Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris Jackson, has faced criticism over how she identifies her racial background, and explained why she identifies as a black woman.
Paris Jackson has previously said she considers herself a Black woman, a statement that has sparked ongoing debate online. Years after her father’s death, questions about Paris Jackson’s identity, and even her paternity, have continued to follow her.
In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Paris addressed both topics directly. At the time, she acknowledged that many people perceive her as white. Still, she made it clear where she stands: “I consider myself Black,” she said, explaining that her father was the one who shaped that identity.
“He would look at me, and he’d point his finger at me and be like, ‘You’re Black. Be proud of your roots.’ And I’d be like, ‘OK, he’s my dad, why would he lie to me?’ So I just believe what he told me. ‘Cause, to my knowledge, he’s never lied to me.”
Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris
Paris also pushed back on assumptions tied to her appearance, noting that mixed-race individuals can have a wide range of features.
Regarding the speculation about whether Michael Jackson was her biological father, Paris said: “He is my father. He will always be my father. He never wasn’t, and he never will not be,” she said, according to VT. “People that knew him really well say they see him in me, that it’s almost scary.
She also described her upbringing as open-minded, recalling how her father reacted when she developed a childhood crush on a woman featured on a magazine cover.
“Instead of yelling at me, like most homophobic parents, he was making fun of me, like, ‘Oh, you got yourself a girlfriend,'” she said.
“His number-one focus for us, besides loving us, was education,” Paris added.
“She is who my dad is”
In 2020, Paris also told People about her relationship with her brother, Prince, “I’ve always looked up to him and always wanted his approval and everything, and wanted to be more like him.”
He said his little sister is very similar to their father, explaining: “Basically, as a person, she is who my dad is. The only thing that’s different would be her age and her gender.”
Prince said that those similarity’s were “in all of her strengths, and almost all of her weaknesses as well. She’s very passionate.”
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