Zoe Kravitz is the cover girl for the August 2015 issue of Nylon Magazine, and in a candid feature she discusses everything from her budding acting career to her evolving perception of herself;
As one of few black kids in her predominately white school, she remembers saying things like, “I’m just as white as y’all,” to her classmates. “I identified with white culture, and I wanted to fit in,” she says. “I didn’t identify with black culture, like, I didn’t like Tyler Perry movies, and I wasn’t into hip-hop music. I liked Neil Young.” But as time went on, her views shifted. “Black culture is so much deeper than that,” she says, “but unfortunately that is what’s fed through the media. That’s what people see. That’s what I saw. But then I got older and listened to A Tribe Called Quest and watched films with Sidney Poitier, and heard Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. I had to un-brainwash myself. It’s my mission, especially as an actress.”
Zoe Kravitz’s admission is deeply honest and pretty brave. There are black women who are still figuring out exactly what it ‘means’ to be black, and don’t feel ‘allowed’ to discuss that in a public setting. Movements like #carefreeblackgirl seek to define black womanhood outside of the difficulty and struggle associated with our experience and to highlight black women who are happy, loved and at peace with themselves.
But there are aspects of her upbringing that Zoe describes as black, including how her famous rocker father Lenny Kravitz raised her;
“I knew we were very lucky, and my dad raised me in an old-school way. His mom was from the Bahamas, and it was about manners and making the bed. It’s that old black shit, really—like, you get smacked if you talk the wrong way. It was about having respect for your elders and being thankful for what we had. He wanted to make sure I had chores, and not because we didn’t have a housekeeper, but because of the principle of the thing.” Of course, like any child, she tested the waters: “When I was about 11, my dad was trying to make me finish my dinner, but I didn’t want any more. He said, ‘There are starving kids in Africa.’ So I took an envelope and put potatoes in it and was like, ‘Send it to them.’ He was like, ‘You go upstairs right now!’ I was dead.”
Ladies, what do you think of Zoe’s words? And what does being a black woman mean to you?
LOL the part about the envelope????????????I can’t stop laughing
Same — rebel with a cause. Hhahahahaha the brazen cheek.
Way to go Lenny for training up a child! I appreciate how transparent Ms. Kravitz has been in the feature, but I’m also shocked to hear this was her attitude toward her Blackness, seeing how Afrocentric, and eccentric really, both of her parents are. I guess that shows anyone can get caught in the media hype. I remember the first time I came to the realization of being a Black girl and just how amazing that can be ?? I’m glad Ms. Kravitz is finally embracing her identity and the awesomeness of it!
Just because someone wears their hair as it naturally grows out of their head doesn’t make them “afrocentric”. Yes, both of her parents are natural and bohemian, still doesn’t mean anything other than that is what they like. Stop trying to place people in a box. People can do whatever they want, natural or relaxed, and still be BLACK!
If you’re black, you’re black, true enough. If you relax your hair, you’re also still black, but not very smart. Slathering caustic lye on your head, just inches from your brain, to achieve straight-ish broken, thin pieces of hair instead of thick naturally curly strands that now require a flat iron to further damage and recurl it, is mind boggling.
I don’t think it’s difficult for a person of her heritage to have issues like that growing up around a more easily identifiable group. I’m glad she finally decided to accept all parts of herself though.
Wow, Lenny raised an awesome confident young lady. How awesome is that! The part about the envelope was funny,lol. We all know as kids if we did that to our parents then it was on,lol. It is so refreshing to see her be honest about her identity as a black young beyond all the noise. My mother had taught me to speak with correct grammar and of course all the kids I grew up with called it ‘speaking white!’ Whenever I speak, people think I’m from the Caribbean or Africa (everyday occurrence). Since then I learn to love my culture,… Read more »
I can understand and relate to her difficulties with her black identity. Although her struggle was different than mine. I am a black woman that went to predominately white schools and was placed in “gifted“classes that held predominately white students, however i lived in a poor, ghetto black and mestizo hispanic community in a housing complex (the projects). I remember being told that I acted white by the kids in my neighborhood but then at school I wasn’t always invited over to the white kids’ homes for bday parties and such even though we were quite friendly in class towards… Read more »
you just told my life story
I was raised in the suburbs and I looked mixed. I wasn’t. The thing is people forget that you do stupid things to fit in with the dominant group as a kid or growing up. Thats a challenge when you are a person of color or even a mixed person of color and you live around other people who act, live and look a certain way. Not only that many are ignorant and believe the stereotypes of others. You may believe some of the stereotypes too that you see even though you know they arent true or dont know. The… Read more »
Zoe, your dad sent you upstairs because the clap back was so ill he needed time to stop being mad at himself and then to laugh his ass off. Trust me.
lolol so true
Yup!
