Have you ever been mistaken for a person of different ethnicity, and what was your reaction?

Question

At University, I was forever getting invites from the Jewish Society because of my name, though I am not Jewish either by faith or by ancestry (though see below). I thought it was interesting, and even considered going along - as I always liked the food.
Recently, I've discovered my family is first heard of in one of the areas of London first settled by Jews in the 18th century, so who knows?
I know an Anglo-French couple where the English and French partners are the opposite ones to what they look like, which led to all sorts of ridiculous mistakes at parties.
Another friend received racial abuse on account of her dark complexion.

Answer 1

what an interetsing question ! i always get asked. Ive even passed for Asian like Indian ;) and im European with some, as ive heard Turkish background. I however look so Spanish. And i love it ! I love when ppl always think im Spanish or even from South America :) By the way i love Spanish and can speak it. The Spanish speakin countires culture is my interest . eh have i gone behind the poiint?

Answer 2

I am white, the classic Anglican look. Not really pale but rosey with light brown, my hair person says a tone of blonde, and no one mistakes me for anything but a Prat. Well, I can be if the occasion arises.
I might add that I have friends who are everything from black to brown, of all religous backgrounds.
I would not tolerate any of them being abused in my presence.

--That Cheeky Lad

Answer 3

before they meet me, most people assume just from looking at me that i am hispanic. in high school, on the first day of my spanish class my teacher started speaking spanish to me right off the bat. he was shocked when i told him that i am actually filipino... everybody always is when i tell them that. i get that all the time though so i'm used it now. a lot of filipinos get mistaken as being hispanic because the philippines does have a history with spaniards... our language, our culture, our families... a lot has been influenced by the spaniards who took over our country long, long time ago. so i guess i really dont mind it at all.

Answer 4

I was once mistaken for a somalian. But I used to live in an area where there were actually a lot of somalians. I doubt that will ever happen in again.

Answer 5

Im mexican, but i have been confused for white, jewish, arab, indian, pakistani, black. Whatever race person i am with, people assume i am that race too. When i am with black people, others assume i am half black, when i go into the 7-11 the indians smile at me because they think we are countrymen. At the airport, the security guards look at me crazy because they think i look like a terrorist.

Answer 6

not a different race, but many people assume i am jamaican/west indian, when i am in fact Nigerian. I have also been mistaken as being from the african masai tribe solely because of my height (i am 6ft)... although i think that particular individual may have been high lolol

Answer 7

I am from Nigeria and was once mistaken for being a Swedish ski instructor.

Answer 8

i'm Mexican. people continually inquire from me if i'm Asian , Arabian, Indian, or different stuff. yet in no way Mexican -___- some woman says she's in no way seen everybody that sounds like me of race. I hate it

Answer 9

I was mistaken as a Muslim when I tried to chat up my sister

Answer 10

no Im white