I readily acknowledge some overlap between what we might call monoracial and multiracial animus: a racist who dislikes people who she views as Asian might well dislike an individual whom she identifies as part-Asian for some of the same reasons. But viewing someone as part-Asian also lends itself to unique forms of animus not directed at those perceived as monoracial. A mixed-race person may be viewed as polluted, defective, confusing or confused, passing, threatening, or—in our diversity-obsessed society—as opportunistic, gaining an advantage by identifying with a group in which he is at best a partial member. These negative associations may be distinguished from those directed at people perceived as monoracial.
Nancy Leong, “Judicial Erasure of Mixed-Race Discrimination,” American University Law Review, (Volume 59, Number 3, February 2010) 483-484. http://www.wcl.american.edu/journal/lawrev/59/leong.pdf.
Tags: American University Law Review, Nancy Leong