The 2013 National Geographic article “The Changing Face of America” went viral for its implications of an impending multiethnic and raceless future. The cover featured photographs and testimonies from a projected multiracial generation. Many celebrated this as a sign of an increasingly diverse, utopian future — one assumed to be inherently free of white supremacy and racial hierarchy. 

However, the notion that systemic racism could be resolved simply through the growing prevalence of interracial reproduction is naive at best and harmful to Black and mixed-race individuals at worst. It also undermines Black liberation movements that have long fought for the recognition of Black people’s humanity. 

I wish to highlight the problematic rise in the fetishization of mixed-race children. I see this trend primarily benefiting culturally insensitive individuals and particularly white people, while harming mixed-race children, who are subjected to objectifying gazes and unrealistic expectations.

Contextualizing the social shift 

The fetishization of racialized — particularly Black — sexual partners by non-Black individuals has been prominent since the beginning of European imperialism. 

With the end of World War II and the collapse of the European colonial empire, a newfound emphasis on racial integration emerged in Western countries. This shift led some white couples to adopt racialized children, but for potentially insidious reasons. 

One reason interracial adoption was popular was because it painted white adopters as humanitarian, colourblind, patriotic, and revolutionary. Many couples thus sought to use their adopted children as social symbols of cultural progressiveness, setting the stage for what would later become the fetishization of mixed-race babies. 

In her 2022 article “Multiracial Bodies, Multiracial Reproduction,” political analyst Sabrina K. Harris identifies social media as a key factor in the modern fetishization of mixed-race children. As Black culture continues to gain mainstream popularity, digital visibility has only intensified this trend of fetishization. High-profile figures, such as the Kardashians, have contributed to making mixed-race children a social status symbol. Choosing to capitalize on a child’s racial identity for personal gain not only commodifies their existence but also strips them of their humanity and individualism. Whether deliberate or not, this practice has colonial and racist underpinnings. 

Who’s saving who? 

Both the interracial adoption trend and the fetishization of mixed-race children are rooted in performativity, though they fulfill different desires for white parents. Interracial adoption often carries ‘white saviourist’ intentions, positioning white parents as benevolent figures rescuing Black children from poverty or other hardships. 

In contrast, fetishizing mixed-race children reverses this dynamic: the mixed-race child becomes the saviour, absolving the white parent of their culturally ‘uncool’ whiteness.

In her article, Harris cites feminist philosopher bell hooks on the commodification of multiracialism: “[Multiracialism] becomes spice, seasoning that can liven up the dull dish that is white culture.” As whiteness became less socially desirable over time, some white individuals began engaging with non-white cultures in pursuit of a perceived sociocultural ‘edge.’ 

Having mixed-race children can also serve as a protective shield against criticism and self-reflection. This mirrors the common “I can’t be racist, I have Black friends” defence used by non-Black individuals accused of racism. By positioning their Black children as objectified indicators of cultural diversity, rather than human beings, white parents aim to garner a cultural superiority over their ‘uncultured’ peers and can avoid taking accountability for engaging in meaningful anti-racist work — such as education, activism, or structural change. 

I do not mean to suggest that interracial families are inherently problematic. The growing societal acceptance of mixed-race children marks a positive social shift toward racial inclusion and diversity. However, with multiculturalism and multiracial families comes a responsibility to cultivate cultural and racial awareness. 

Mixed-race growing pains

The consequences of racial ignorance within multiracial families seem to rarely burden the white parents; instead, they are placed squarely on the objectified children. 

Growing up as a mixed-race person in a racially divisive society is confusing enough, so it’s essential that white parents equip themselves with the cultural competence to prepare their mixed-race children for the reality of their social positioning. Reporter Melea VanOstrand echoes this sentiment, reflecting on the isolation she felt during the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, where she realized her white family’s ignorance and “colour-blind” view of the world did not align with her lived experience. 

Racism will persist in many parts of the world due to centuries of social conditioning embedded in every social institution. This cannot and will not be overcome simply by an increase in multiracial children or interracial families. We can no longer justify ignorance by naivety when racialized people are more at risk of violence with each passing day. 

As a mixed-race Canadian, I can only hope that the so-called progressives will realize that eliminating racism and white supremacy from our societies is a complex challenge, one that cannot be solved by simply producing more mixed-race children. It will require significant, meaningful effort and mobilization by everyone — especially those who perpetuate implicit and explicit racial fetishization and objectification. 

Jena Wouako is a third-year student at UTM studying criminology, law & society.