After yet another "interrogation" by a random Asian person, I think I need an FAQ for real life. Probably stapled to my forehead. If you are an Asian person, you know what I mean. The thing that has me so mad is that these questions are an attempt to pigeonhole me into some sort of ethnicity. Who the freakin' cares? My ethnicity doesn't define me. In fact, only knowing my ethnicity and "origins" won't tell you anything about me at all.
My ancestors may have given me my looks (or lack of), but they didn't make me what I am.
My bro-in-law, who's complexion is as fair as it gets without being transparent (and he's quasi-goth and avoids the sun), was in a class in high school once and the teacher had them all line up according to skin color, darkest to lightest. This was an inner-city school, so the rainbow was well represented. Of course, he was on the far end of the white scale.
The teacher then started at the other end and had every student describe how they felt about their color. When they got to my bro-in-law, he said that it really meant nothing other than it was the color of his skin. The rest of the class freaked on him for taking his whiteness "for granted."
Being a Nordic-American (cough), I like knowing what my roots are, but they are not my identity by any means. It's interesting that a portion of society tries to force you into adopting your race as an identity when some of us don't care to.
