The Writer Danzy Senna on Kamala Harris and the Complexity of Biracial Identity in America
1Digest
This podcast episode features an interview with Danzy Senna, author of "Colored Television," a novel that explores the complexities of biracial identity in contemporary California. Senna discusses her experiences navigating biracial identity in America, the evolution of the term "mulatto," and the changing perceptions of biracial people. She also reflects on the role of pop culture in shaping self-image and the challenges of navigating a biracial identity in a society that often has unrealistic expectations for mixed-race people. The episode delves into the concept of the "hating generation," a term Senna uses to describe the children of interracial marriages who often experience the fallout of their parents' relationships. Senna shares her own story of growing up in a family where her parents' marriage ended in divorce, and she reflects on the complexities of navigating a biracial identity in a society that often has unrealistic expectations for mixed-race people. The episode also explores the concept of "passing" as a television writer and the pressure to commodify one's biracial identity for commercial success. Senna's novel "Colored Television" follows a biracial novelist who struggles to find success in the world of television. The protagonist, Jane Gibson, is secure in her racial identity but faces challenges in her career and personal life. The novel explores the idea of "passing" as a television writer and the pressure to commodify one's biracial identity for commercial success. The episode concludes with a discussion of the concept of "Multicultural Mayberry," a fictionalized vision of Pasadena, California, as a diverse and prosperous town that represents the multiracial American dream. However, the novel's protagonist, Jane Gibson, is unable to achieve this dream due to class barriers. She is forced to sell a certain representation of herself to a showrunner in order to gain success, highlighting the complexities of navigating race and class in contemporary America.
Outlines
Exploring Biracial Identity in "Colored Television"
Danzy Senna discusses her novel "Colored Television," which explores the complexities of biracial identity in contemporary California. She discusses the evolution of the term "mulatto," the changing perceptions of biracial people, and the role of pop culture in shaping self-image.
The Problematic History of "Mulatto"
Senna and Lucas discuss the word "mulatto" and its problematic history. Senna argues that the word is specific to people of black and white American origins and that it carries a history of racial mixing being seen as unnatural and leading to the end of humanity. She prefers "mulatto" to "biracial" because it is more specific and meaningful in the context of American racial history.
The "Hating Generation" and Interracial Marriage
Senna discusses the concept of the "hating generation," a term she uses to describe the children of interracial marriages who often experience the fallout of their parents' relationships. She shares her own story of growing up in a family where her parents' marriage ended in divorce, and she reflects on the complexities of navigating a biracial identity in a society that often has unrealistic expectations for mixed-race people.
"Colored Television" and the Failure of the Biracial Dream
Senna's novel "Colored Television" follows a biracial novelist who struggles to find success in the world of television. The protagonist, Jane Gibson, is secure in her racial identity but faces challenges in her career and personal life. The novel explores the idea of "passing" as a television writer and the pressure to commodify one's biracial identity for commercial success.
Keywords
Mulatto
A term used to describe a person of mixed black and white ancestry, often with a history of being used as a slur. Senna argues that the word is specific and meaningful in the context of American racial history.
Biracial Identity
The experience of identifying with two or more races, often leading to complex and nuanced feelings about belonging and self-perception. Senna's work explores the challenges and opportunities of navigating biracial identity in a society that is still grappling with race and racism.
Passing
A concept that refers to a person of one race or ethnicity presenting themselves as a member of another race or ethnicity, often to gain social or economic advantages. Senna's novel "Colored Television" uses the concept of passing in a unique way, with the protagonist "passing" as a television writer to achieve success in the industry.
Multicultural Mayberry
A fictionalized vision of Pasadena, California, as a diverse and prosperous town that represents the multiracial American dream. Senna uses this concept to explore the complexities of race and class in contemporary America, highlighting the fact that even in a seemingly progressive and diverse community, systemic barriers can still prevent individuals from achieving their full potential.
Hating Generation
A term used to describe the children of interracial marriages who often experience the fallout of their parents' relationships. Senna uses this term to explore the complexities of interracial relationships and the challenges faced by biracial individuals who are often caught between two worlds.
Colored Television
Danzy Senna's novel that explores the complexities of biracial identity in contemporary California, focusing on a biracial novelist who struggles to find success in the world of television.
Q&A
How does Danzy Senna's novel "Colored Television" explore the complexities of biracial identity in contemporary California?
Senna's novel follows a biracial novelist who struggles to find success in the world of television. The protagonist, Jane Gibson, is secure in her racial identity but faces challenges in her career and personal life. The novel explores the idea of "passing" as a television writer and the pressure to commodify one's biracial identity for commercial success.
What is the significance of the term "mulatto" in Danzy Senna's work?
Senna argues that the word "mulatto" is specific to people of black and white American origins and that it carries a history of racial mixing being seen as unnatural and leading to the end of humanity. She prefers "mulatto" to "biracial" because it is more specific and meaningful in the context of American racial history.
How does Danzy Senna's personal experience inform her writing about biracial identity?
Senna shares her own story of growing up in a family where her parents' marriage ended in divorce, and she reflects on the complexities of navigating a biracial identity in a society that often has unrealistic expectations for mixed-race people. She uses her own experiences to create characters and narratives that resonate with the lived realities of biracial individuals.
What is the "hating generation," and how does it relate to Danzy Senna's own story?
Senna describes the "hating generation" as the children of interracial marriages who often experience the fallout of their parents' relationships. She identifies with this generation, as her own parents' marriage ended in divorce. She uses this concept to explore the complexities of interracial relationships and the challenges faced by biracial individuals who are often caught between two worlds.
How does Danzy Senna's novel "Colored Television" challenge the idea of the multiracial American dream?
Senna's novel highlights the fact that even in a seemingly progressive and diverse community, systemic barriers can still prevent individuals from achieving their full potential. The protagonist, Jane Gibson, is unable to achieve the multiracial American dream due to class barriers, forcing her to sell a certain representation of herself to gain success. This challenges the notion that diversity alone guarantees equality and opportunity.
Show Notes
In fiction and nonfiction, the author Danzy Senna focusses on the experience of being biracial in a nation long obsessed with color lines. Now that Kamala Harris is the Democratic candidate for President, some of Senna’s concerns have come to the fore in political life. Donald Trump attacked Harris as a kind of race manipulator, implying that she had been Indian American before becoming Black for strategic purposes. The claim was bizarre and false, but Senna feels that it reflected a mind-set in white America. “Mixed-race people are sort of up for debate and speculation, and there’s a real return to the idea that your appearance is what matters, not what your background is or your identity,” she tells Julian Lucas, who wrote about Senna’s work in The New Yorker. “And if your appearance is unclear to us, then we’re going to debate you and we’re going to discount you and we’re going to accuse you of being an impostor.” Senna talks about why she describes people like herself and Lucas using the old word “mulatto,” despite its racist etymology. “The word ‘biracial’ or ‘multiracial’ to me is completely meaningless,” she says, “because I don’t know which races were mixing. And those things matter when we’re talking about identity.” Senna’s newest novel, “Colored Television,” follows a literary writer somewhat like herself, trying to find a new career in the more lucrative world of TV.
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