Mulattobama |
The Guardian
2008-08-14
Emily Raboteau, Associate Professor of English
The City College of New York
As Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has shown, being mixed race in America means balancing black and white identities
My boyfriend, Victor, and I flew into Kingston the day after Barack Obama clinched the Democratic party nomination. We were giddy. A trip to Jamaica and a potential black president. We were discussing Obama’s campaign on the flight down when Victor suddenly asked: “How would you feel if our baby came out looking white?”
“Negro, puhleez,” I said, polishing off my airline peanuts. “I am not pregnant.”
“Answer the question,” he pushed…
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Tags: Emily Raboteau, The Guardian