Ok, here's the deal. I have an ongoing debate going on with my sister about Chloe's inherited ethnicity. Since my dad is 100% Mexican, I'm half Mexican. Oddly enough, Matt's mom is also from Mexico so he's half Mexican also.So, Chloe's got a 1/2 Mexican mommy and a 1/2 Mexican daddy. Both Matt and I reason that Chloe is then 1/4 Mexican since the amount of ethnicity a parent contributes should be multiplied together not added (1/2 times 1/2 equals 1/4). This works out in the example of two full-blooded Mexican parents (1 times 1 equals 1; if you added 1 + 1 you couldn't get a doubly Mexican child).
According to my sister's analysis, we each gave Chloe 1/4 of our Mexican-ness so that adds up to 1/2. She makes a good point.
What do you think? Which is it, adding or multiplying? And where can I find out the answer to this question? I tried googling several different topics and came up with nothing.
10 comments:
Josh says that she would be a half. 1/4 x 1/4 = 1/2.
I had no idea, and he was absolutely sure of his!
I am laughing outloud!! My mom is black and my dad is white and nathan and i LOVE joking around about what "status" this will lend to our children? 1/4? 1/8th?? LOL Hope you find your answer!! although i have resolved that it ultimately doesn't really matter!
This is so interesting! Genes are pretty weird - I mean, technically your kids could have a pretty wide range of physical features that would either resemble native Mexicans or whatever other heritage you guys have in your past. Judy Garland's dad was black and she didn't know it until she had a child who was black (it's actually kind of a sad story) And why am I the only one in 3 generations on both sides of the family with blonde hair? Weird. Very weird. I tend to agree that she would be 1/2 Mexican, though. I can't explain it other than that it sounds right.
I vote for 1/2 Mexican, too . . . makes sense to me, for whatever reason! :) Either way, Chloe is a total cutie-pie!!
I'm with the 1/2 Mexican voters.
Not the voters who ARE 1/2 Mexican, (although I fall into that category!) but rather those voters who say she's 1/2. Ha!
Okay, so I'm 1/2 Mexican, and Nate is white. Is Olivia 1/4?
I would say 1/4 Mexican, because that seems to make more sense. Too say she would be 1/2 Mexican would imply that one of the parents would be full Mexican, which neither Matt or you are. Just my two cents though! =)
Interesting question - I really don't know. My hubby said a 1/3:).
I say 1/4 also. I agree with Tricia that she would only be 1/2 if one of you were full Mexican. This is a VERY interesting question that I do hope you can find some conclusive answers on.
My husband says that it doesn't make sense to multiply the two together. For example, if you were half Mexican and Matt was not Mexican at all, it wouldn't make sense to say that Chloe must be 1/2 x 0 = 0 Mexican, because she would clearly be part Mexican. He says you ignore the parents and look at the grandparents. She has 4 grandparents - 2 of which are 100% Mexican, therefore, she is 1/2 Mexican.
By the way Shannon, 1/4 x 1/4 is NOT 1/2, it is 1/16.
I think it's a 1/2. If it was only a 1/4 then the other halves of you and Matt would have to equal the remaining 3/4 of Chloe - and that just wouldn't add up. Besides, if only you were half Mexican she would already be 1/4, so if both of you are then it has to be more.
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