Honestly race is a social construct formed initially out of ethnicity in a very similar way to gender being a social construct formed initially out of sex. I don’t think most people would be offended by someone whose cultural behavior matched that of a race not normally associated with their ethnicity, as long as it was genuine and not done simply to appropriate another culture.
Like, if a white kid is raised around a lot of Jamaican immigrants, falls in love with reggae, and becomes a Canadian reggae sensation, we aren’t gonna say that he’s black (because he isn’t), but we also aren’t gonna say that Snow is appropriating Jamaican culture.
I guess it could be an interesting question for a more open future society, whether “trans-racial” identity could eventually be something we could identify and accept.
But of course TERFy bitch J.K. Rowling isn’t asking this question in good faith, she’s trying to be edgy and punch down, like she’s constantly doing these days. So, no J.K. Rowling. Fuck off.
I’m white but grew up in Latin America. Nobody cares if I act Latino in Latin American contexts but if I do with a bunch of white people who don’t know me it can be weird. Also there’s the whole “racially self deprecating latino humor” area that I just kinda try to steer out of generally because nope…
I get that. White people carry so much guilt that we sort of knee-jerk about racial stuff.
I remember in high school I was talking about one of my co-workers, whom I described as “Mexican.” I was told by some of my well-meaning but extremely white classmates, “Don’t call him that, that’s offensive. You should say Hispanic. You don’t know where he’s from.”
I said, “Yes I do. His name is Juan, he’s from Mexico, and he’s Mexican. I know that because I talk to him. He was a police officer there, and decided to get out when he was shot three times. He came to the US and he works in a kitchen here.”
There is an episode of 30 Rock where Tina Fey’s character asks Selma Hayek’s character (the character is Puerto Rican) what she should call her. She says, “A Puerto Rican.”
Tina Fey’s character says, “I know you can say that, but what do I say?”
It’s my understanding that black Latinos feel the same way that you do. People look at you like you’re crazy when you call Sammy Davis, Jr. Latino despite that he always made sure everyone knew he was Puerto Rican. He used to regularly call himself “the only black, Puerto Rican, one-eyed, Jewish entertainer in the world.”
Edit: Apparently, Sammy was actually Afro-Cuban, but he called himself Puerto Rican because he was worried about anti-Cuban sentiment. TIL.
Or to make it more modern for the kids today- telling a lot of people that Zoe Saldana is Latina doesn’t click with them because she’s black. Even if you tell them her parents were from Cuba. Even though her last name is fucking Saldana.
Honestly race is a social construct formed initially out of ethnicity in a very similar way to gender being a social construct formed initially out of sex. I don’t think most people would be offended by someone whose cultural behavior matched that of a race not normally associated with their ethnicity, as long as it was genuine and not done simply to appropriate another culture.
Like, if a white kid is raised around a lot of Jamaican immigrants, falls in love with reggae, and becomes a Canadian reggae sensation, we aren’t gonna say that he’s black (because he isn’t), but we also aren’t gonna say that Snow is appropriating Jamaican culture.
I guess it could be an interesting question for a more open future society, whether “trans-racial” identity could eventually be something we could identify and accept.
But of course TERFy bitch J.K. Rowling isn’t asking this question in good faith, she’s trying to be edgy and punch down, like she’s constantly doing these days. So, no J.K. Rowling. Fuck off.
I’m white but grew up in Latin America. Nobody cares if I act Latino in Latin American contexts but if I do with a bunch of white people who don’t know me it can be weird. Also there’s the whole “racially self deprecating latino humor” area that I just kinda try to steer out of generally because nope…
I get that. White people carry so much guilt that we sort of knee-jerk about racial stuff.
I remember in high school I was talking about one of my co-workers, whom I described as “Mexican.” I was told by some of my well-meaning but extremely white classmates, “Don’t call him that, that’s offensive. You should say Hispanic. You don’t know where he’s from.”
I said, “Yes I do. His name is Juan, he’s from Mexico, and he’s Mexican. I know that because I talk to him. He was a police officer there, and decided to get out when he was shot three times. He came to the US and he works in a kitchen here.”
There is an episode of 30 Rock where Tina Fey’s character asks Selma Hayek’s character (the character is Puerto Rican) what she should call her. She says, “A Puerto Rican.”
Tina Fey’s character says, “I know you can say that, but what do I say?”
“A PUERTO RICAN!”
“That does not sound right…”
It’s my understanding that black Latinos feel the same way that you do. People look at you like you’re crazy when you call Sammy Davis, Jr. Latino despite that he always made sure everyone knew he was Puerto Rican. He used to regularly call himself “the only black, Puerto Rican, one-eyed, Jewish entertainer in the world.”
Edit: Apparently, Sammy was actually Afro-Cuban, but he called himself Puerto Rican because he was worried about anti-Cuban sentiment. TIL.
Or to make it more modern for the kids today- telling a lot of people that Zoe Saldana is Latina doesn’t click with them because she’s black. Even if you tell them her parents were from Cuba. Even though her last name is fucking Saldana.
There’s certainly an argument there I think. My glow in the dark ass is not the one to make it though 🤣