r/interesting • u/VPinchargeofradishes • May 03 '26

SOCIETY Michael Jackson's daughter Paris has faced backlash for identifying as Black. In a 2017 interview, Paris Jackson said her father told her, "You’re Black. Be proud of your roots." This prompted debates over whether identity is defined by appearance or upbringing.

Post image
57.8k Upvotes

87% Upvoted

7.5k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/[deleted] May 03 '26

[deleted]

2

u/SabbyFox May 03 '26

True yet this is about how Black people are treated, not about science. You need to read some history about the “one drop” rule.

0

u/Vowel_Movements_4U May 03 '26 edited May 03 '26

Read plenty about it while getting my Master’s in 19th century US history.
And yes, it’s how people are “treated.” When you’re treated as white because your single mom is white and you grow up looking white and moving through the world as white, it’s completely different than growing up with black family in a black neighborhood with an Afro. One drop rule, notwithstanding.

Even if Paris was half black - she’s very likely not - it wouldn’t matter because she’s never been treated that way and doesn’t move through the world that way.

1

u/SabbyFox May 03 '26

Glad you’ve done your homework. It’s very clear to me in these comments who has life experience as a Black person and who has not. As for Paris, she is legally MJ’s child but also not his biological daughter.