Can you pass for another race?

Question

Just wondering. My mother is Cuban and my father is Black, but I have red hair, green eyes, and freckles. People never know what race I am, so they tend to just assume things. So, can YOU pass for anything else, and has your ability to pass as something else affected you in any way?

Answer 1

no

Answer 2

Yea people never know if I am Black, Latino, biracial or East Indian. I am Black and Black Latino, but I just consider myself to be black. I've never tried to pass as something else, but looking the way I do does impact how I am treated whenever I enter different communities.

When I go to the Hispanic neighborhoods I am not treated any different than when I am in the black neighborhood. When I went to buy some curry from the Indian store they also treat me nicely.

People are the most comfortable with what is familiar to them. I think people often mistaken me as one of their race so they can feel more comfortable.

Answer 3

Absolutely. I'm an English blue-eyed Caucasian so I pass for basically anything.
I have a mixed-up accent from years of living and travelling abroad, so it's only when I start speaking in British slang, do people think that I'm either Australian or somewhere from Britain.
I have honestly been asked if I was these before:
Jewish, German, Italian, Russian, South African (several times), Australian (often), American, Canadian, Spaniard, Frenchman, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech, Latvian, Greek (ridiculously often), Irish, (so often I'm beginning to wonder too!), Scottish, and all the rest of it.
Funny thing is that I've never been to many of those European countries and spent most of my time in Asia, Africa and the Middle East!?!?
I know a Greek guy who has pale, pale skin, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes- yet his brother looks typically Mediterranean!
I also know an Indian guy who is much, much darker than any of his family (he's often asked if he's an adopted African kid) and he and his mum (she never had any male contact before her hubby) being hassled by the rellies.
Bizzarre!

Answer 4

I'm Hispanic and born in Peru. My family is, for lack of another word, brown. I'm brown too and I have black hair. However, I have eyes that are shaped almost like an asian's. Some people have assumed that I'm from the Phillipines and they think I'm asian! I find it funny. Other than that, there is no other race that I look like.

Answer 5

Yes, I can pass for white. I'm Hispanic with very fair complexion and dark hair and brow eyes. Most people assume I'm white until they hear my last name.

My parents didn't' teach us Spanish which makes its hard because the Hispanics get upset and say you turned your back in your culture if you don't speak Spanish. I embrace my culture (I'm from New Mexico). Then they get upset when I say I'm Spanish or Hispanic instead of Mexican. I wasn't born in Mexico...so I don't see myself as Mexican. In Santa Fe, its a culture blend of Spanish, White and Indian....I am embrace all three. Maybe if I had dark skin maybe I wouldn't get as much flack than I do.

By passing as white, I'm able to move in circles easier than if I was seen as Hispanic. I work in the Entertainment Industry and Hispanics are not as visible as other races...there aren't that many in it (executive wise) so passing for white has helped me. Most people in my biz just think I married into my surname.

Lately, people have said I looked Greek, Egyptian or Italian. Just goes to show, you can't judge a book by its cover

Answer 6

Well, I'm a mutt in that area.. Greek, Irish, Cherokee.
I came back from a week's vacation over the summer and trained a new hire class.. they all thought I was Latino.. normally, I am considered Caucasian.
I thought it was interesting, as I was teaching a Diversity Awareness class at the time.

Answer 7

nicely, I curiously have some Molugen in me (a mixture of eu, Am. Indian, and North African) and probably some community American, yet I evaluate myself white because i could not bypass for some thing else. I have very light (extremely sunburnt pores and skin), mild pink/strawberry blond hair, and hazel eyes. I have a lot of eu nationalities in me besides. i look extra like I belong to the united kingdom or eire. it is also element of my heritage.

Answer 8

Yes I'm a Black Domincan and when my hair was to my waist people thought I was East Indian, Brazillian, or Somalian

Answer 9

maybe

I remember once some guy that thought I was Indian.

But for the most part people can tell I am Black.

Answer 10

Of course thats why its a beatiful thang. You can blend in as other races. Look at movie stars. Just be happy your a pretty woman.

Answer 11

well i have,.I am Hispanic(Dominican),and people tend to think i am East indian or west indian(trinidad,guyana,caribeanetc)..I suppose its the heritage in our country with the production of Spanish,Taino indian(carribean),and african..you can see the prescence of the 3 races.However,i do not give a damn what others think either,i am proud of my heritage!