As someone who's half-white, half-Asian (and looks predominantly Asian) I often hear questions like "where are you from? Like, where are your parents from?"
I'm not sure I see this as a 'micro-agression.' Or aggression at all, it's just a question. People ask me where my ancestors came from, and I tell them Scotland and Finland. No big deal. It's pretty clear I'm not native american.
Sometimes I also get asked where I grew up. I tell them. Nosy people. If you don't want people to be curious about details in your life, that's kind of anti-social.
I'm not sure I see this as a 'micro-agression.' Or aggression at all, it's just a question.
You should watch the video. I've seen it (and others before). The issue isn't asking where you are from, it's the non-caucasion person saying they are from "here", and having that answer dismissed/disbelieved and then being asked "No, where are your parents from".
It's a subtle racism that assumes that people who don't look like you can't really have been born on there same country as you.
The issue isn't asking where you are from, it's the non-caucasion person saying they are from "here", and having that answer dismissed/disbelieved and then being asked "No, where are your parents from".
I understand your problem, but you are minimizing my pain.
What non-caucasian people don't understand is that caucasian people get asked annoying questions too. It's not fun. We can't label it as microagressions or racism though. We just have to endure the pain.
If that sounds like "whining of an entitled person" to you, well, your whining sounds just the same. Microagressions. Life is annoying, people ask annoying questions. They notice things that are different. Then they notice things that are the same
What non-caucasian people don't understand is that caucasian people get asked annoying questions too. It's not fun. We can't label it as microagressions or racism though. We just have to endure the pain.
I think you are missing the point. It is not being asked "annoying things", it is a phrasing of a question/ statement that ventures into disrespect of the person being addressed. There is no reason why that sort of behavior should just be accepted.
For example do you think that it is reasonable to "cat call" women as they walk down the street? Do you think that the women should just "put up with it" as it is only annoying? Or should the people performing the act behave differently?
Yet it is still there and it is still disrespectful. Why should you have to put up with any disrespect?
The person asking still respects you.
If people are systemically and continually "unintentionally" phrasing things in a disrespectful manner, then I would posit that no, they do not respect you.
by Anonymous Coward writes:
on Monday December 01, 2014 @04:31PM (#48500687)
If people are systemically and continually "unintentionally" phrasing things in a disrespectful manner, then I would posit that no, they do not respect you.
Wait, you do know that white people aren't a hivemind, right? They don't share experiences? And if you're talking about individuals, why are you putting up with the disrespect, instead of explaining the situation to them and limiting contact if the issue persists?
Wait, you do know that white people aren't a hivemind, right? They don't share experiences?
You are repeating a talking point from the whites disinformation campaign. If you were fully white, we would have known not to post that in an open forum.
Where are your ancestors from? (Score:4, Insightful)
As someone who's half-white, half-Asian (and looks predominantly Asian) I often hear questions like "where are you from? Like, where are your parents from?"
I'm not sure I see this as a 'micro-agression.' Or aggression at all, it's just a question. People ask me where my ancestors came from, and I tell them Scotland and Finland. No big deal. It's pretty clear I'm not native american.
Sometimes I also get asked where I grew up. I tell them. Nosy people. If you don't want people to be curious about details in your life, that's kind of anti-social.
Re: (Score:4, Informative)
I'm not sure I see this as a 'micro-agression.' Or aggression at all, it's just a question.
You should watch the video. I've seen it (and others before). The issue isn't asking where you are from, it's the non-caucasion person saying they are from "here", and having that answer dismissed/disbelieved and then being asked "No, where are your parents from".
It's a subtle racism that assumes that people who don't look like you can't really have been born on there same country as you.
Re: (Score:2)
The issue isn't asking where you are from, it's the non-caucasion person saying they are from "here", and having that answer dismissed/disbelieved and then being asked "No, where are your parents from".
I understand your problem, but you are minimizing my pain.
What non-caucasian people don't understand is that caucasian people get asked annoying questions too. It's not fun. We can't label it as microagressions or racism though. We just have to endure the pain.
If that sounds like "whining of an entitled person" to you, well, your whining sounds just the same. Microagressions. Life is annoying, people ask annoying questions. They notice things that are different. Then they notice things that are the same
Re: (Score:2)
What non-caucasian people don't understand is that caucasian people get asked annoying questions too. It's not fun. We can't label it as microagressions or racism though. We just have to endure the pain.
I think you are missing the point. It is not being asked "annoying things", it is a phrasing of a question/ statement that ventures into disrespect of the person being addressed. There is no reason why that sort of behavior should just be accepted.
For example do you think that it is reasonable to "cat call" women as they walk down the street? Do you think that the women should just "put up with it" as it is only annoying? Or should the people performing the act behave differently?
Re: (Score:2)
it is a phrasing of a question/ statement that ventures into disrespect of the person being addressed.
The disrespectful phrasing is unintentional. The person asking still respects you.
That is, unless you get defensive and upset. Then they might not respect you.
Re: (Score:2)
The disrespectful phrasing is unintentional.
Yet it is still there and it is still disrespectful. Why should you have to put up with any disrespect?
The person asking still respects you.
If people are systemically and continually "unintentionally" phrasing things in a disrespectful manner, then I would posit that no, they do not respect you.
Re:Where are your ancestors from? (Score:0)
If people are systemically and continually "unintentionally" phrasing things in a disrespectful manner, then I would posit that no, they do not respect you.
Wait, you do know that white people aren't a hivemind, right? They don't share experiences? And if you're talking about individuals, why are you putting up with the disrespect, instead of explaining the situation to them and limiting contact if the issue persists?
Re: (Score:0)
Wait, you do know that white people aren't a hivemind, right? They don't share experiences?
You are repeating a talking point from the whites disinformation campaign.
If you were fully white, we would have known not to post that in an open forum.