<p>I bring this up because I wonder how many others have a hard time identifying his race and I myself am kind of lost in my own self-identification. I’ll share my story. </p>
<p>Technically speaking, I am half-Caucasian, half-Indian (as in from India.) My father was born in India and has “darker” skin than most Indians. He grew up mostly in Britain, however. My mother herself is mix- her mother was Catholic while her father was Jewish (which was really rare at the time- she, however, leaned toward the Catholic side.) As I’ve grown up, I’ve always said the same thing: I’m half white, half Indian. My information with the school is “Caucasian.” I feel white in a lot of ways in that culturally I do not really associate with a lot of other Indians. I do not speak my father’s native tongue, Bengla, nor have I ever visited India. I also have a very American name (Zack.) But the problem is that I don’t look white- I look brown. In fact, I’ve been mislabeled as Latino several times- partially for my excellent performance in Spanish classes in conjunction with my skin tone. I also am not culturally quite WASP either despite living in somewhat the South (Arizona.) Even when I tell people that I am Asian rather than Latino, I get replies that I am not Asian at all- that I am “pseudo-Asian” for the fact that I am Indian. Even worse, I probably know more about Latino culture than Indian culture. </p>
<p>I also thought I held a grip on my race too. I wrote my college essay on it actually- but the more I think about it, though I’m technically biracial, I don’t see myself as being really a part of either race though I’m supposed to be MORE included rather than less. It’s a push and a pull, really, and it’s so awkward. I’d love to say “screw labels,” but I don’t think I can. Does anybody else feel like this?</p>
<p>On my dad’s side, his mom is Jewish which makes him Jewish and his dad is Irish Catholic and French Canadian. Pretty easy. </p>
<p>On my mom’s side, her mother is 100% British, easy. But her father’s mother was 100% Indian (from India) but his father was a Gypsy and they don’t know what the actual “race” was since they were nomadic. He just listed Hungarian on most things because that’s where he was born. My mom was born and raised in Spain so according to some colleges I’m Hispanic. </p>
<p>I have a VERY Irish name- Kate O’Connor, but I am less Irish than anything else. I also have pasty-white British skin so people are super surprised when they see my parents (my mother has light Indian skin and my father has the olivey Jewish skin), but I have really round Indian eyes so Indian people realize I am Indian, even though my eyes are bright blue. I get called a WASP alot and I hate it. BAH!</p>
<p>I put on most race questions “other” or “bi-racial”.</p>
<p>Props to being bi-Racial! We ROCK!
I get all sorts of stuff…
I’ve gotten:
Mexican
Chinese
Viet
Filipino
White
Japanese
Korean
Thai
Italian
Spaniard (both of the above of which are white)
I’m Half Mexican and half Chinese. I usually get my Asian side is predominant, but mexican sometimes too. The most Common one I get is probably Vietnamese, I’ve had Native Born Vietnamese come up and tell me I look drop dead Viet.
I Speak both my languages, and I know much about both cultures, so in no way am I deprived of any of my cultures. I even know stuff about the Philippines (my grandma was born there but she is Chinese, like Chinese born American…). And I’ve been to all three countries.
I went to an Asian Majority Elementary school, and when I went to middle school that slumped down, but all races were evenly distributed, and same in High School. I live in great diversity, my school is like 40% black, 20% Asian, 20% Latino and the rest is white…
I can pass as a native in all my countries(even the Philippines), which really rocks cause no one looks at me funny and I feel like I am among ‘my people’.
People usually assume I’m Asian by last name, which sound no way Hispanic.
I’ve met a half Indian half White girl, she does look more Mexican… But don’t be mad I’ve seen Mexicans that look Indian, sometimes people mistake my mom for Indian too.
My name is a American, Filipino, and Spanish name. I have my own seperate Chinese name 邱迪和… which I use when addressing Chinese people.
