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Gigi Hadid opens up about the struggles of raising a mixed-race child

Gigi Hadid opens up about the struggles of raising a mixed-race child

"In certain situations, I feel — or I’m made to feel — that I’m too white to stand up for part of my Arab heritage," she admitted.
Updated 17 Jun, 2021

Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik are raising their daughter Khai, but being mixed-race children themselves, the couple realise that it's going to be tough.

Speaking about identity, belonging and the struggles of raising a child that is of mixed race, the supermodel revealed her approach to parenthood in a conversation with i-D Magazine. While much of it is instinctive, Hadid mentioned how in her situation, she and her partner have to actively think about how to address it.

"We think about it and talk about it a lot as partners and it’s something that’s really important to us, but it’s also something that we first experienced ourselves. Because both of our parents are their own heritage," she said. Hadid was born to a Dutch mother and Palestinian father while Malik's mother is English and Irish and his father a British Pakistani.

"We are that first generation of those mixed races and that comes with that first generational experience of being like, ‘Oh damn, I’m the bridge!’ That’s not something that my parents experienced or that they can really help me through. It’s something I’ve always thought about my whole life," she said, admitting that it's certainly been a challenge.

She revealed that she has struggled with her own identity due to not looking a certain way, adding that trying to figure out where she "fits in" hasn't been an easy task.

"In certain situations, I feel — or I’m made to feel — that I’m too white to stand up for part of my Arab heritage. You go through life trying to figure out where you fit in racially. Is what I am, or what I have, enough to do what I feel is right? But then, also, is that taking advantage of the privilege of having the whiteness within me, right? Am I allowed to speak for this side of me, or is that speaking on something that I don’t experience enough to know?"

She believes "Khai will grow up feeling out the way that she can or wants to be a bridge for her different ethnicities". Hadid thinks it will be nice to be able to have these conversations with her when she grows up and be able to add to that or answer her questions.

Comments

Murree Jun 17, 2021 04:45pm
We all feel sooooo sorry for her.
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Nationalist Jun 17, 2021 04:46pm
Everything is a struggle for celebrities even eating yoghurt without sugar
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ShadowLugia Jun 17, 2021 04:49pm
Don't bring the race issue when you guys are doing well in a tolerant country.
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Malik Jun 17, 2021 06:41pm
Zayn Malik net worth is 75 million and Gigi net worth is 29 million that’s total of 104 million. What a struggle.
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Amin Arab Jun 17, 2021 11:07pm
aww we normal people will never get the struggle of these rich celebrities.
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Anonymouseee Jun 17, 2021 11:12pm
Nobody cares.
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Hussain Jun 18, 2021 02:53am
@Nationalist yeah celebrities should have no struggles right? Life problems have nothing to do with celebrities they all are living happy non human life according to you.
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Hussain Jun 18, 2021 02:55am
@ShadowLugia how tolerant do you think the world is becoming day by day?
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mlk Jun 18, 2021 03:33am
Please do not worry once kid start to go school she will be all right and will be strong enough handle what ever fall on her way just think positive
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Syed Sher Jun 18, 2021 06:48am
@Malik open your mind it is not always about money.
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Khurram Jun 18, 2021 09:10am
@Malik it is. She is over 40 million short compared to her hubby. Gender discrimination must be the reason.........
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farid Jun 18, 2021 10:03am
@ShadowLugia Tolerant country?
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Corrution fighter Jun 18, 2021 10:06am
@Malik Pk Rupees or US Dollars?
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ST Jun 18, 2021 10:56am
Cross cultural marraiges do bring these issues. Kids ar oftenly confused. There was a young girl and she was wearing a cross. She revealed that her mom is christian ' dad an Arab .But in the end she said that she is so confused about the religion now and ended up in aethiesim. So sad and tragic!
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tahmad Jun 18, 2021 12:10pm
@Nationalist Yeah Damn true...and its damn news then all over
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M. Saeed Jun 18, 2021 12:41pm
With the man originating from Africa, all races are now mixed. Like it, or not.
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RationalBabu Jun 18, 2021 03:13pm
@farid infinitely more tolerant than any Muslim country!
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Dr. Doctor PhD? Jun 19, 2021 03:26am
@Hussain too reasonable a response for the readership here I'm afraid. Good sentiment though.
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