[Eileen]

There’s a theory called ‘Racial identity development’ (Look for Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?’ By Beverly Tatum) that proposes that white people and people of color go through different ‘stages’ at different times in terms of developing racial identity. Tatum says that one of the very common phases for people of color is to feel ‘white.’ I am mixed race and grew up in Hawaii: I think many of us there would have had the same feeling you do: that we were really white people born into these strange bodies and families and names. It’s all part of growing up in an environment that is white-identified and white-privileged. Many of us do move into a different phase (anger, then self-segregation, then acceptance and integration) through maintaining positive contact with our own ethnic heritage and looking for role models who have done the same. It’s a tough process. I notice you posted in ’04: I wonder if you’ve changed at all in regards to this question. I hope so…there is more than one way to be Black (or Asian, Latino, white, etc).

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Name : Eileen, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian/Caucasian, Age : 33, City : Olympia, State : WA, Country : United States, Occupation : teacher, writer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

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