power, privilege, and everyday life.
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176 posts tagged ethnicity
I came into work to pick up my paycheck, and hear my manager grumbling about a couple as they’re leaving the cash.
“Urgh, Arab men are such chauvinists! They treat their women like shit!”
I try to get her to think about what she’s just said, and she thinks for a moment before correcting herself.
“Yeah… but it’s just Arab culture. Arab men… they’re just like Latinos.”
Face palm.
When people ask me what my heritage is, I tell them Mexican and Irish (my parents were both born in the US), and people always say, “That’s such a weird combination!” I know that they mean it in a cultural sense and not a racial one, but it’s still is a little confusing/upsetting.
I had to cover my nose with a fan during cosplay so people will actually take pictures otherwise I’d look “too persian” Fuck you guys, I make a cute ass persian enma ai
My close friend is Armenian, and her father has friends in the Armenian community in Watertown, much of which is located on Franklin. In these last 24 or so hours, one of his friends have received calls, threatening or yelling at him just for being Armenian. Allegedly, these calls have blamed Armenians for helping the Russians, though this man did not help the suspects at all. Like everyone else, he was only trying to lay low and stay safe. He has received at least 5 of such calls.
Today I heard this dude go up to this Chinese kid and say you must be in Calculus cause your Chinese. All Chinese people are good with numbers aren’t they?
“Where is the bomb?”
Security guard as he looks into my small pursue (that can barely hold my cellphone).
We were watching a video in class, and it had language options. I was happy to see Korean, written in Korean, on that list, but someone asked, “Can we watch it in Chinese?” and pointed at the Korean. He then called me stupid when I corrected him, and no one, not even the teacher, told him off for calling me stupid. I’m Korean American, but in that moment, I felt stupid. I wished I hadn’t said anything at all.
“I just don’t think anyone here will be able to personally identify with these characters.”
Comment from a cis-straight white girl in a writing workshop. The main characters in question were a gay Syrian man who described himself as a secular Muslim and a bi trans man. I don’t think anyone could ‘personally identify’ with the fact that they were SIS (MI6) spies, no, but that wasn’t what she was talking about, was it?
People:: Where are you from?
Me:: New Jersey.
People:: No, where are you REALLY from?
Me:: I was born and raised in New Jersey.
People:: No, but you must be from somewhere else.
I posted a quote from Ann Romney saying to a room of Latino business and political leaders that she just recognized that Latinos were an important part of the electorate, said that “you people really know how to party,” and that Puerto Ricans did amazing things with their “little island.” A former co-worker and Facebook friend said, “Let’s ignore political theater and let it go.”
“Wow. She is actually quite beautiful for a Samoan.”
My employer asks “Are you Jewish?” Based on my volunteer experience in Jewish Youth Organizations I know it is obvious so respond with “Yes.” My employer then says “I could tell.” and then points to her own nose. She then says “My husband is Jewish.”
I walk in to an Indian Restaurant to order some food to go. The guy behind the counter immediately starts talking to me in Hindi and asks me something. I explain ’ I’m sorry i don’t understand’. The guys says ’ Ohh you dont speak hindi?’. I reply ‘no i dont’ but keep it short to see where the conversation is going. I realize that i have been in far too many situations similar to this to get upset; so why not just see this one through taking my own time. So, the guy says ‘Ohh you must be born here then?’. I said no, i just dont speak Hindi. To my surprise he asks which language i speak. I said i speak English and Sinhalese. Then he asks ‘where is that from????’. I said Can I please have one order of chicken biriyani to go. I walk back to my car with an urge to scream out loud; my patience was outlived. I live in America, i’m brown but I’m Sri Lankan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“But you don’t look Jewish!”
in reaction to discovering my heritage, as if I’d be flattered.
I have thick, course, curly hair and have been asked my whole life if I’m part Jewish, African-American, Arab, etc. When I say no, it is only when someone asked if I were part African-American do they say “I’m sorry. No offense intended.” What offends me isn’t what they thought about my heritage, but the fact that being mistaken for someone of mixed race background can sill be considered an offense. And it reminds me how much further we have to go.
