Iam Japanese and German American. I use the terms biracial, multiracial, mixed, and hapa. Some people detect my mixedness right away; others don’t.
The perceptibility of race plays a key role in the multiracial experience. I appear white enough to “pass” in many situations, which comes with immense privilege. I benefit from the same systems that oppress people of color. No one tells me to go back to where I came from or harasses me with racist slurs. I can shop in a store without being followed. I can drive by a cop and not fear for my life. In most situations, I don’t carry the weighty responsibility of being the first, the only, the spokesperson. People assume I am educated, economically stable, and trustworthy. And so much more.