume a race. I really do not think they should have to ask when race or whatever that they are. What does it matter? I have yet to see a difference in anything when the population flux's with one race to another.

Shirley - posted on 06/24/2010

I'm from OK. and there was no mention of my child's race on any of her documents. I'm white and my husband is black

Jennifer - posted on 06/22/2010

yeah a lot of times they do default to the mother i guess....like my bb white and hispanic they always put only caucasian...my friend is hispanic her daughter is hispanic and black...they only recentlely put both before just the one...i wanted to say they defaulted to african american...even tho mother is hispanic . i think they just pick whatever they want when it comes to biracial babies!!!!!um its annoying to me just like...my baby has two middle names(i know its long) but they only default to 1 initial the c and not the g i am just like he has two initials and he is biracial!!!!!

Betty - posted on 06/20/2010

I have to say to Julie's post here. Why should all mixed-race children be Black? My daughter is half Chinese (me), half Lebanese (my husband). Are you saying she's black? We're not white nor black. How should all mixed race children be classified as Black.

Also, mixed race children can be born with fair or dark skin. They should be classified as mixed race as that's what they are. Shouldn't have to be generalised to any uniform category. As each Child is unique to their own.

Xylina - posted on 06/19/2010

well my dad was born in 1930 something his mother was german his dad was black his birth certificate says negro on it and my moms mothers white her dads black hers says black too. mine says black as well. and suprisingly they put down my daughter being white haha her dads half white and half mexican haha

Farol05 - posted on 06/17/2010

Yes, my son was always listed white on official documents.

Amanda - posted on 06/08/2010

on my papers it said to mark all that applied, so I checked two not just one. I'm in California so mybe it's different.

Heather - posted on 06/06/2010

I just looked on my son's birth certificate and everything else I had and there was nothing about race anywhere. Even looked back on a pic I took of his birth chart and they didn't mark anything down either.
I think there was something I filled out though for him and I marked black and white. And I'd expect that's how he'll mark things for the rest of his life. Otherwise it's just up to him what he'd like to mark himself as. Though it wouldn't seem emotionally fair to whichever parent of the race he chooses not to check off.

Julie - posted on 06/04/2010

All mixed race children are classed as black really - sorry to say open your eyes

Philomena - posted on 06/04/2010

when i had my children im white their father is black i checked both because even though it said to check one but i told the women at the birth certificate office in the hospital thats what they are and that what i want on there,but my granmother was italian and indian when she was born they automatically put colored because she was dark skinned and her mother was pale,i dont know why they do this i live in rhode island and i noticed they are coming around a little, now when i fill out some forms at the doctors i noticed they ask if your child is biracial,but not on all forms

Lynn - posted on 06/03/2010

I am white and my husband is Khmer. When my daughter was born she was listed as "Asian", but when my son was born he was listed as "other". I really hate the word "other"! I have changed all of my children's records to "Asian" because their father is Asian. However, I was told that I can't change my son's race on his birth certificate. The nurses were lying to you! There is no default--it should say whatever you told them the race was. In my son's case they did push me to put "other" on the birth certificate and I regret it terribly.

Maria - posted on 06/02/2010

I'm sorry to hear that. I don't ever wonder why the gov't has to even know what the child's race is, other than for census. I never really had encountered any problems with both my boys, and i have to tell you, they don't look alike, either. My husband is Caucasian, and am Filipino with Chinese and Spanish heritage. So you can just imagine the inquisitive looks, when I sometimes write down "Other". ;D No offense, but I want my children to be proud of their ethnicity.

Michele - posted on 06/02/2010

I'm a white woman and my daughter is bi-racial but she puts African American on all of her documents that don't list multiracial on the forms. Sorry to say this, but a minority woman going to college gets more $$ then a white woman or a biracial woman. I am white but society long ago labeled my daughter as an African American woman, so we are taking advantage of that.

Brianne - posted on 06/01/2010

I also checked both Black and White on the Census form! It may not be what they wanted but that is what I did! I also hate the "other" choice ... I feel as though my children are not "other"! They are Black and White! There are too many negative people out there that will try to bring them down because they are bi-racial so why should I as their mother check a box that says other!

I know that when the children are in school the state money schools get is based on many different things, race of the students being one of the factors. So I think when my children get to school I am going to help them get things for the school by checking the african american box!

Betty - posted on 06/01/2010

Hi Carmen,



I have to say, I don't understand how come in the US, you're required to fill in one race or the other.



Here in Australia, we don't have any of this issue. The only thing is maybe the national Sensus and you can specify under "Other" any documentations here have a field as "Other" if the option is not there listed you just write it down.

Alee - posted on 05/30/2010

I think that there are going to be changes soon bc I just had a friend whose biracial child apply for a minority scholarship bc her father is black and mother is white. It is not specified on her birth cert whether is one or the other. Good luck to those who are having trouble with this.

Jennifer - posted on 05/29/2010

i'm white and my husband is hispanic and on all our baby's doc. they put hispanic, they usually put whatever the father is, so i've been told

Deanna - posted on 05/29/2010

most documents dont realy put thair race but thay do ask. you must be hard and tell them to put bouth. i have children with over 6 diffrent races and all are inportant. some will get them grants if thay decide to go to collage so if thair is no documents to prove that thay are thay will be forced to get all the family documents to prove thay are this race and are intitled. so in most cases it is truly vital to get the inportant papers to say thair nationilities correctly. you still got time youll save your kid time and tons of exsplanations later on in life. thair just being lazy make em do thair job.