A Cultural Ethnic Identity issue?
I'am a Black American person of West African, Chinese, East Indian, and Scottish decent. My question is how should I go about this identity issue ? When I was growing up I had a bit of an Accent ( lived in the UK my first eight years) and I can speak multiple languages French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Russian. Now my point is when I talk to people they either think I'm adopted or faking it etc, and they would ask what is my Race I would tell them I'am human just like you, instead they meant ethnicity. I couldn't answer that question so I had asked my mother "what ethnicity am I" she said tell them you are black. I would tell other people I'm back and they would respond very odd "Really your black you don't at like the typical black person" so part of my question is what makes a typical black person. I came from very mixed up family all none was adopted and if they married in the family I was a direct decent of them. If you ask me how I acted or tell you I feel more Asian because I can read, speak and write Mandarin Chinese with fluency, Korean as well, and taking up beliefs in Buddhism and just having a different way if thinking. I have been think of this for years. Even my Chinese friends would say your can't be black you don't act like the typical. So what does that mean ? Physically looking black but not acting like it so was that make me ?
Comments
You tell them to shut the F#*#K up, OR, ask them "how does a Black person act?" They are STEREOTYPING BLACKS, that is the root of racism. Don't take it lightly. I'm Asian and I'm telling you that right now. Don't let them bring you down. Let them know that being Black doesn't mean you're less than them or you have to act a certain way. Don't allow them to force you to claim or not claim your race because they don't believe you match their stereotypes of a Black person.
I'd also say that if you feel more Asian, then tell them that you're "Blasian" a Black and an Asian combination that we used to say when I was young. I'll just say that you have both Black and Asian blood, so I know for a fact that your skin color is too dark to be thought of as White, so I say take pride in who you are. "East India" if you're talking about India like the country, then you don't need to say "East", that's just dividing yourself more than you need to and Indians are also Asians. Be proud you're Black and be proud you're Asian. Don't let NOBODY tell you "oh, you don't act Black" because they're stereotyping Blacks, don't let the Whites nor the Asians tell you aren't "acting Black". If a White person says that then tell them "Oh, you aren't killing native Americans, you aren't acting White" and if an Asian tells you that tell them "oh, you aren't doing math right now, you're not very Asian" and then laugh after you say those stuff. It'll send a message that they can't just stereotype you like that. When they say "you don't act black" they mean you aren't rapping, shooting guns, wearing baggy pants, have baby mommas running around, and aren't gangsta because in their minds, Blacks are bad, but that's IN THEIR MINDS. It's not the truth, so don't let them ever make you think Blacks act a certain specific way, they're just stupid.