"What are you?"

[Jolly_Penguin]

Anybody remember this youtube clip from a couple of years ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWynJkN5HbQ

As an Asian Canadian, I've had similar conversations with white people, who ask me "Where are you From" just because of how I look. I think this is the closest to racism that I have faced here in Ontario. The answer is that I was born in Canada, as were my parents, as were all but one of my grandparents. The question annoys some of my friends, but I can see why it is asked. What they really mean to say is "what is your background" etc, and its really no different from asking the same of a white person. Their family history may go back to England or France or Germany or Italy or wherever, and it can be an interesting question.

Recently I heard a story from my sister about my nephew facing a rather hilarious and stark example of this "where are you from" thing. He is 5. He looks very Asian. His brother looks very white (my brother in law is white). A little girl, around 6 years old, met him and had never seen an Asian person before. After staring at him for a few seconds she actually asked him "What Are You?". My newphew didn't know what to say to this. My brother in law overheard it and his eyes bugged out lol. He came over and introduced himself as my nephew's father, and explained to the little girl what race is and that people look different due to genetics and history etc, but we are all pretty much the same on the inside. The little girl just got more confused, having a hard time accepting that this very white looking man could be the father of this very not-white looking boy.

Some may brand this little girl a racist, but I think she meant no harm, and my brother in law overheard her introducing my nephew to other white kids, and explaining to them what she had learned from him.

Just a funny story I thought I'd pass along. What are you???? My nephew now says that if he's ever asked that question again, he is going to respond "I'm Batman". I think I'll do the same.

 

[dismal]

When I lived on the east coast it was pretty common to get into the "what are you" discussion among the white people because there was a lot of pride or ethnic identity among the Italians, Irish, Greeks, Scots or what have you.

I did spend some years in California at it seemed there was a little of that between the Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc.

In Texas a "what are you" question to someone might get you the answer baptist, methodist, presbyterian or somesuch. There does not seem to be as much ethnic identity.

 

[TSwizzle]

Anybody remember this youtube clip from a couple of years ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWynJkN5HbQ

As an Asian Canadian, I've had similar conversations with white people, who ask me "Where are you From" just because of how I look. I think this is the closest to racism that I have faced here in Ontario. The answer is that I was born in Canada, as were my parents, as were all but one of my grandparents. The question annoys some of my friends, but I can see why it is asked. What they really mean to say is "what is your background" etc, and its really no different from asking the same of a white person. Their family history may go back to England or France or Germany or Italy or wherever, and it can be an interesting question.

I don't see why the question "where are you from" would automatically take on a racist connotation in polite conversation. I get asked it all the time and I don't interpret an innocent question as being racist. It's tiresome but that is all. It's tiresome because my response often invokes a long, boring story about how the person's family came from there or they vacationed there or something. I don't know what to make of the video, it's pretty dumb.

 

[krypton iodine sulfur]

A coworker of mine has a handful of stories about her young kids awkwardly navigating their understanding of different types of people in the world. As an adult, she feels embarrassed over it, but it becomes a bit of a teaching moment for her kids because they don't know better. Most people understand at that age there isn't malice or judgment. It's awkward, sometimes cute (though sometimes ill-mannered), and often funny to watch the visible embarrassment on the parents' faces if they happen to be in earshot. I don't know if people would be too quick to brand her a racist, though perhaps some people would react rather dramatically to her actions.

The question annoys some of my friends, but I can see why it is asked. What they really mean to say is "what is your background" etc, and its really no different from asking the same of a white person.

It tends it depend on how it is asked or what is actually being asked. If a person is merely interested in your heritage or personal history, sure that is something which gets often of many people. For instance, many people have asked if I am Dutch based on my last name. People with obvious accents often get asked about that. Or I sometimes ask people if they are from Vancouver originally, because many people I've met in this city are from other parts of Canada or the world, and it seems to be an okay way to fill the awkward early stages of getting to know someone.

That said, some people are being racist, even if not malicious. There is an embedded assumption that all Canadians are white or perhaps part of the aboriginal population (though I've heard even they get treated as foreigners by some). It's not like it's a hate crime or anything, but I do think it's pretty fucked up. My heritage in Canada only goes back as far as my dad, and even his two older siblings were not born in Canada. By heritage, your family is more Canadian than mine. While the nation's population may still be predominately white, there are families from many different ethnicities which go back numerous generations. They're clearly a part of the heritage of this country. So it is warped to be excluded from what it means to be Canadian on the basis of appearance alone.

If someone can shrug that sort of thing off, that's cool. If it annoys the hell out of them or even angers them though, I can certainly see why it would.

 

[prideandfall]

i think it has less to do with racism and more with the deeply held delusion that almost all americans have that geographical-centered stereotypes are relevant reference points for determining aspects of a person's character.
most people seem to honestly believe that whatever idiotic cliche they heard about people from X country are not only categorically true, but inherited traits that will be held by anyone who can trace their lineage to that region.

it's basically nothing more (or less) than a DNA equivalent of asking a person what their astrological sign is.

 

[funinspace]

Where's the nuoc mam

Anybody remember this youtube clip from a couple of years ago?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWynJkN5HbQ

Funny vid, hadn't seen it. What does it mean when an ethnic Chinese (could speak Chinese, but born in US), looked to me to translate the stuttering speech of a Vietnam born American? I could understand the Vietnamese guy's speaking patterns better than he could (and at least 75% of my DNA has been in what is now the United States for almost 4 centuries).

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

I'm a hominid. I think.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Back in the 70's, asking someone's nationality was no more a point of conversation than movies or a favorite restaurant. Granted, the neighborhood I lived in and any visited were total Wonderbread so it was basically, what part of Europe. Later in life, as my neighbors skin tone and facial features grew more disparate, I made a point of not asking. It seems first generation immigrants tend to volunteer the information. I'm glad they do. I am interested in other cultures and they sometimes lead to some very interesting stories.