Dutch | Surinamese
My Mom is from Surinam and my Dad is Dutch. In the Netherlands, being mixed-race usually makes you ‘interesting’ and perhaps ‘exotic’, which can at the same time also be a bit problematic. I notice that the word ‘half bloedje’ (or ‘halfie’) is used by people (in a positive sense), however it makes me feel exoticized at times. Not all mixed-race people are mixed White and Black, ‘beautiful’ or have been raised with multiple cultures. Colorism (and labelling light skin/dark skin) is also something I can’t stand and I’m aware that I have a lighter skin and a looser curl pattern. I’m proud of my heritage and will gladly tell people about it, however I also feel like some people boast with their ‘mixed-raceness’. Being mixed-race, I identify with others who are mixed-race or have been raised multiculturally. I think diversity is a very important thing and think it’s very important to engage not just with your ‘own people’ but get to know other cultures. I know that a lot of places in the Netherlands are not as diverse as the places I frequent; however I notice that I increasingly feel like it’s weird to see groups of people or things in the media for example without any people of color. However, me being interested in other cultures in general also contributes to me having a diverse group of friends and being open to dating people with different backgrounds. People see me as different or ‘exotic’, having a different view of the world as a result of being raised with multiple cultures and I’m able to teach people about other cultures. Abroad, I get to be a kind of representative for Dutch and Surinamese culture. I can adapt to different settings and different people. I get a lot of compliments on my hair too, which is always nice. Because Dutch society is quite diverse and there are a lot of people that look similar, I don’t have a lot of trouble with blending in with society (in the cities). Being mixed-race or multicultural probably has made me more widely interested in fashion and music trends in other places of the world as well.
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