Comments on: Salon.com tackles the “what are you” question

By: Nicky

Nicky — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:48:02 +0000

My great grandmother’s father was mixed with Native American and White.Her mother was black.Their children were from all shades from white to dark.But they all had straight hair.My grandmother turned out to be very lightskinned
almost white.My mother looks very mixed.I have been asked what are you many times.Yet the mixing in my family took place generations ago.Therefore I don’t consider myself mixed but black.

By: A.D. Powell

A.D. Powell — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 03:55:27 +0000

Sorry, folks. The woman is mixed-race, whether she admits it or not. What gave you the idea that “mixed race” only refers to people born from officially recognized “interracial” marriages?

Anyone who claims to be “black” but is constantly “mistaken” for everything BUT “black,” is definitely NOT BLACK.

By: Racquel

Racquel — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 20:20:36 +0000

I can relate to the woman in the article because I am a black woman who gets questioned constantly (especially by complete strangers) about the racial makeup of my baby daughter, who is mixed and looks more like her white father in complexion and eye color. I have even had people ask me if she is mine! Some people can be so rude and ignorant and it’s sad that some in our society are so narrow-minded in their thinking and beliefs.

By: amalthea

amalthea — Sat, 05 Nov 2005 16:52:26 +0000

For me, it`s not the question as much as certain responses to the answer I give. What gets me the most is if I do answer and someone tries to negate my answer by saying “You don`t look it” or flat out comes out and says, “No, you`re not.” I`d rather be asked what I am than told what I am.

Generally, though, I`ve found that if I counter the question with another one, it sometimes makes the speaker think about what they are asking. For example, I might ask “What exactly do you want to know?” or “Are you asking me about my ethnic background or my nationality?”

I haven`t asked these before, but I`m sure I`ve had these thoughts from time to time (lol):
“Isn`t your question a little blunt?”
“What the hell kind of question is that?”
“Are you serious?”
“What do you think I am?”
“Are you ready for the answer?”

By: susan

susan — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 18:30:38 +0000

Being mixed (half Japanese, half white), I get the “what are you” question a lot. There’s nothing more irritating when people who have no right ask personal questions like that. I’ve even been stoppped on the street by complete strangers who ask me that! Some of my favorite responses to that question include “a human being” and “an American.”

By: will

will — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:56:00 +0000

I can relate. I’m a light-skinned African American that has had to answer this same question my entire life. My great, great grandmother was raped by her Irish slavemaster. I don’t get into that history because it’s really no one’s business who asks me. I just tell them, “I’m black. My mother is black, my father is black. And, I leave it at that.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 09:22:43 +0000

Interesting post!