Does anyone feel confused racially / culturally about themselves?

Question

For example on the odd occasion when talking to another Black person, they say I sound 'white'. Whereas I'd say I'm culturally mixed and may be studying English at uni has an influence. But what does it mean to be 'Black' or 'White'?

Has anyone experienced anything similar with any racial groups?

All anwers welcome, though I'd like to hear from British people in particular, or those with experiences in Britain.

Answer 1

I've experienced that but in a different way because I am half Latina and half "white" (Irish and French). I look darker, but I do not speak Spanish so often times people will tell me that I am too "white" to be Mexican but too Mexican to be "white."

When I was younger, it led to a lot of frustration and some nights of tears. Every once in a while, it can still be upsetting because it's like I'm part of two worlds that are separate so it's as if I'm a living oxymoron.

I think the whole "white" vs "black" vs "asian" vs "hispanic" thing has got to stop. We all have different backgrounds and in America that is SUPPOSED to be expected...although there are many ignorant people who refuse this to be true. All we can do is do our best to represent who we really are to try to rid ourselves of these labels called "races."

After all, science has proven again and again that there is no such thing as race.

Answer 2

I have experienced this a lot (being told I talk white). I am from a suburban majority white city in Colorado (Sorry, not Britain) and since it's a military town there are a lot of black people that move here from places like Atlanta and DC and all that. So to them I definitely talk "white." I don't let it bother me anymore though. I'm just like, hey, if you grew up here you'd talk like me, too. I'm not from the south or from the east coast. I'm from lil' ole whitebred CO.

And it seems like as you get older most people get over the whole thing. It seems like people make fun of the way you talk more when you are younger (high school n stuff). It's part of that whole "I'm confused about my own identity so I have to make fun of someone else" thing.

Answer 3

I have the opposite problem. I was born and raised in the cotton fields in the Mississippi delta. Yep-I'm a country hick. I was raised with poor white and black children. I talk like it too. I went to an engineering school in Maryland in the 60's, almost everyone ask me if I was black. But I am a honky. I have lived with it all my life. I have two degrees, but I sound like an uneducated hobo.

Answer 4

Yeah. Im biracial and I feel like I aswell as other biracial girls are always feeling pressured to act as a certain race black or white even though we are our OWN race....And I feel like everytime a mixed girl (atleast around here), ''talks white'' then its a problem and people make fun of it but if the girl ''talks black'' then its ok. So much to say about this stuff.It could get so much deeper! :)

Answer 5

I am Irish, Slavic, Spanish, Porto Rican, Cherokee, and Canadian, that was born in America, and I speak English, and Portuguese. So I am very mix when it comes to culture.

Answer 6

I lived in Northern Ireland for five years and I expiernced it alot and im white but the big culteral difference between the usa and there made it hard sometimes for me.

Answer 7

yeah i hate that, iam more than half Indian like from India, portuguese and black. But black people hate hearing when i say iam mixed and get mad about. they say because my skin is a certain color that makes me black, its super annoying and they also say I act white, but speaking properly isnt acting white... you cant act white

Answer 8

What if your part Native American, then, your on the bottom, on some people's scale, but, everybody, seems to think it's cool and hip, and has put the "New Agers" on the map!--but, 'they' have no concept about what it feels like to be the first and the last!


I am 'part' Native American...

Answer 9

i think some thing it is rather a lot the option of racism. i think that each race has a diverse trait that the others do not, i imagine god created diverse races so faster or later we may mix and each of the diverse characteristics of the diverse races may mix into an fantastic cultural international.