This week during our seminar discussion one of the main topics we discussed was hybridity. I found it interesting the varying opinions surrounding hybridity and chose to sit back and watch because I wasn’t sure that I had anything useful to contribute and wanted to soak in other peoples ideas before vocalizing an opinion. However, over the last few days some of the ideas have been floating around in my brain.

The first point brought up in class by one student was that hybridity made it sound clinical and didn’t focus on the person of mixed ethnicity but rather what they were made up of, making the term seem dehumanizing. It was at that moment that I realized I needed to take a step back and listen because I had just accepted the term at face value. Another student said that he thought all people are hybrid because they are made up of the genes of two parents. I believe towards the end of class we determined that the term needed context in order to decide what someone was trying to say.

In terms of context, I think it’s always important to know your audience when you’re speaking about a topic that could have connotations that you’re unsure of, but also be open minded and apologetic if someone approaches you about what you’ve said.