We caused a little firestorm over on Facebook when we asked this question: “Words you’re cool with using for mixed people: 1) mixed; 2) hapa; 3) mutt; 4) biracial; 5) potato; 6) Heinz 57; 7) zebra; 8) mulatto. Have I missed any?”

Below are some of the many and varied responses.  But it was pretty clear that everybody seemed to be okay with Hapa.  How about you?

• A mulatto is a mule – a cross breed between donkeys and horses. Mules are sterile. Only 1 in 144,000 can reproduce.
  It’s a livestock term used for slaves of African descent that also had European ancestry.
  It’s a slavery term and it’s just as bad as saying nigger.
  I wrote the word nigger in this post, without quotes, and intentionally repeated it because the word mulatto makes me just as angry to hear and see in print, flippantly.
  “Mulatto” is “Nigger” for Mixed folks like us. It serves the same purpose of branding us as chattel slave property, just with a “twist.”
• Not cool with derogatory ones like ‘mutt’.
• 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 should go…the is only 1 race…the human race, and we are proof that this divisive cramp is a waste of time. I have never of heard “potato”.LOL Anywho, there are so many mixtures, and some of these terms only refer to black and white mixes.
• I can’t like this
• I really appreciate all the voices and comments on this. I think the consensus is lose “mutt” for sure. And BTW I adopted “potato” via writer @Lori Tharps who also has called her Spanish/Black kids “spa-negroes” — love her! More on that story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heidi-w-durrow/interracial-relationships_b_1514896.html
• How about human beings
• My brother loves Halfrican. I can do Afro-Semite or Hegro.
• And hell no to mulatto!!!
• Zebra??? No way!!!
• I think anything that is commonly used in the animal world (zebra, mutt, mulatto) is probably better left there. Even “mixed” sometimes sounds wrong–I usually associate that word with “breeds” of animals. And cocktails.  But I understand that word is more acceptable.
• I don’t mind mutt, but I mind when people say bitch. I also like to call myself American and human.
• Best is: ‘Neither Both’
• Looks like hapa is the one term everyone agrees with. True?
• Understand 🙂
• I tell people I”m a BLEND of Black, White & Native American. I also use the word MULTICULTURAL. I detest the word Mulatto.
•  multiracial
• What an awesome question. Keeping dialogue open is the most important part of all. Personally, when I was confronted with the inevitable curiosity of my peers (“What are you?”), and was questioned about my ethnic identity, my mom told me to tell them my name. If pressed, I would give them facts. Because I was proud. But as people started placing their own perspective on whatever those facts were, I made them regard me the same way as I viewed them: as a human. I love my family and my heritage, but it doesn’t define everything about me. It’s not expected of any other person. So I claim my name as an individual first, and only.
•  Callaloo
• I think it is more about the intention of the word, if I don’t give it power, it can’t control me. People are going to say hurtful things but I’m not going to let their ignorant comment ruin silly words I ENJOY using to explain my unique upbringing.
• Don’t get or like these. Personally love Multi- culti. But long long ago used oreo.
• My son likes, ‘blend
• I use the term mullato/a academically but not socially. And I use mutt in jest but would never allow someone else to refer to me that way.
• Someone would knock my ass out if I went outside and said mulatto.
• My daughter uses Halfrican.
• hapa <3
• A potato what on earth haha
• A potato flew around my room. Lol I never heard that term before potato.
• lol @ mulatto being socially acceptable.
• Lose the mutt.
• I can’t stand mulatto when it is used in America. Or mutt. Ugh. I usually stick with mixed or biracial.
• There are some derogatory slurs, but they do not deserve to join this listing.
• Hapa or mixed are probably my top choices. My nephew and niece use “Chrislim” to describe themselves, but this is more religious than “racial” as they have one parent who was brought up Christian and another who was brought up Muslim, hence Chrislim…
• I prefer High Yellow… 😉