Kiana Staton: A Look At Our World Today
English 1102
This weekend I was in a hair salon getting my hair dyed, as my mom stood behind me. Suddenly a woman came up to her and asked, “Is she yours?”, “What is she?” Being polite my mother said, “Yes she is mine, and huh?” The woman said, “What is her ethnicity?” Mom replied with, “Her father is African American”. After leaving, my mother seemed slightly outraged at the lady’s question of “What is she?” Not everyone is asked this in their everyday life. I do, however, get asked my ethnicity almost every day I go out. I would like to look into this subject a little more. Is there a correct, proper way to ask? How do these questions affect the people being asked their ethnicity? And most importantly I wonder, why do people ask?
Click the pictures below to explore these questions.
"See, It's Not About Races
Just Places
Faces
Where Your Blood
Comes From
Is Where Your Space Is
I've Seen The Bright
Get Duller
I'm Not Going To Spend
My Life Being A Color"
From the time we are young, we are taught to think in categories. We are taught to sort by all kinds of properties. As we grow up, we keep that mindset when we relate to others. When people don't "fit" in a specific category, we try to figure out how to classify them. This helps us better relate to others by trying to find a commonality, but it can also create a divide between people.
No matter what race/ethnicity you are, no two people look alike. It is often that you will see others that do not fit into the “normal” stereotype of common races. If you are so inclined to ask the person what their ethnicity is, there are things to consider. No matter what we look like, we all have different backgrounds. Make sure you are in the right place and time to ask. Choose your words carefully, and know this is a sensitive subject. Most importantly, make sure you have the best intentions.
Extras!
Here are some links that relate to this topic.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/robynwilder/questions-mixed-race-people-are-tired-of-hearing
This is a website that has many questions biracial people are asked, with very comical pictures to go along with the questions.
http://mixed-people-problems.tumblr.com/
This is a type of blog where people have posted problems that most "mixed" people have
Work Cited
Ahmad, Meher. "How to Ask Someone About Their Ethnicity Without Being an Asshole." Jezebel. N.p., 20 July 2013. Web. 03 Aug. 2014.
Alexander, Tina. "The Question Everyone Asks When You're Biracial." Thought Catalog. N.p., 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 03 Aug. 2014
Desmond-Harris, Jenee. "Biracial Children: Racism Advice for White Parents."The Root. N.p., 08 Apr. 2013. Web. 03 Aug. 2014.
Lazo, Kat. "Speakers Bureau." Everyday Feminism. N.p., 09 Sept. 2013. Web. 03 Aug. 2014.
Royster, Deirdre A. "White Out: the Continuing Significance of Racism." Contemporary Sociology. 35.3 (2006). Print.
"United States Census Bureau." 2010 Census Shows Multiple-Race Population Grew Faster Than Single-Race Population. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Sept. 2012. Web. 01 Aug. 2014.