Growing Up Biracial, On Screen And In Real Life

It seems that Hollywood is finally beginning to get on board with interracial love stories. Big new movies and shows, such as "The Big Sick" and "Master of None," are exploring the nuances of relationships that cross lines of race and ethnicity.

We talked about those new on-screen representations today on our show. But while it's one thing to act out these relationships, it's an entirely different thing to live them — or, to be a product of them.

Jason in Montgomery, Alabama, called in to our show to share his experience growing up as a biracial boy. He's 35 now and confident in his biracial identity. But he said when he was growing up, things were black and white — literally. No in between. It was only recently that he could "check all boxes that apply," which he finds simply wonderful.

And while Jason found our conversation about interracial relationships interesting, he urged us to consider the products of those relationships just as well.

"To de-legitimize the relationship is to de-legitimize the product, which is, in this case, me," he said.

Caty Borum Chattoo, a professor and documentary filmmaker who joined us on air, also emphasized the important of the person, not just the relationship.

"It's important for others to see biracial people identify on screen, or be represented," she said, "because that helps them ... normalize that experience."

And in away, Jason said, the issues of race and ethnicity are harder to navigate for children than they are for parents.

"If you're in a interracial relationship, at any time you can, for whatever reason, decide that you don't want to be in it anymore. But as a biracial person, I can never not be biracial. That's who I am."

You can listen to the full conversation we had on air here.