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[Golden_Pigeon]

It's a complex question and i would like to know what you think about that.
On one side, you have ancestry, a sense of belonging and on the other, the (general) absence of discrimination so of experiencing a core aspect of "non-whiteness".
The opinion of somebody in that situation would be great also.

 

[chekhonte]

I'm 1/4 Native American and appear to the vast majority to be white. It grants me a lot of entitlements that white people have however the trauma history of my family, a history that specific to my heritage, puts me at a disadvantage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgenerational_trauma

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

I'm 1/4 Native American and appear to the vast majority to be white. It grants me a lot of entitlements that white people have however the trauma history of my family, a history that specific to my heritage, puts me at a disadvantage.

I am sorry i didn't understood completely your sentence (it's not my primary language), you mean that the white people are the cause of the trauma of your family put you as a disadvantage ?

 

[CarpeDeezNutz]

I'm Mexican, born in Mexico but with my fair skin people think I am either white or European.


Wait, are you asking if I get a pass or some privilege?

 

[sooperkool]

Just because you're "passing" doesn't maker you "white", why would it? This question is foolish.

 

[chekhonte]

I am sorry i didn't understood completely your sentence (it's not my primary language), you mean that the white people are the cause of the trauma of your family put you as a disadvantage ?

Trauma get's passed down intergenerationally from parent to child. It can take many generations to work itself out.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

Thanks you for the link, it's very interesting and i can totally identify with this.

 

[Platy]

It is not full white privilege because there are still stuff like if people know they usually treat you different, laws that fuck up your group fucks you up too, people are usualy more openly racist when they think they are only between white people and other shit

 

[Kor of Memory]

Just because you're "passing" doesn't maker you "white", why would it? This question is foolish.

I think the OP is trying to ask if it's a "best of both worlds" situation.

Like, you get the perk of all that white privilege, but what few benefits minorities have (like access to certain scholarships I guess) you also get to take part in.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

I'm half white and can "pass" for fully white but the instant someone hears my Middle Eastern surname, I know all the percieved whiteness disappears. There's a difference in how people talk to you.

 

[Mahonay]

One of my buddies was born in Mexico City but you would definitely mistake him for just a white kid. He doesn't have an accent or anything either. Happens to him a lot.

And his name is pretty white too, Arthur.

 

[SodiumBenzoate]

My dad's side of the family is Greek but quite dark-skinned. The Greek part sure doesn't matter when it comes to how often he is "randomly" selected for secondary screening at the airport.

 

[Hopeford]

Born in Brazil, grew up in Canada.

I'm as white as the white dude talking to me thinks I am. Which is to say, generally pretty good due to passing but once in a while I get a guy asking why I'm dating my girlfriend instead of a girl from "my own country."

I'll also say that I feel like I'm treated "whiter" the less noticeable my accent gets.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

Just because you're "passing" doesn't maker you "white", why would it? This question is foolish.

It may sound foolish in USA, but in some countries, especially in South America, you are not black if you can pass for white.

The issue is also (comically) formulated in a Spike Lee movie, where one member of a black nationalist group is 1/16 black.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

You're asking, "if you can pass, do you pass?"

Yes, OP. If you're light enough with enough features to slip by, you can indeed slip by. Unless your name is uniquely ethnic. Whether you choose to "pass" is up to the individual, assuming he or she knows their heritage.

 

[sphagnum]

They're white until someone finds out.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

I think the OP is trying to ask if it's a "best of both worlds" situation.

Like, you get the perk of all that white privilege, but what few benefits minorities have (like access to certain scholarships I guess) you also get to take part in.

Not at all. It's a legitimate question, not a trap, and i totally recognize that racial identity is only partly in the eye of the other. I recognize that ancestry is far more important, especially in case of african-american or native-american ancestry, since it's link with the legacy of a genocide.

 

[Hopeford]

Just because you're "passing" doesn't maker you "white", why would it? This question is foolish.

Well, it's a complicated question because...in Brazil, I'd be considered white. Because my skin is white. In America and some places in Canada, I'm generally either only "passing" or am considered Latino. So "passing" as white can also mean that...well, you're whiter than Vanilla Ice but not by American standards.

In America, for some reason the definition of white is a lot narrower. It doesn't just refer to "white skin." It refers to "white, speaks English as a first language, culturally identical to the majority." It's a definition that doesn't really apply in a lot of other places.

