General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: An Observation About White People and Wypipo [View all]The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,869 posts)For years I've noticed that "white" is the default assumption when a person is being described; that is, if a person's race is not mentioned they are assumed to be white. It's only if they are something other than white that the description includes race. And then when you ask a white person (and I'm one) to identify something about their race they will usually mention their nationality or ethnicity and talk about how their grandfather's lederhosen or grandmother's stromboli. Most white people seem to be perfectly comfortable discussing their ethnic or national background, but it seems like the only ones that talk about the "white race" as such are white supremacists, who are by their very own selves evidence that white supremacy is a lie.
I have no problem identifying as "white" and probably would have raised my hand in your class, but if you asked me what was distinctive about my racial identification I'd probably go off about my Ancestry DNA test showing me to be a mix of Scandinavian and other miscellaneous European. I don't know how to talk about being "white," except that I am of the default race in this country, which, of course, is my white privilege. I am trying to be more aware of how completely pervasive that is. Thank you for helping.