New Routes to Mixed “Roots”

Developments in reproductive (e.g., assisted reproduction, surrogacy) and genetic technologies (commercial DNA ancestry testing) have opened new routes to mixedness that disrupt the relationship between multiracialism family. Discussions of racial mixedness, both academic lay, tend refer persons born parents different racialized ancestry. Multiracialism is also understood as an outcome extended generational descent—a family lineage comprised ancestors varied “races”. Both modes mixed subjectivity rely on a notion race transmitted through sexual our study them has often focused implications this boundary crossing for families. These imply degree intimacy “knownness” partners, with broader web relationships into which one or marries. Assisted reproduction allows intentional creation mixed-race babies outside relationship. make possible by design, can choose egg sperm donor basis their difference, without knowing beyond set descriptive characteristics. Commercial testing produces another route mixedness—mixed revelation—in previously unknown revealed testing. Ancestry tests, however, deal estimations biogenetic markers, rather than specific persons. To varying degrees, these newer reconfigure nexus substance kinship long foregrounded American notions expand contours subjectivity, reshape interracial relatedness.