Paris Jackson Explains Why She Identifies As A Black Woman

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Paris Jackson has explained why she identifies as a Black woman.

Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris has spoken openly over the years about some of the most personal parts of her life, from grief and mental health struggles to addiction recovery, identity, and growing up under one of the most famous surnames in history.

As the daughter of the late King of Pop, Paris has spent much of her life under intense public scrutiny.

Every aspect of her appearance, relationships, and family background has been debated online, often by people who have never met her.

One topic that has repeatedly sparked discussion is how Paris identifies racially.

Despite regularly facing questions because of her lighter skin tone, the singer, model, and actress has consistently maintained that her father taught her to be proud of her Black heritage.

Her comments have generated headlines for years, and continue to divide opinion whenever they resurface online.

Growing up in the shadow of Michael Jackson

Paris is the only daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe.

She was born in April 1998 and grew up alongside her brothers, Prince and Bigi Jackson.

Following Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, Paris became one of the most recognizable celebrity children in the world.

As she got older, she began speaking publicly about the emotional impact of growing up under constant media attention.

One of the most difficult consequences, she revealed, was developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

During an appearance on Red Table Talk, Paris explained that years of paparazzi attention left lasting psychological effects.

“I experience audio hallucinations, sometimes, with camera clicks and severe paranoia, and have been going to therapy for a lot of things, but that included,” she said.

Paris revealed she underwent Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, describing the treatment as ‘very effective.’

The model and musician has also been candid about addiction struggles in the past.

In January 2025, Paris celebrated five years of sobriety, sharing a message on social media about overcoming alcohol and heroin addiction. Multiple outlets reported that she described reaching the milestone as one of the greatest achievements of her life.

Paris has also spoken openly about her s**uality

Another area where Paris has chosen transparency is her s**uality.

While speaking with Willow Smith on Red Table Talk, she explained that traditional labels never felt entirely accurate for her.

“I wouldn’t consider myself bis**ual because I’ve dated more than just men and women,” she said.

Elsewhere, Paris revealed that discussing s**uality within her family could be difficult because of their religious beliefs.

“My family is very religious and a lot of, like homos**uality, is very taboo, so we don’t talk about it, and it’s not really accepted,” she explained.

Despite those challenges, she said she eventually reached a place where she accepted that not everyone around her would share the same views.

“I’ve gotten to a point where I respect them and I have love for them. I respect their beliefs. I respect their religion,” she said.

“What people think about me isn’t my business.”

Over the years, Paris has also built a music career separate from her father’s legacy.

In 2020, she released her debut solo album Wilted, earning praise for its folk-inspired sound and deeply personal songwriting.

“Music is like the air I breathe,” she told L’Officiel Italia.

“It is awareness, it is being able to create something bigger than me and it is a way to express myself and externalize what I feel inside.”

More recently, Paris has continued releasing music while touring with major artists including Incubus during 2025.

Recent updates in Paris Jackson’s life

Paris has remained in the public eye throughout 2025 for reasons beyond discussions about identity.

The singer became engaged to music producer Justin Long in late 2024 and spent much of 2025 speaking enthusiastically about wedding plans.

At one point, she even revealed that an astrologer had helped select the wedding date.

“The dress is being made, the venue has been picked and the date has been picked by an astrologer,” she said.

However, the relationship later came to an end.

In July 2025, Paris confirmed she and Long had called off their engagement after nearly three years together.

Responding to paparazzi photographs showing her visibly emotional, she clarified online that the images showed ‘breakup tears.’

Despite the breakup, Paris has continued focusing on music, touring, and her sobriety journey. Multiple reports noted she celebrated five years sober earlier this year while continuing to perform and release new material.

But long before discussions about her career, relationships, or public image, Paris says her father made sure she understood exactly who she was.

Questions surrounding race have followed her for years

Few topics surrounding Paris Jackson have generated as much debate as discussions about race and identity.

Because she has lighter skin, many people have questioned her comments about identifying as a Black woman.

The conversation is closely tied to public perceptions of Michael Jackson himself.

Although many younger fans primarily remember Jackson with lighter skin, the singer repeatedly addressed speculation surrounding his appearance during his lifetime.

Jackson suffered from vitiligo, a skin condition that causes patches of skin to lose pigmentation.

Speaking to Oprah Winfrey in one of his most famous interviews, Jackson directly addressed the rumors that he wanted to change his race.

“I’m a Black American. I am proud to be a Black American. I am proud of my race, and I am proud of who I am,” he said.

“This is the situation, I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin. It is something I cannot help, OK?”

“But when people make up stories that I don’t want to be who I am, it hurts me.”

Those comments would later become significant for Paris.

As questions about her own racial identity grew, she explained that her understanding of herself largely came from the way her father raised her.

Still, many people remained skeptical because of her appearance.

Paris has acknowledged that strangers frequently assume she is white.

She once joked that people often guess she is ‘from Finland or something.’

She has also pointed to other mixed-race public figures who have similarly been questioned because they do not fit people’s assumptions about what race is supposed to look like.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, she revealed that Michael Jackson would regularly remind her of her roots.

“[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 roots,’” Paris recalled.

“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.”

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