Do you care when people see you as monoracial?

[hypeforlife91]

I don't know if this has been asked before so please pardon me. x)

I'm sure that many of us have had people think we are only one race as opposed to two or more.

So how do you feel when people think you're only Asian? only White? Hispanic? Middle-Eastern? Etc etc? Do you care?

I personally feel warm and fuzzy on the inside when people recognize I'm mixed. And a bit disappointed when people think I'm only one race or another. I know it's kinda weird...but yeah.. And it is pretty interesting that one person may think "oh you're white" and then the next person says "you're asian" shrugs**

[catgirl]

Many people who dont know my ethnic background think Im either South American, Spanish, Italian, French or from some Eastern European country, Arabic+++ The only thing I havent heard is African I used to be kind of shocked every time, but now Ive gotten used to it and dont take it so seriously.

Its actually very rarely that people ask me if Im mixed or just Asian. Like people automatically assume that everyone is mono-racial! Either youre this or that, not something inbetween.

[rob]

I realise this is EAN 101 core curriculuum and I'm a cantankerous butt-head, but HOLY SUPERFICIAL THREADS BATMAN!!!!

[hypeforlife91]

Hey, this is probably not the first time someone has asked some form of this But I'm just curious. Just asking for experiences and opinions. Not trying to start some sort of riot.

[rob]

EXCESSIVE NAVEL GAZING IS A CRIME

MASSES. SWARMING. PREPARING. TO. RIOT.

[milkman's baby]

I've never been called full white, just because I lived around whites my whole life (and not just any whites but WHITE whites - mostly blond German-Americans) and of course I stand out more. I used to get really annoyed when people constantly referred to me as being only Asian, because it made me feel as if I wasn't really related to my white father. I went through a phase in junior high and high school where I was very distant from my father because of it. He didn't understand it, but I felt so weird walking down the street with him. I've had people ask if I'm his adoptive daughter, and it just frustrates me. But I'm over it now, as there is nothing I can do about it. I really don't care any more. They can call me whatever.

[hypeforlife91]

I'm still a teenager so I think I sometimes feel like I'm going through an identity crisis. -_-;;; I'm glad that others have felt some form of the same feeling. It feels great to relate and makes me feel a sense of belonging, you know? I'm not trying to cause any trouble nor arguments. I am just looking for some support. =)

I know what you are talking about when you said "blond german-americans"....my father is blonde (well..more like grey now lol) and I have lots of family that is blonde. When I go out with that side of the family, I really do stand out since I'm a dark brunette and do have certain asian features...

[toyomansi]

^ From my experience, teenage years are confusing when it comes to racial identity, but things fall more into place when reaching 20's (but perhaps others EAs still feel confused or not confused at all). But it seems to me that you are a well-ajusted and confident person, Hype ^_^

I have to admit that I like it when people think I'm full Asian. Because culturally I feel more connected with them, and I love being included. If they don't see me as one of them, then I'd feel like an outsider. If Filipinos who don't know me would automatically speak Tagalog with me, I feel warm inside ^_^ Whenever people would say that I don't look Filipino, but rather Chinese/Japanese, I'm ok with that. If the person saying that is Chinese/Japanese, then I feel included by them.

[hypeforlife91]

^ I wish I can think the way you do now. You are far more confident and understanding than I am. =) When people think I'm only one race, it makes me feel like a part of me is missing even though it is really there. I know there isn't anything I can do about it, since it is the fact that it is their opinion. I tell people I know that "race isn't important" and I don't treat people according to their race. Yet, I feel differently about myself and only myself. ?_?

I think I am in some form...a hypocrite to myself....

[paul101]

Nov 30, 2009 14:09:49 GMT -5 hypeforlife91 said:

^ I wish I can think the way you do now. You are far more confident and understanding than I am. =) When people think I'm only one race, it makes me feel like a part of me is missing even though it is really there. I know there isn't anything I can do about it, since it is the fact that it is their opinion. I tell people I know that "race isn't important" and I don't treat people according to their race. Yet, I feel differently about myself and only myself. ?_?

