Paris Jackson, the only child of the legendary Michael Jackson, recently shared that she identifies as a black woman despite being of mixed race.
“I consider myself black,” Paris confidently stated, honoring her father’s heritage both in music and life. She added that her father always wanted her to “be proud of your roots.”
Want to know more about Paris Jackson’s identity journey? Keep reading!
Born on April 3, 1998, Paris Jackson is an American actress, model, and singer. Her parents are Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe.
Paris, 25, along with her brothers Bigi, 22, and Prince, 27, have always attracted attention. Fans are eager to learn everything about the Jackson family.
When they were little, their famous father, the “Billy Jean” singer, used masks, veils, and even blankets (for Bigi) to protect them from prying eyes.
In 2007, Jackson’s security team described the three children to People magazine as “well-mannered, well-behaved kids. They really do have good judgment. Michael’s top priority was them.”
But after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, the children’s protection was gone, and they were suddenly in the spotlight, easy targets for the paparazzi.
This sudden exposure led to Paris suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She shared, “I’ve been going to therapy for a lot of things, but that included audio hallucinations with camera clicks and severe paranoia.”
At 15, Paris admitted to making “multiple” suicide attempts. In 2019, she sought help at a rehab facility.
“It was just self-hatred,” she revealed. “Low self-esteem, believing I was incapable of doing anything right, and feeling I was no longer worthy of life.”
Her older brother, Prince Michael Jackson, has had a huge influence on her. “He’s everything to me, you know?” she said. Talking to People in 2020, Paris added, “I’ve always looked up to him, always wanted his approval, and wanted to be more like him.”
Prince believes Paris is more like their father. “She embodies my dad’s personality,” he said. “Her age and gender are the only differences. She shares almost all of her weaknesses as well as all of her strengths with her father. She has a lot of passion.”
Paris has walked the runway for top brands like Chanel and is the lead singer and guitarist for the band The Soundflowers. She’s dedicated to her work and to continuing her father’s legacy.
“My entire family is involved in music. I mean, I’m a Jackson,” she said in 2020. “Being a musician makes sense, but a Jackson doing folk indie?”
On the topic of race, Paris connects deeply with her late father’s heritage.
Michael Jackson, who was African-American with a darker complexion in his youth, reportedly suffered from Vitiligo, a condition that changes skin color. This was different from his later years when he had fair skin.
Despite rumors, Michael always denied bleaching his skin. In a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, he explained that Vitiligo caused his skin to lose color and that he only had surgery on his nose.
“I take pride in my race. I am proud of who I am,” Michael told Winfrey.
Paris respects her father’s African-American roots. In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, she said, “I consider myself black. [Michael] would look me in the eyes and he’d point his finger at me and he’d be like, ‘You’re black. Be proud of your heritage.’”
Paris noted that her lighter skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes often make people think she’s from “Finland or something.” She said, “Okay, he’s my dad, why would he lie to me? I just take his word for it. Because he has never lied to me, as far as I know.”
Not surprisingly, her statement about her race sparked controversy. One outspoken talk show host mockingly remarked, “I get that she considers herself black and everything, but I’m just talking about the visual. Black is not what you call yourself, it’s what the cops see when they’ve got steel to your neck on the turnpike.”
That’s what people see, she added. “But that’s adorable and beneficial to her.”
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