Unit 2

Mia Carter

English 1101

Professor Carrie Hall

 

   The mutt

 

      Not to long ago me and my best friend went to the ice skating rink. And while there we met some boys that are around the same age as us. As we all try to skate we started talking and asking each other where we’re from what school we go to. When we get to the topic about nationality i always know someone is going to have a weird reaction and but my answer. When it comes to be my turn answering the question I kept thinking to myself like how are they going to react and how I’m going to react to their reactions. When answering the question all the different words came to mind of what they could call me. As I stand there to hear the surprising comments from them i watch as everyone made a different face. And everyone’s face was of surprise,  asking me “ Are you sure you’re black?, why are you so white?” Growing up, it wasn’t uncommon for people to assume I’m was white or hispanic. Or the case be that i’m actually mixed. Being mixed is a bad thing it’s just people’s reactions to when you tell them what you really are. But, in my family we are all mutts. We’re all mixed a family of mutts.

 

       Coming form a family where everyone is mixed isn’t something surprising to me. There was always something new and different to try from each and every part of the family that is different. Growing up in a neighborhood were people were mostly black, hispanic and asian you always get you’re just white or hispanic. Telling people i’m not hispanic was always a surprise to them, “ like really you’re not hispanic? Like not at all not even part?” my answer is always no. I have to explain that i’m mixed that i’m half polish and half african american. People’s second reaction is always “ you’re WHAT? You’re black, you don’t look black? Wow you really are a damn mutt.” Hearing the word mutt always has a different effect on me based on the person that says it and how they say it.  In my family we call each other mutts that’s because we know it doesn’t hurt when saying to each other and we aren’t saying it as a bad thing. But when some people say it, the word always comes off different. You feel like they’re talking bad about you like wow you aren’t pure. Like have you ever felt different from others or bad because you wasn’t the same as your friends. One thing that is big is what side do you take. Like for me it’s like i’m i going to choose my polish side more then my african american side when it comes to things or i’m i going to be a “mutt” and be my own self.

 

        The word mutt is used in many ways. Being derogatory word used to call a racehorse slow in poor condition, to call a dog that is mixed bread, a person who is awkward and ignorant, an unattractive woman. But the word is also used in a derogatory word against people of mixed race. The world’s history lies as another insult. It comes from the word “muttonhead,” another American word that also means”fool.” “Muttonhead” had been around since the early 19th century. At the same time was anti- miscegenation. The time when law criminalized both marriage and sexual relationships between people of white decent and black decent. These two things are hard on the mixed community. Being called a mutt is like being call dirty. And not being able to marry who you truly love because you’re different and that if you have children with this person your kids are dirty because they are mutts.

  Mutt is a word that’s is used that much by people my age. But you still hear it being used around. Have you ever been called a mutt? I have I also been called Oreo,polablack because I’m half polish and half black, mixed baby and some other things. All these names have the same thing in common someone being multiracial. However some of these names make us feel unwanted, uncomfortable and just confused about who we are and want to be. You think like by being multiracial will I get this job are they going to like me for me or are they going to judge by what they see or what on paper. Being multiracial isn’t a bad thing but people do make us feel bad about who we are. We just want to fit in like early one else and not have to pick one side over the other. We just want to be judge by who we are as a person not by the looks and nationality.