I think I am in some form...a hypocrite to myself....

You have the most awesome smileys. ;__;

Anyhoo, I've never really minded when people just assumed that I was fully white. But walking down the street with my Eurasian-looking father and totally white-looking mother was a bit awkward. xD My Mum basically looks like Elliot Reid from Scrubs. My whole Irish family on my mother's side have very blonde hair and blue or green eyes and my dad's Irish family have dark blonde hair and brown/blue eyes. I guess I got his hair, but I could still fit in with my mother's family if I dyed my hair blonde.

[hypeforlife91]

^ My smileys are very Asianized lol. ^_^;;; ._. @_@

I stole the second one from my sister.

[toyomansi]

Nov 30, 2009 14:09:49 GMT -5 hypeforlife91 said:

^ I wish I can think the way you do now. You are far more confident and understanding than I am. =) When people think I'm only one race, it makes me feel like a part of me is missing even though it is really there. I know there isn't anything I can do about it, since it is the fact that it is their opinion. I tell people I know that "race isn't important" and I don't treat people according to their race. Yet, I feel differently about myself and only myself. ?_?

I think I am in some form...a hypocrite to myself....

I think it's natural to not care that much about other people's races, but still care about your own race ^^ Because a person draws a big part of their identity from their race, maybe not at home with family or with friends, but out among people in society.

The ethnic looks of a person is usually what people first notice when meeting someone, because it tells something about the person's background. And it's often confusing for EAs when people assume that they belong to a different ethnicity; like when someone thinks an EA is hispanic they would expect them to present themselves that way and know Spanish.

If you perhaps identify culturally to both of your races, you would want people to acknowledge your two races when meeting you. If they think you are fully one or the other, then you would feel like they're leaving out a part of who you are. And for EAs who mostly identify culturally with only one of their races, they would rather only be seen as that one race. Because then people would not expect them to act or behave more like their other race.

I think all people want others to see them for who they feel that they are on the inside.

[catgirl]

Nov 30, 2009 11:46:22 GMT -5 hypeforlife91 said:

I'm still a teenager so I think I sometimes feel like I'm going through an identity crisis. -_-;;; I'm glad that others have felt some form of the same feeling. It feels great to relate and makes me feel a sense of belonging, you know? I'm not trying to cause any trouble nor arguments. I am just looking for some support. =)

I know what you are talking about when you said "blond german-americans"....my father is blonde (well..more like grey now lol) and I have lots of family that is blonde. When I go out with that side of the family, I really do stand out since I'm a dark brunette and do have certain asian features...

Haha, my mum is dark-haired, but there was this Chinese-Viet dude that asked me, the first time we met, straight out of the blue: is your mum blonde:P Sometimes people can be so strange, you never know whats going on in their minds.

[milkman's baby]

Nov 30, 2009 11:46:22 GMT -5 hypeforlife91 said:

I'm still a teenager so I think I sometimes feel like I'm going through an identity crisis. -_-;;; I'm glad that others have felt some form of the same feeling. It feels great to relate and makes me feel a sense of belonging, you know? I'm not trying to cause any trouble nor arguments. I am just looking for some support. =)

Don't worry, you are not causing any trouble hon. The reason I post on EAN is mostly because I want to share experiences and sorta seek advice from other Eurasians based off our similar social experiences, because I simply don't live around enough Eurasians to be able to do that with my friends. It sounds weird to say this, but sometimes when I'm posting here I get a little jealous of the EAN users who live somewhere where they can interact with a lot of Eurasians, or at least somewhere with a nice equal proportion of Asians and whites. My whole life I've been the minority. It's interesting to see how differently our experiences are reported on here, probably based off location. Social conditions for EAs here in Nebraska just isn't the same as it is for an EA in California or even Europe or Asia.

[hypeforlife91]

^ Thank you, you made my day. =) <3