Also as a sidenote, passingGAF, you guys ever had people appear legitimately uncomfortable once they realized you weren't "white"? That happened to me once. Still undecided if it was hilarious or sad.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

Also as a sidenote, passingGAF, you guys ever had people appear legitimately uncomfortable once they realized you weren't "white"? That happened to me once. Still undecided if it was hilarious or sad.

Dozen of times, mostly because somebody made a racist comment.
Also having seeing people just getting colder/weird all of a sudden.

Just curious: you are brazilian, but do you have black/indigenous ancestry? Most of white brazilians happily identify as whites, but maybe thing get different once you get in USA.

 

[webkatt]

It's hard to answer because one views themself as what they are ethnically/grown up as. How do you know with any certainty that someone is treating you differently because they perceive you as white?

 

[Toxi]

Also as a sidenote, passingGAF, you guys ever had people appear legitimately uncomfortable once they realized you weren't "white"? That happened to me once. Still undecided if it was hilarious or sad.

Happened a few times when I told people my name.

 

[Alex_Mexico]

I'm Mexican, born in Mexico but with my fair skin people think I am either white or European.

Same situation for me. Once I was asked after someone in te US found out I was Mexican "but... you're white! How can you be Mexican?"

Fun times.

 

[NeoGold123]

Half-irish and half-mexican makes me look pretty white apparently. I've noticed that online applications I put in don't tend to get callbacks as often than if I apply in person and meet the manager. And during the US election I had so many people come up and express their racism thinking I was on their side or something? I dunno, but it sure got old having these racist guys come up and spout their crap. At least I got the satisfaction of telling them my ethnicity and seeing the color drain from their faces.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

Same situation for me. Once I was asked after someone in te US found out I was Mexican "but... you're white! How can you be Mexican?"

Fun times.

How do you feel when you see you're identity denied ?

 

[Magus1234]

Well, it's a complicated question because...in Brazil, I'd be considered white. Because my skin is white. In America and some places in Canada, I'm generally either only "passing" or am considered Latino. So "passing" as white can also mean that...well, you're whiter than Vanilla Ice but not by American standards.
.

Who would consider you Latino for being Brazilian?

 

[Media]

I'm half white, half native, and most people think I'm Mexican.

My sister is Lily white and passes lol. She was always 'the pretty One'

I also get disbelief with folks when I say I'm Native. Oddly, other natives and people that live around a lot of natives don't question it. 🤔

 

[Hopeford]

Same situation for me. Once I was asked after someone in te US found out I was Mexican "but... you're white! How can you be Mexican?"

Fun times.

Favorite time this happened to me was when someone was complaining to me about Jestream Sam in MGS Rising being white because "people in Brazil are black." Reaction when I went "...Well um..." was priceless. Good intentioned person, just, yeah.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

I have significant ancestry that is Romani. I have no idea if that's considered white. I've always considered myself white though because I look white and I've always been given the privilege that it comes with by society.

 

[lightskintwin]

Just because you're "passing" doesn't maker you "white", why would it? This question is foolish.

If you can "pass", then you can be "white" if you want too, because the social construct of race is projected onto you by others regardless of what you identify as.

 

[Hopeford]

Who would consider you Latino for being Brazilian?

Depending on who you ask, Brazilians are Latino due to being part of Latin America--just not Hispanics, which is a different term. I don't stress too much over it.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

I am sorry i am asking again, it was edited so maybe you didn't saw the question Hopeford:

"Just curious: you are brazilian, but do you have black/indigenous ancestry? Most of white brazilians happily identify as whites, but maybe thing get different once you get in USA."

 

[Media]

Same situation for me. Once I was asked after someone in te US found out I was Mexican "but... you're white! How can you be Mexican?"

Fun times.

One of my best friends growing up was a blonde haired, blue eyes, whiter than me Mexican. She fucking hated when people thought I was the Mexican lol.

 

[CrisKre]

Well, it's a complicated question because...in Brazil, I'd be considered white. Because my skin is white. In America and some places in Canada, I'm generally either only "passing" or am considered Latino. So "passing" as white can also mean that...well, you're whiter than Vanilla Ice but not by American standards.

In America, for some reason the definition of white is a lot narrower. It doesn't just refer to "white skin." It refers to "white, speaks English as a first language, culturally identical to the majority." It's a definition that doesn't really apply in a lot of other places.

Also as a sidenote, passingGAF, you guys ever had people appear legitimately uncomfortable once they realized you weren't "white"? That happened to me once. Still undecided if it was hilarious or sad.

