Taye Diggs defends wanting biracial son to embrace being mixed

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Actor Taye Diggs came under fire recently after he explained how he would want his biracial son to not have to identify as one race over the other.

While promoting his latest children's book Mixed Me, about a biracial child learning to accept himself, Diggs spoke to The Grio about the book's message and how his son Walker could learn from it.

"My son is half black, half white and just by watching him growing up, listening to other biracial–or how you want to term these beautiful people–their experiences, their accounts what it's like coming from a blended relationship. "Mixed Me" It's another book of self love, self appreciation and knowing that you are special regardless of what people say about you because people will always say stuff," Diggs said.

Diggs then elaborated how he wants Walker, whose mother is actress and singer Idina Menzel, to not feel any pressure to claim just one race. "I think when you do, you risk disrespecting that one half of who you are ...I don't want my son to be in a situation where he calls himself black, and then everybody thinks he has a black mom and a black dad and then when they see he has a white mother, they're wondering what's going on? Are you ashamed of your white?" the actor said.

Soon after, commenters on social media began blasting the 44-year-old for allegedly being ashamed of his own race and thus wanting his son to avoid being labeled black.

Diggs fired back on Instagram Wednesday writing "I am a proud black man. I want my son to grow up and to be a proud black man if he so chooses. He has a mother who is white. He has every right to be just as proud of his mother's 'blood' as well. Please wake up, people. It's not that deep."

Back in 2011, Diggs released his first children's book, Chocolate Me! which detailed his younger years growing up in Rochester, New York and the racial discrimination he experienced for being African-American.