I’m thankful that I never got the memo that I was only allowed to have black interests. By the time I was old enough to be made fun of for being “whitewashed” I had already become myself without having to hear about what black people do and don’t do. I hear some Hip Hop I like every now and then but overall it’s never been that appealing to me because of how the women are treated. It never made me feel any less black though because it’s just one of MANY genres that make up our culture. While I don’t… Read more »
Growing up I loved listening to the radio. I loved Debbie Gibson, Culture Club, and INXS just as much as Tony, Toni, Tone, New Edition and Rick James. I sing Bee Gees to Kenny Rogers to Full Force to Luis Miguel. People need to stop trying to put people in boxes about what they should like. In fact, I’m a singer songwriter musician and I’ve noticed when I tell people this they assume I play blues or neosoul but mostly I play Sheryl Crow or Dave Matthews Band type songs. I still catch flack from people who say I “talk… Read more »
“I AM black, and everything I do is black by default.” Yes! I don’t see the need to define blackness beyond that.
I love your last paragraph especially.
No need to justify your “blackness” to anyone, black or white or purple or green. I didn’t know there was one type of black person anyway.
In reality she is NOT black she is Biracial. Both of her biological parents are Mulatto.
How she chooses to self identify is her business.
IN REALITY She is BLACK AND WHITE. She may technically be biracial but so what? She IDENTIFIES herself as a BLACK WOMAN so you CAN’T say she isn’t black.
Mulatto is a rude and outdated term to describe someone who is of mixed heritage.
So ooooo, she’s black. Bi racial one of the parents is of different race.
you can’t tell a biracial person what to identify as… and would that mean that she shouldn’t feel a need to connect with her black side because she ‘isn’t black’
She’s mixed with black tho
WOW such a old term to use mulatto is very derogatory and shouldn’t be used.
You sound like an idiot. Her parents ARE biracial and identify themselves as black therefore she is black. She just admitted to not relating to black culture when she was younger.
Lol how are her parents biracial identifying as black = black? I get it. But, does it change the facts of her parents being biracial makes her mixed. The one drop rule is a hell of thing. I like Zoe’s honesty. Stil, let’s not pretend that her experience is the same as a Tika Sumpter Teyonnah, Brandy, Ciara or similar black girl. Not saying they had struggle lives. Just example of how colourism plays in ways insidious, like racism.
I swear it comfuses me. Why is it that anybody can wake up & say they’re Black and we’re bigots if we don’t accept it. But they can’t do that for any other race… This woman is clearly mixed or biracial. She may identify with Black people like how men identify as feminists.. doesn’t make them women neither does it make her Black. I’m tired of all this.
You ever heard of the one drop rule? She has the right to identify herself how she pleases. She is BLACK
Mercy! The one drop rule was invented to protect whiteness and stop the children of rape being cared for when the slave master passed. Seriously people. There is nothing with acknowledging all heritages of a person. But, hey, ime, it’s an American to cling to it so rigidly. I’m African and living in the UK, ime, it’s acknowledged even where the persons decide to only identify with one side alone. And to point, isn’t it insulting a thing to do? To the non black parent in these cases? What do I know though. I’m mono racial. #shrug
What means me being a black woman? I don’t look like anyone else. I am unique, kind ‚and to love to laugh type of woman. I stand out against white walls, and i not asham of Christ Jesus, my family, and myself. I happily chubby with a little butty, but my charm out weight my looks. I not ugly but beautiful just on how i treat people. I’m glad I don’t have a Niki minij body but happy people are interested in what I have to say. To sum it all up I’m just me.
