Ethnic Identity And Mixed-Gender Stereotypes

I am mixed racially, my Father's side is black and my Mother's white. Ethnically, the white in my family primarily comes from Ireland and the black a mix of latin-afro cultures in the Caribbean. It's a weird mix (one just about everyone seems to have an opinion or joke about) but because of the mix, I've seen a lot of the privileges or disadvantages that come with not only being mixed-race but proud as well. Speaking to the Irish in me, while they are white and therefore have an undisputable privilege just in how they look, of the European nations, the Irish were the most oppressed. The attitudes in Europe are still somewhat negative towards this group of people, whether it be jokes about negative stereotypes concerning the people of Ireland themselves (often associated as being short, angry, redheaded drunks who have connections to leprechauns apparently) or a general distaste for the various political environments the Irish as a nation have struggled through, the Irish are usually the butt of the joke. …show more content…
"Afro-Caribbean" is rather vague, but politically speaking it just means anyone from the Caribbean who can claim African descent. For my family, this means the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The majority of my ancestors were likely working on sugar cane plantations after they were brought to Latin America from Africa. As slaves, I think it's easy to see how they were a disadvantaged people, but the discrimination continues today. When I was born my Grandmother literally turned to my Father and said "Thank God she's white." meaning, "Thank god she doesn't look like