Im Blasian. And when people meet me, they still call me african american. Its not that I'm ashamed-I'm not. I accept I'm black, I'm proud of my black side (My dad is dominican) But he isnt from africa, my mom sure as hell isnt from africa, so why do people call me "African american?"
2007-12-14 07:10:35 · 23 answers · asked by A friendly Jihad 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Yeah Moko, but My dad wasnt on that ship, his father wasnt on that ship, and not even his father was on the ship. So...
2007-12-14 22:52:51 · update #1
IM BLASIAN TOO!! I hate it but this is how society is. If you look remotely Black you are considered Black. Look at our fellow Blasians Hines Ward and Crystal Kay. They will always be considered just Black.
Are you Black and Korean or Black and Japanese? I'm just curious.
2007-12-14 08:24:08 · answer #1 · answered by CaliGirl 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well if you haven't already noticed, since when has America ever given the correct terms for people? Just look on any insurance, medical or other type of application. I'm Native American and European American. The only option for me on a survey is "white". However many whites, though not all, don't like to be referred to as "white". I sure don't.
I don't know. Some times people are not sure what to consider any person so they use what they know best to call someone.
Take me for instance. I despise being called "white". I identify with European American. I also hate being stereotyped to be English when most of my ancestors came to America from Switzerland, Germany, France, Scotland and Ireland.
In America, all people tend to get generalized to be the same, so I've noticed. Some people care, some people don't. I'd prefer people to refer to me to what I am, not what I'm stereotyped or judged to be. But people will never have that type of respect or comfort level to refer to me as anything other than white I guess!
As for being called African American, I suppose the African continent contains the most largely black nationalities and so it might come across as weird to hear that you have no African lineage.
Of course there's a difference between being born somewhere, and having true lineage from there.
2007-12-14 07:25:40 · answer #2 · answered by Mommy2Be 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The label African American makes no sense for anyone who was born in another country besides Africa. u'll always be considered black, especially if you look black. Most blacks in America are pretty much biracial or have Native American or white ancestors. Didn't you see how many black people were the descendants of Thomas Jefferson? And genes work in strange ways. In my family everyone is pretty much light skinned, but I am dark skinned. My Grandmother was practically native American, but you could never tell by looking at my skin color.
Such is life as a black person in America.
2007-12-14 07:25:23 · answer #3 · answered by Automaton 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm Russian and African American, born in Russia, raised with a Russian background so I know what you mean when people just automatically call you African. I just tend to educate them and say I'm not this.......my background is Russian and African American. People are still just very ignorant because what you look like is what you are. If people don't want to take the time to get to know me, too bad. They will never get to meet this awesome Russian African American Jewish woman!
2007-12-14 08:19:23 · answer #4 · answered by Alicia H 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know that is messed up
it's really ignorance I think
I have a Dominican guy in my class and he's actually from that country
so he speaks with a Spanish accent
and sometimes people will be like, "stop trying to speak like your Mexican, you're African American" or something
but he's Dominican and proud anyway
so on your tests or job application when you put what race you are you can put your latino or Asian I think
2007-12-14 08:12:16 · answer #5 · answered by Yuri ^_^ 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you accept that your black right? black people just didn't pop up in the Caribbean Islands. Slave ships went to the Caribbean as well as the U.S. So guess what you ancestors are from Africa.
Read a book
2007-12-14 14:08:25 · answer #6 · answered by mokimoto 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Blazn here too...and neither parents are "African Americans..." but I am first generation American and boy, have I run into those problems...
Just chill with the people who get it, because that's basically all you can do.
Will Demps...Tiger Woods...and like that one cat above said, Crystal Kay...are a few celebs to name a few that understand.
2007-12-14 14:24:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are a person, pure and simple. A human being. The label thing means nothing. With people of different races having kids all the time terms like "african american" and "asian american" are going to be meaningless.
As for why people try to "mislabel" you, I do not believe they are doing it with bad intent. They may even think they are being nice by acknowledging your race (or what they perceive your race to be). Smile, correct them kindly, and maybe they will learn something out of the experience.
2007-12-14 07:16:36 · answer #8 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Some people are ignorant and only judge by the color of your skin. I think sometimes it has to do with what race you look like more. For example I'm black white native and hispanic and sometimes I'm called black, hispanic or indian. I understand where you're coming from though.
2007-12-14 07:29:53 · answer #9 · answered by prettyting 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because according to the US gov't, if you are 1/8th black or more, then you're black. That's the basis they used for the whole segregation thing, and it just kinda...stuck. Which is why when you're half black, half Asian, white, Indian, etc. You're considered to be "black," or African-American. For more on the term "African-American," there's a pretty good summary of it on Wikipedia.
2007-12-14 07:17:35 · answer #10 · answered by eyikoluvsandy 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