This article is more so about culture rather than race/ ethnicity. Do American mulattos have their own culture now, like the creole (American I know), puerto ricans, Cubans, brazillians…? The article is just saying she identified with white culture due to her upbringing and now she’s exploring black culture.
Who’s putting someone in a box?? Lol! Of course ppl can do whatever they want; no one is stopping them and certainly not me. Of course I don’t know any of those ppl personally. Do you??? I was only making an observation IF THATS OK WITH U! Sheesh!!!
Ha, well, I think his comment was to say that just because they are “Afrocentric, and eccentric” doesn’t mean they are any more “black” than someone who wears their hair relaxed. The outer appearance shouldn’t matter (though it does paint a story, true or not). And as none of us really know what her experiences were besides what she tells us, that’s all we can really go by instead of assuming.
So many ppl are saying that someone who is “mulatto” or “creole” can’t call themselves Black; well for centuries they have, and they do. I live in Louisiana and trust me, many of them see themselves as Black and expect others to as well. Some do want to be considered only creole, and throughout history, of course some have passed, but the majority will get quite upset when they are excluded from being id’d as Black. Many of them go to our “Black” churches, HBCUs, and join our Black Sororities and Fraternities. Anybody ever read the book called Cane River?… Read more »
Excluding people for being mixed is just as bad as white people with the one drop rule (which for whatever reason people are trying to blame black people for these days). I am Louisiana Creole on my dad’s side, and I’m always puzzled whenever I see Creoles being referred to as a non-black group on the internet. I’m not sure where people got that from. Also, the culture itself is more regional than being the result of race mixing. I think those black children who come from 2 white parents are evidence of how many people passed. When you get… Read more »
Its internal racism. Your right black people need to stop putting each other into catagories. My mom’s whole side of the family are from Louisiana and identified as black creole. Some light with green eyes some dark with brown eyes. All black. It is stupid that we are more racist against each other than some white people are to us. Really in the end we all are human and thats all the should really matter. ( I know but i am an idealist lol)
I read that book. Really good.
I watched the movie SKIN. Would love to read the book!
It’s amazing how ethnicity causes such tension. I sometimes wish these issues were simpler but where would the fun be in that right? 🙂
Oy. I am mixed Jewish and Russian. I identify most with Jewish. What I’ve learned is that you come to associate yourself with that which the dominant majority considers you, and how you are accepted. Tough reality. Russians never accepted me as one of them. But the Jewish community is extremely accepting. On the one drop rule. It’s not just about African genes. It’s alive and well in antisemitism too. Original meaning of ghetto applies to segregated Jewish communities in the Russian empire. My ancestors lived in such and never spoke a word of Russian or mixed with them. This… Read more »
The one drop rule was made by racist whites so I don’t accept it, un-brainwash your mind, if someone is biracial then that’s what they are why should they only claim one side
Because some actually CHOOSE to claim one for their own individual personal reasons. Others consider themselves both biracial and black. Ever think someone has the right choose to identify as they please? . A lot of my friends have asian mothers and white fathers. While they acknowledge they are biracial they self identify as asian. If Lisa Bonet didn’t consider herself black, didn’t want to be thought of as black then it would be hypocritical for her to be on tv portraying the biological daughter or two black parents. Caitlyn Jenner can choose to self identify as “she” while having… Read more »
It’s sad that the idea of someone choosing to identify as black is inconceivable to so many people.
I think there is a distinction to be made between being culturally black (i.e., black American) and being racially black. Cultural affiliation is much more fluid and on the whole more malleable than racial identity. Race is a social construct defined in large part by how others perceive us. Zoe obviously identifies with being culturally black American, but racially– let’s not be coy– her phenotype is very obviously derived from european stock. I don’t subscribe to the one drop rule because it is terribly insidious in its capacity to elevate white phenotype both among blacks and within society at large.… Read more »
Very thoughtful response. Thank you.
zoe is not black. i rebuke the white man and his standards for whiteness AND blackness. lol.
“Mulatto” and “Mixed” are both rude and derogatory terms to ppl who are bi-racial and multi-racial!! Mixed is a term used for dogs and breeds not for human beings!! And Mulatto is just a nasty term used back in slavery for trying to pass!!
Let’s educate ourselves ppl and not offend our own ppl. Others do ENOUGH of that for us,let it not be by us!!
