In my family we have everything from very dark to Mediterranean. In my experience, those who look pale enough to pass are allowed to - until their sub-Saharan African ancestry is made known to all. After that, every white person who wasn't extremely leftist, internationalist or open-minded (read: the majority that I encounter in the US) began referring to them as "black" or "I always thought she was white until I found out she was black" or some derivation of that statement. So the operative reality for me has been that appearance is usually determinative of what people think unless they know otherwise. But once it's known, watch out.
Light skin I am very light skinned in the winter. It is easier for people to call to black, because you do not look white. Mixed is best as of now.
I am very light skinned. I have more of my mother than my father in me. Although you can tell I am mixed, I am not black. White people just need an easy way to i.d. you. Black is easy. I consider myself biracial.