Im from Argentina living in the US and have to agree with everything you say. Id add that as a white Hispanic, Latinos also seem somewhat confused as to where to place me. Sometimes Latinos refuse to speak to me in spanish even after multiple attempts, in some cases even thinking im a white American being condescending.

P.s: got some native Argentine ancestry.

 

[Darknight]

Hopefully if you are in this position, you don't treat your brown brethren like crap just because of your "white privilege".

Happens to some, not all Hispanic Americans or even immigrants that are light skinned. Don't be like that.

 

[Hopeford]

I am sorry i am asking again, it was edited so maybe you didn't saw the question Hopeford:

"Just curious: you are brazilian, but do you have black/indigenous ancestry? Most of white brazilians happily identify as whites, but maybe thing get different once you get in USA."

Oh shit yeah, I missed that oops. My bad!

I have some black ancestry, but it doesn't really show on either me or my parents. Like, both my Grandmas are half black but for some reason it just kinda..didn't show on either of my parents? Back when I lived in Brazil everyone considered me white and I never really thought about it twice. Once I got to Canada/US, yeah, that definition changed very quickly because I wasn't treated as white for the most part. Admittedly this changed once my accent got less noticeable.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

Ok thanks you for the clarification

 

[thesoapster]

Whiteness is such a funny concept to me. When I learned the Irish were once not considered white, I was absolutely bewildered.

 

[lightskintwin]

Whiteness is such a funny concept to me. When I learned the Irish were once not considered white, I was absolutely bewildered.

The Irish were always considered White, just a different type of white, a lesser type or inferior type of White in America.

 

[oreomunsta]

I'm half Latino, and look white. People see me as white, but I don't really identify with white identity.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

I am legit surprised that so many people seems to live that situation.
I used to think i was special.

Spoiler

 

[Hopeford]

Probably relevant to this thread:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdbEMBmzo2U

 

[hodayathink]

Whiteness is such a funny concept to me. When I learned the Irish were once not considered white, I was absolutely bewildered.

Irish and Italians were the ones that, while "white", were still "othered" up until about 50-100 years ago.

 

[CrazyDude]

The Irish were always considered White, just a different type of white, a lesser type or inferior type of White in America.

“ I am haunted by the human chimpanzees I saw along that hundred miles of horrible country...to see white chimpanzees is dreadful; if they were black one would not see it so much, but their skins, except where tanned by exposure, are as white as ours. ”
— Cambridge historian Charles Kingsley, letter to his wife from Ireland, 1860

.

 

[lightskintwin]

.

Exactly.

 

[Rest]

There are white people who aren't considered white because they're Jewish. There are white people who aren't considered white because they're mixed with another race. There are lots of stupid things people use to label someone as an other.

 

[ghostofsparta]

I'm half Latino, and look white. People see me as white, but I don't really identify with white identity.

what is this

latino is just a word someone came up with to group any person below the US border, regardless of race. Latino and white are not exclusive terms. You might be 100% percent white

 

[Rest]

The Irish were always considered White, just a different type of white, a lesser type or inferior type of White in America.

"An Irishman is a nigger turned inside out," I think they weren't considered white by many. Lesser is certainly true, but not just in America. The English held the Irish as serfs for generations.

 

[lightskintwin]

There are white people who aren't considered white because they're Jewish. There are white people who aren't considered white because they're mixed with another race. There are lots of stupid things people use to label someone as an other.

There are no Jews not considered White just because they're Jewish in America; it would be because they're not "White". LOL

"An Irishman is a nigger turned inside out," I think they weren't considered white by many. Lesser is certainly true, but not just in America. The English held the Irish as serfs for generations.

They were still considered White though. Which is a big difference when you study the history of White Supremacy and it's affects on laws and who it applied too.

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

what is this

latino is just a word someone came up with to group any person below the US border, regardless of race. Latino and white are not exclusive terms. You might be 100% percent white

In Colombia, for instance, "latino" is understood as "mixed".
It's why many people from Argentina/Uruguay/(less but still)Chile don't consider themselves as "latinos".

 

[ghostofsparta]

In Colombia, for instance, "latino" is understood as "mixed".
It's why many people from Argentina/Uruguay/(less but still)Chile don't consider themselves as "latinos".

I didn't know that, that is hilarious because on the opposite end, some indigenous and mixed people don't consider themselves Latinos either. It's a post colonial term, so they see white people as the Latinos. Who the fuck are the "real" Latinos?! We should just get rid of that term...and Hispanic...i hate them both