Paula Patton explains why she feels that being called biracial is offensive.
While promoting the series BET+ Sacrifice where she plays the role of Daniella Hernandez, an entertainment lawyer, Patton sat down during her interview and opened up about race and her choice to not identify as biracial.
Back in 2010, the actress was quoted saying, “I find the term biracial offensive. It’s a way for people to separate themselves from African Americans, a way of saying, ‘’I’m better than that.’” The radio host during the interview related to that quote and expressed the same feelings.
He went on to ask Patton if she still felt the same about her statement all of these years later.
“I feel the exact same way. That’s not to say that I don’t embrace my mother and everything that she’s brought into my life, but it was my mother who let me know, ‘The world is going see you as Black and that is who you are. So don’t have any questions about that,” she said.
Paula added, “I’m very grateful for her… The politics of race in our country are such that when someone wants to make it very clear that they’re not Black, it’s a way to keep them separate from Black people. We know, we’ve had a long history in this country of it not being popular to be Black, to be honest with you. I’ve always found that to be an offensive term. I’m Black and I embrace it, that’s my family.”