Do kids see color?
JC
The Indianapolis Star explores the issue of racial formation in young children. At what age do they start recognizing “racial” or ethnic differences among people? And how can parents teach them about racism, prejudice and bias? MMW’s very own Carmen Van Kerckhove shares her thoughts on the problematic compliments that mixed children often receive:
These days, however, bigotry usually is more subtle, said Carmen Van Kerckhove, a 28-year-old diversity trainer in New York City who was born in Hong Kong to Chinese and Belgian parents.
“I got a lot of comments that on the surface seemed like compliments, but really they weren’t,” she said. “People would remark how fair my skin was, or about my hair, or that the bridge of my nose was high instead of flat like a lot of Asians’.
“They were telling me I was pretty, but it was always clear to me that what they liked about me were my white features, and those are the subtle cues kids pick up on.”
mtevc wrote:
I hate hearing…”your child is so beautiful, just like a Benneton ad.” UGH! Someone actually said that…or the, “her child (the one with blond hair) doesn’t look anything like her Mom,” even though we have the same lip shape and the same profile.
Posted 27 Feb 2006 at 4:21 pm ¶
Leigh-Anne wrote:
My mom is mixed race (Black, White and lots of other interesting bits we can’t really explain!) and my dad is white. I look so much like my mom it’s eerie… I have my mom’s high cheekbones, small pointy nose, and darkbrown eyes framed by long long long eyelashes… but no-one ever sees this!! All they see is my white girl’s skin and brown long hair. The only thing I inherited from my dad is my skin colour and hair texture and colour, but whenever my dad’s family see me they comment on how I look nothing like my mom and so much like them!!
Posted 02 Mar 2006 at 5:32 am ¶
Leigh-Anne wrote:
Sorry me again!
Carmen mentioned something about compliments (which is why I wanted to post here in the first place). My mom’s relatives always compliment me on my fair skin, long hair and how well I speak (i.e. I speak standard South African English with a private school accent) while my white relatives always remark on how easily I tan - I can spend hours in the sun without even going pink - I go golden brown immediately - and how I don’t need a perm to achieve curls, all I do is avoid my blowdrier. Why do they remark on things I had no control over?? I find it SO FREAKY!! It’s not like I sat down with a list and ticked off characteristics I’d like to have. Why can’t people just compliment a mixed race child the way they’d compliment any other child??
Posted 02 Mar 2006 at 5:44 am ¶
justin wrote:
Kids are as racist as the world they are born into. Often they appear to be worse because they are not as aware of social taboos. You all might be sick of my stories, but here are a few more.
I have had primary school children skip down the road along side me chanting “ching chong chinaman” and toddlers in supermarket trolleys clasping their hands together then saying “ah-so”. Once I came across two four to six year old kids playing alone (or abandoned ) in an alleyway I was walking through. One of them stood up said “ two dollaa, suckee suckee “. I think he was trying to impersonate Eric Cartman from South park. I looked away and walked home.
The Indianapolis star is asking the wrong questions. ‘What colour are you’ is not the same as what are you or where are you from. Maybe those are adult questions, maybe they should use flash cards of Dora the Explorer and Jennifer Lopez. Show children pictures of different races and ask them which one’s the terrorist.
Posted 02 Mar 2006 at 10:14 am ¶
Marsha wrote:
>Kids are as racist as the world they are born into. Often they appear to be worse because they are not as aware of social taboos.
Got to agree with you there, Justin. I remember similar stories like white kids pulling their eyes back and doing the: “Chinese! Japanese! Dirty Knees! Look at these!” and all that other crap.
I remember I also went to a Catholic private school when I was younger (2nd -5th grade). When I was in 4th grade, we were studying Africa and this white kid looked at the map and said, “Niger…is that where n*ggers come from?” Then, that same year, a different kid said, “Well, black people are more likely to commit crimes and steal.”
Then, people wonder why I’m so suspicious of some people who claim, “I’m not racist!” all the time. I’m like, “Sorry, but I remember this racist sh*t from my formative years..”
Posted 02 Mar 2006 at 5:14 pm ¶
Georgiene wrote:
kids see color and it sticks out a lot especially in high school and boys i know coz i’ma high school student. Like when a person gets ticked off at me they’ll call u a mutt or mixed breed and it’s crazy i don’t think they should be that way. Sometimes i wonder why i couldn’t have been all black but then most of the times i love my complexion and my hair.
Posted 23 Jul 2006 at 9:06 pm ¶