Being Bi Racial is awesome, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything…I am no way deprived of any of my backgrounds, which I believe is important.</p>
<p>oh and I’m down as Hispanic right now, but I switch it around a lot… Last year I was Asian… colleges like Hispanics better right now though, so I’ll probably go with that…</p>
<p>It bothers me sometimes that every light-skinned person is instantly and universally thrown into one big “White” category. I can easily tell the difference between an Italian and an Irishman (I believe the correct term for describing myself would be “ginger”), so it irks me when I see several different denominations of other “races,” but “White” is maintained as one group, even though the differences between people of various ethnic backgrounds are fairly easily distinguishable from one another.</p>
<p>To answer the original question, though, I don’t. I’m very, very, very white. I almost won a paleness contest at my school, but one kid managed to beat me. Not that I don’t go outside, but when I do, I get sunburned very easily.</p>
<p>Unless I am mistaken, Indians from India are considered white. Native Americanare genetically similar to Japanese and Chinese. Knowing your race is probably more important for medical reasons than for anything else. It can work for you or against you if affirmative action (or rationing, if you are Asian) is in play.</p>
<p>When people ask “what are you?” I usually just say American. Which makes them mad.</p>
<p>I’m white, but sort of strange looking. Everybody asks me if I’m half Asian, even Asians. My skin is olivey/pale in the winter but super dark with any sun exposure.</p>
<p>I know I have lots of Welsh/French/Irish blood. Recently doctors have started telling me that I must be Native American because of weird genetic teeth/skin issues I have and my bone structure. Too bad they didn’t bring that up until after college apps went in =P</p>
<p>I thought I was white until first grade, when people told me there were more races than just “black” and “white.” Apparently I am “yellow” or something.</p>
<p>Hispanic/Latino isn’t even a race, a misconception common with most Americans.</p>
<p>As a result, I only know for sure my ethnicity. But as for race, I can only make an educated guess based on how I look, where my parents come from, and history that I am a mix of the Spanish conquerors in the Mexican region, Portuguese conquerors in the Brazilian region, Indigenous Peoples (in Latin America) of both the Mexican and Brazilian regions, and the Black slaves of Brazil. </p>
<p>I think that’s pretty accurate. I’m brown skinned, puffy lips (but not to the extent of darker skinned Blacks), naturally low body fat and easy to build muscle and athletically inclined, very curly but not kinky hair, and brown eyes.</p>
<p>Febreze, you are half Hispanic. Hispanic is not a race.</p>
<p>I’m half Chinese (Taiwanese) and half Polish (white). I’ve been asked if I was Eskimo, Native american, Indian (as in from india), eastern European (as in Bulgarian), middle eastern, and latino/mexican. Its quite interesting. On the identity thing, I always put down “other” if I have only one choice. If I can choose multiple, then I put down asian, caucasian, and multi-racial/other.</p>
<p>Actually I do find it odd that some people are counted as white even though they are from Iran.
Indians from India are considered Asian in the US Census, but Iranians, Arabs, Central Asians, and North Africans are counted as White…
Hispanic is not a race in the US census, but it is a denomination. On tests they don’t ask you if your white-Hispanic…it just says Hispanic…
Whats more so many Hispanics do not like being called white and will put down ‘other’ and Hispanic…When ever I have the Chance I put down Asian of Hispanic Denomination.
No one can force you to put Biracial by the way, you can consider your self what ever you want…Define an Asian? someone with funny eyes?? well according to that some Native Americans and most Central Asians are ‘Asian’…define Caucasian…what about the Ainu people in Japan???
As far as I’m concerned no one can tell me what I am or what I’m not…According to science Native Americans came from Asia…well and all of humanity came from africa…
But what ever the case…</p>
<p>But other than that, you’re right. Though I prefer to call Hispanic an ethnicity as do most people. Denomination makes it sound like it’s a choice to be Hispanic or not.</p>
<p>Too much of it is so arbitrary. You could from a Russian town a mile from the Chinese border and have to report something different than someone a mile from the border on the other side, yet North Africans and Icelanders are in the same ethnic groups? There should be more divisions within Caucasian, like Caucasian-Mediterranean or Western-European Caucasian, Eastern European Caucasian.</p>
<p>seems like you all go too much into this. i am constantly asked if i am a(n):
italian
greek
spaniard
sometimes even south american or eastern european.
i’m persian, but it’s really weird when people think “for sure” that I am a different race.
Had one teacher who grew up living in a 90% italian neighborhood, and would ask me questions about Italy and italian last names. I was like…***?</p>
<p>As for Job Applications/any other form that requires race, I usually leave it blank (we’re all people, regardless of our race) or i mark other and put PERSIAN in big block letters.</p>
<p>edit: I do find race very fascinating, though. it’d be awesome to really see who your ancestors were from hundreds of years ago.</p>