What should they be called then? Biracial implies that someone comes from two different ethnic groups when many people are mixed with multiple different ethnicities like Japanese, French, Somalian, etc.
Mulatto is only offensive to African Americans. Literally every country in Latin America calls people who are black and white “mulattos”, in Brazil they’re called “Pardos”. Its a more accurate description than calling them “Black” because they aren’t, they’re mixed with both. Only in Anglo countries is there an obsession with pure whiteness thus the reason for the “One-Drop Rule” where being a quarter black automatically males you Black. Obviously African Americans have had different experiences than us Afro Latinos but mulatto isn’t a nasty term to us. Both of my parents are Mulatto and I’m mulatto but in the… Read more »
The box for what a “real” black woman should be like and enjoy is SO narrow. I’m always surprised that anyone can even try and take orders from the Black Police (who can come in any color). A lot of people of all races are invested in making sure we conform to stereotypes.
ITA with the “black police” statement
For a lot of us who didn’t fit the mold when we were coming up, the Black Police have wrought more emotional damage than 100 white racists could do. Maybe it hurts more to be rejected by your own. Especially when they’re cyring out of the other side of their mouths about the injustice of being judged by whites.
I can see that. I was SO HURT as a child when the black girls that i would meet would make fun of my voice without even wanting to get to know me. The white kids would always express disappointment that I didn’t sound or act like the ones they saw on TV, but it didn’t hurt my feelings or make me feel rejected. They were more curious about why I wasn’t like that they didn’t exclude me for it.
There is only one race; therefore, a person CANNOT be bi-racial. When referring to a bi-person’s parentage, the proper term is ‘bi-ethnic’. Also, when referring to people in the Americas whose ancestors were kidnapped Africans, and who now, because of that fact, do not know what clan (ethnicity) they came from, the proper descriptive term for them is Black …with the ‘Black’ always being capitalized …signifying that they are a people, and not a color. That being said, people can self-identify at their whim; however, Jamaican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Haitian, American, etc., denotes ‘nationality’ (nation of birth) NOT ethnicity.
But what about Chinese people ? What is their ethnicity?
Most Chinese people are ethnically Han Chinese and make up 92% of the population of China.
Since her mom (Lisa Bonet) is biracial (1/2 white & 1/2 black) and her father (Lenny Kravitz) is also biracial (1/2 black & 1/2 Jewish) WHAT race exactly is Zoe Kravitz? She is multi-racial since she is mixed but NOT biracial. Multiracial is not a race.
What is the difference? I mean no disrespect when I ask, but how and when does it matter?
They’re both black and jewish, except Lenny’s roots are from the Bahamas while Lisa’s are in the Americas. Which makes Zoe the same thing. Half black and half jewish.
I am glad Zoe was comfortable enough to express this. She is definitely not the only one who faces this dilemma. I think the main problem with how we “identify” stems from the definition of blackness in our various societies. If not comfortable with that definition, it’s understandable that someone who could even be visibly of black ethnicity, can reject the culture. We need to realise there are many ways of being black and the media should not be the main deciding factor. It’s about history, pride in how you look, ambitions for yourself and your people, etc. Too much… Read more »
I wish these people would go to South LA trying to tell black Creoles “you’re not black.” they will end up somewhere in the swamp as gator food. If anything is left of you they may use the teeth for making Mardi Gras beads. I wouldn’t piss off a Cajun either for that matter unless I was ready to fight or run. They are the sweetest most generous people in the world until you cross them the wrong way then it’s your @$$.
She should identify with both African and European because its who she is
I’m really happy for Zoë but I feel the whole “being black” thing is just tosh especially considering that her father AND mother were both people who felt that they weren’t white enough to “be white” and weren’t black enough to be “black” and therefore felt excluded from of social groups.
