Students tell me a wide number of terms are used to describe mix-d people. Below, I have compiled a list of the most commonly used in school and by other professionals.

Multiple Heritage Project use:

Mix-d: Describes a position of pride and place where one can bring all sides of their cultural identity together and express an identity which is similar to but not specifically like either. By dropping the term race we make a step forward and begin to talk about a fully lived experience rather than constantly referring to an outdated social construct which keeps us trapped in the past.

Other terms:

Mixed Race: Is still one of the most popular term used by young people across the UK. However, is has lost favour in some academic circles as race is a social construction and for some 'mixed race' implies 'mixed up.'

Black: Is not a real skin colour - but tends to be used as a 'political identity' for non-white people who suffer discrimination on the grounds of race. Often applied by proponents of the One-Drop Theory (see myths) to describe some mix-d people due to the fact they have 'one drop' of black blood in their make up.

Coloured: In South Africa, this term refers to a 'mix-d' group of people with African and European ancestry. In the UK, it is generally considered outdated and inappropriate as all people are considered to have a 'colour'.

Creole: In most of Latin America, Creole generally refers to people of mixed Spanish or Portuguese descent and in Brazil it is a slang word for Black individuals. The term has also been used to denote someone whose ancestry is so mix-d that they do not belong to any other categories.

Dual Heritage: A modern term but some young people dislike the notion of only referring to two backgrounds.

Multiple Heritage: Where one or both of the child's parents comes from a mix-d heritage themselves.

Half-caste: In India, the population was divided into four hierarchical castes according to what they were good at, that is, priests, warriors, trades people and manual workers. Once a person is born in a 'lower' caste, he or she cannot move up to another 'higher' caste - nor can they marry into other castes. Children born out of wedlock from liaisons between the castes are known as 'half caste'. This term is considered outdated and derogatory in today's society.

The majority of these terms are still in usage across the country and vary from city to city. However, I would strongly advise if you want to know how a mix-d person describes themselves...then ask them.