What an increasing number of interracial citizens means

An article in the LA Times writes about how the emergence of an increasing interracial population may bring the end of identity politics. 


I looked up the term "identity politics" on the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy where it defines it as meaning "a wide range of political activity and theorizing founded in the shared experiences of injustice of members of certain social groups" or, as WiseGeek said in a much simpler way, it is "when members of a specific subgroup unite in order to affect political or social change."


The author writes that the upcoming generation could have as many as 1 in 7 interracial children, or on the western states, as many as 1 in 4. This new generation will "find itself at odds with America's divisive identity politics" and could end these politics by, instead of becoming part of an existing subgroup, finding a different, less divisive way to get involved with issues. 

I don't know if interracial people will end identity politics all together, because race isn't the only thing you can identity with and group with others on. There's also gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, religion, geographic location, etc. I do hope, though, that it will be a beginning to "bypass[ing] labels and embrac[ing] individualism."

The author also makes another point, that people will ask his multiracial kids, "What are you?" wanting to know their specific racial makeup. He writes, "In the age of identity politics, it is not stories but race that matters." I don't know if asking "What are you?" directly correlates to identity politics, though. Some people are just curious. As a biracial person, I have never taken offense to the question, "What are you?" On a side note, some Latino people have assumed that I was also Latino and were very surprised to learn that I have not a drop of Latino blood in me. I don't find that offensive; I find that fun and, in a way, flattering. 


The author also writes about choices multiracial people have when "they enter into a world where no choice is clean-cut." I think the great thing about being multi/biracial is that you can choose whatever you want. I went through a very brief time period where I would whine about how I would never be fully accepted into white culture or in Asian culture, but my dad offered the idea that being multiracial meant that you wouldn't awkwardly stand out in any culture. You look different, but not in an obvious way. You could fit in anywhere. I like that idea much better.