Being biracial or multiracial has become increasingly common now than it was a few decades ago. Now there’s a new issue that’s arising and it’s the identity crisis that comes with being multiracial.

To start, being biracial entails that you identify with two races, while being multiracial means that you identify with a multitude of races.

If you identify with multiple races, you may have found filling out surveys that include the demographic/ethnicity section difficult especially if it says “Select one.” If you identify with two or more races, you probably look racially ambiguous and get people questioning what your race is. If you’re multiracial, it’s probably complicated answering the question “What are you?”

Growing up as half Asian and half Caucasian, I always found a need to pick one as what I identify with, which lead to identity troubles. An easy answer may be why not just identify with both? Growing up, it wasn’t that easy. It always felt I had to choose one side of myself over the other when it shouldn’t be like that. I shouldn’t feel like a racial imposter and embrace the fact that I’m part of a new culture and race.

Being multiracial you feel this tug and pull between who you are. Growing up you want to be accepted, so you reach out to the groups you identify with and try to prove that you are just like them too. This lead to closing off one side of myself over having a preference for the other.  

In the end of it all, your identity is who you are and you shouldn’t have to pick one side over the other.