Do you look more asian or white?

[terce]

lots of whites assume i'm full asian...but asians can tell i'm mixed.

[mel]

well ppl usually stare at me and speak to me in english before i have to speak to them back in indo to get them to speak indo to me soo i guess i look more white than i do asian..it's the fair skin,big brown eyes,brownish-reddish hair i guess..
i thought i looked chinese cz of my eyes,but ppl say my eyes are huge either i'm so totally oblivious with distinguishing myself or ppl say different things about my eyes..
i would show a picture of me self but i dnt know how anyone know how??

[Ganbare!]

So many of us faced the mistaken for another race thingy. I remember once a classmate in college started ranting on how Toronto was so spatially segregated with 'small Asians' dwelling the city and speaking their native language loudly without the concern to integrate unlike Jews that did so much to be model multicultural Canadian citizens. Then I replied that I might be doing that TOO since I'm part Chinese.

Needless to say the guy started s***ting his pants at the thought that he revealed his prejudice in front of an EA that he thought was Jewish.

From this day on he did his best to avoid me, sad... and this happened to me several times during my stay in the national capital of the 'so-called' most tolerant country in the world, Ottawa !

[betahat]

^So many of us faced the mistaken for another race thingy. I remember once a classmate in college started ranting on how Toronto was so spatially segregated with 'small Asians' dwelling the city and speaking their native language loudly without the concern to integrate unlike Jews that did so much to be model multicultural Canadian citizens


Well, that's a pretty common thing you hear about Asians. Of course, all recent immigrants and minorities tend to cluster together, especially when language is a barrier, but Asians get singled out a lot because they are highly visible and frequently represent the newest wave of immigration. People in the US complain all the time about having Spanish instructions or ingredient lists or signage.

I think you should remind your friend that the Canadian multiculturalism model is not one of assimilation but of peaceful coexistence, understanding, and celebration of diversity. Every week in the summer there is some other street or neighborhood that has a street festival celebrating whatever ethnicity dominates their enclave. I thought it was understood that ethnic enclaves were the key to Canadian multiculturalism. Maybe your classmate was thinking that Scarborough or "Brambladesh" are enclaves because they are suburbs outside of the city, while most of Toronto's jews live in Forest Hill or North on Bathurst, or downtown, where prices are higher but there is slightly more diversity per capita (as you have in any downtown of any big city). It certainly is odd for Jews in particular (especially if they are religious) to criticize other ethnic groups for not assimilating or integrating, as they tend to be highly concentrated into enclaves in most countries too. Both my wife and one of my groomsmen are Jewish, lived in mostly Jewish neighborhoods, and 90% of their high school friends were Jewish too.
Hopefully our 1/4 chinese, 1/4 Brit, 1/2 Jewish babies will help bridge the divide

[Ganbare!]

Actually, I've learnt my lesson and I quit trying to convince bigoted people. However I'm still surprised at how intolerant people generally were in O-town. I've grown up in Montreal and never faced this kind of prejudice even with the language issue and stuff, except maybe witnessing a couple of old Francophones but that's ok, I mean they are minorities 2 times in their own country.

I find that there is more and more overt racism in Canada and I'm not even talking about taboo reverse racism from minorities towards white people.

From my experience, in most monocultural countries of Western Europe, the Jews are not segregated at all, there are Jewish neighborhoods here and there but they are mostly spread out for example in France, the Jewish community is a very integrated ethnic group almost assimilated (look at our Prez N. Sarkozy). Since the official policy holds that there are only 2 kind of citizens, French citizens and foreigners, meaning there are no ethnic statistics and that you're whether French or you're not.

This policy has its pros and cons : High cultural unity and shared values etc but on the flip side some people fail or refuse to assimilate leading to frustrated and violent behaviors.

[Ganbare!]

Anyone noticed that appearance changes a lot depending on setting, clothing, makeup or grooming ? Looking really white one day and then the next looking asian is really disturbing in a way !

I hate it, when caught on film I don't look consistent, like I'm a different person, lmfao.

[jefe]

Aug 16, 2008 9:20:30 GMT -5 mel said:

well ppl usually stare at me and speak to me in english before i have to speak to them back in indo to get them to speak indo to me soo i guess i look more white than i do asian..it's the fair skin,big brown eyes,brownish-reddish hair i guess..

It may just be compared to many of the local people.

If you went to Europe, maybe they would think you are some kind of Asian.
If you went to America, they might think you are some kind of Latino.
If you went to Central Asia, maybe they would think you are some other kind of Central Asian.

At least, that is what happens to me.

[Yingy]

As I gotten older I think I look more Asian. I used to get pointed out as white or spanish in my youth now it's pretty much asian, actually it's always Japanese, whites, other asians, latinos, blacks, all have assumed I'm Japanese. Maybe I should stop giggling so much

[Kush]

More Asian. The white majority here obv. think I'm Asian because tbh, they don't know any better. A few Chinese relatives told me that my bro looks English & I look Chinese.

[Ganbare!]

My relatives love to tell me I look like all those britpop singers especially Noel Ghallagher, like wtf I don't even have English ancestry.

[betahat]

^From my experience, in most monocultural countries of Western Europe, the Jews are not segregated at all, there are Jewish neighborhoods here and there but they are mostly spread out for example in France, the Jewish community is a very integrated ethnic group almost assimilated (look at our Prez N. Sarkozy). Since the official policy holds that there are only 2 kind of citizens, French citizens and foreigners, meaning there are no ethnic statistics and that you're whether French or you're not.

England, definitely yes. France and Italy, er, sort of (the French jews DO segregate themselves when they come to Israel for the summer - just visit Netanya). Spain/Portugal, no (bye bye in the middle-ages). Germany/Austria/Czech Republic, ah, never mind.

Religious jews (who arguably are the ones that retain the most of their "culture") usually segregate themselves by choice based on proximity to temple and kosher food. I find it hard to believe that it would not be the same in France, though maybe there aren't any orthodox Jews in France? Also, Sarkozy hardly qualifies as Jewish, either by blood (no Jewish maternal grandmother), cultural practice (Jewish maternal grandfather converted to catholicism), or the obvious (family fled TO Germany in 1944).

[toyomansi]

Aug 25, 2009 18:17:17 GMT -5 Yingy said:

now it's pretty much asian, actually it's always Japanese, whites, other asians, latinos, blacks, all have assumed I'm Japanese.

lol, ditto... nowadays I get most east asian ethnicities except filipino. most asians think I'm from their country, but filipinos/SE asians/non-asians often think I'm chinese/japanese.