Being “black” is NOT liking Tyler Perry movies or listening to Billie holiday it’s having a bloodline that can be traced back to African natives and not identifying with black culture isn’t a bad thing either- bashing black people though is
I just rmr in grade school feeling like the “African booty scratcher” or at least that’s how the black and white kids made me feel most of the time. I’m a US native but have African born parents. So it took years before I felt “black” or black American or whatever. Or is it African American? Idk.…lol
I went through the same thing, and I didn’t realize how wrong I was until I was about 14. Growing up as one of the few black kids (especially a black girl) in a white neighborhood is hard, and all you want to do is fit in. I remember coming to school with cornrows, braided extensions, and afro puffs, and the kids would ask about them. I felt really ashamed of myself. I felt ugly because all of the white kids would get boyfriends and girlfriends (you know, the middle school relationships that lasted 2 days), and no one ever… Read more »
I went though the same thing (Except I had box haircut, like Kid from “Kid ‘n’ Play”). It was a lonely experience. It’s probably why I’m so introverted, now.
White kids don’t get boyfriends or asked out when they are in middle school either. (I am white and speak from experience.) The black kids in our school were the most popular kids in HS. Homecoming queen, popular jocks. We all got along and didn’t look at color. There was no divide, this was in the early 70’s. Have things changed so much since then? Maybe kids were asking about your cornrows etc. because they sincerely wanted to understand; not trying to make you feel ashamed. There was a movie called “10” where Bo Derek had her hair made into… Read more »
Idk I went to a a private Catholic school , which as you can guess is predominately white, and I am black. The black students were also very popular because ‚in my opinion, we stood out easier lol and the white students would try to prove they were ‘cool’ buy letting us know they knew rap songs and would try to talk in slang and basically try to be one of us I guess. So I get what your saying. But in elementary school out was TOTALLY different. None of the boys liked my afro puffs or twist. And if… Read more »
I’m telling you MY experience. Yes, in my town, the white kids did get boyfriends and girlfriends as early as ELEMENTARY school. Trust me, the black kids are not the most popular here. Just this year, a black homecoming queen was crowned for the first time in the history of my high school. She was the only black person on the whole homecoming court. There is definitely a divide in my town. The black people stick with the black people, the asians stick with the asians, and the white people stick with the white people. People are friendly, but there… Read more »
In my neighborhood, white kids began “relationships” as early as elementary school. Trust me, black people are far from the most popular here. It’s especially hard when you’re an honor student and there are barely any black people in your honors classes. One year, in my biology class, I had to deal with kids making racist jokes and making fun of my race, and I couldn’t even defend myself because I was the only black person in the class, and I was soft spoken and introverted. The teacher was oblivious and never stepped in to help. Whenever I tried to… Read more »
She can be a black woman, just as her father is a black man. There is nothing wrong enjoying music and art from any race. Free yourself from standards and categorizations other people make and create your own culture, separate from everyone else’s copy.
She can’t be a black woman unless science has found some way for her to be reborn to two black parents. Her father can’t be a black man, because one of the two people who conceived him and contributed half of his DNA is white. He is as white as he is black. Zoë has two biracial parents. Zoë is black and white — biracial — not a black woman.
Adopting aspects of the culture they’re a part of is brainwashing? I find the idea that because she’s surrounded by white people the experience was inherently bad to be borderline offensive. Why is there any need to align oneself to a specific cultural identity? How about you just like what you like. Hell, I watch Sidney Poitier movies and listen to Nina Simone and I’m white.
I like rock and movie/game scores, and I’m NOT white. Then again, I grew up around white kids like Zoe, so I had to be open to other things growing up.
Basically, it is negative. Honestly you can feel it is offensive but really all she is saying is that after she grew up in a community that is so predominantly white, it generated a negative perception of her blackness — she saw it as inferior and more shameful. Look how she noted that she had to reaffirm the fact that she is just like her white counterparts to feel accepted because, let’s face it, white America does tend to generalize blackness in the most negative light supported by negative or offensively comical stereotypes. And you can never argue that point.… Read more »
This is stupid. Not only women should want equality everyone should want gender equality because it benefits everyone. Bad example. Secondly if you’re mixed with another culture why can’t you identify with it? This whole idea of “well I don’t accept her” do you honestly think she cares what a internalized racist thinks of her? Being multi racial means you belong to multiple races and that you can identify as all of them if you want to. This whole idea of “choose one” is just racist and offensive to multi racial people.
You jumped to call it stupid without understanding the comparison. All people including men & women can be feminists and want gender equality, but being a male feminist who identifies with & supports it doesn’t make you a woman, biology does. Read between the lines before you jump smh. Did I say she should care about my opinions? So I should shut up & not say my mind unless another person cares? Everyone should have the same opinions & those who don’t, don’t deserve free speech? Nice. What makes us black are our skin, our hair and our shared heritage… Read more »
If you had a DNA test you would also find that you are white and black. Everyone has some varying degrees of black and white. Culturally in the USA there is no mixed race culture, she is considered black culturally by white people, and thus women with similar heritage, or more black, who also come from privilege, will share a similar struggle when interacting with the majority.
You jumped and missed the point of the comparison entirely. Of course all people should support gender equality, but male feminists who identify with & support women are still male. Identifying doesn’t make you a woman, biology does. Did I say I wanted her to care about my opinion? Does she care about yours? So everyone should have the same opinions and if you don’t, shut up and be quiet? Your rude & childish ways of disagreeing may make you feel smart & self-righteous but they’re only counter-productive & working to kill honest dialogue in the end. What identifies us… Read more »
VERY well said.
So how come the ethnicity of a Chinese person still relates to Chinese which is also their nationality but a Trinidadian person’s ethnicity is black and not Trinidadian?
Why do white people come on this site? Just curious. On every comment section I see things like “I’m a white person but…”. why?
Lol
she’s not black but mixed , she needs to concenntrate on the mixed culture .
All these yt people in the comment section.…
heyyy friend
In the US, someone who looks like Zoe is NOT considered white or white looking. She is considered black despite being famously biracial by the white people who cast movies, and she was considered black at her white school when she was a kid or she would have never tried to fit in by saying “I’m just as white as you guys…” Mixed race blacks suffer from anti-black discrimination, too. As for the casting in most movies and media in general, I think they are reflecting back what they think black people want to see, and in an age where… Read more »
Is it only in America you are pressured to claim one race when u are mixed? I am mixed and from the West Indies and yes we have our own West Indian (Trinidadian) culture which has been influenced by all the other groups that have passed though here be it our colonizers slaves or indentured labourers. But me nor anyone else I know here was ever pressured into identifying as Indian, Chinese Negro and so on :/ its not that big of a deal. We all are just who we are! people with different backgrounds experiences and perceptions. Not all… Read more »
I do understand your point because you make your case very well. I would hate anyone to feel erased. However, the problem is that it is very common (I will just speak in terms of the US as I am from the US ) for siblings with the same parents where one would come one would meet your phenotype requirements of being black and the other would not yet it doesn’t make sense to say they are not the same race. Same with two parents who meet the black standards and their child doesn’t. My cousin and his wife are… Read more »
????????
My last comment was the hand clap emoji but it came up as question marks. I applaud this comment!!!
I can totally understand where she is coming from, I went to an all white primary/high school and when I went to college where there was alot more black people I finally got a chance to celebrate my blackness as opposed to trying to sweep it under the carpet and act like it wasn’t a good thing. I am finally a proud black woman!
I’m not trying to take away from anyone’s experience — but why is it brainwashing to like one kind of music over another? (Just one example…as she acknowledged, its deeper than that). If you like Neil Young, you like Neil Young! He’s great! Does being interested in certain things make you “less black?” NO. That’s not how it works. I blast Brandi Carlile in my car damn near every day, but when I step out of the house, no one is confused that me and my Afro are black as can be. I don’t feel brainwashed because I don’t listen… Read more »
[…] wormhole of reading a bunch of their other posts. I read one where Zoë Kravitz talks about having to “un-brainwash” herself from buying into the prevalent white culture beauty standards. Did you ever experience an […]
i think she thought that was how it worked though. the brainwashing part also comes in with her intentionally excluding a certain part of herself to fit in. or only associating her blackness with an affinity for TP movies and rap music. she had to consciously reroute the way she thought about things which i guess is why she used the word. but yeah i agree. subjecting yourself to one type of music is criminal lol there’s just too much awesome stuff in the world to limit yourself because of some arbitrary rule on what black people do.
To infiltrate.
The problem lies in some people having a choice, and switching their choice at will.
I’m 99% sure that no one is surprised by this.
‘Jewish’ is a cultural group as well as a religion, not a race
Actually it can be all of the above but I was speaking ethnically.
The link came up in my FB feed.
Exactly. Beautifully written.
never heard of her.