For you people who claim privilege isn't real [View all]

[Lee-Lee]

I've been there, done that, seen it in person.

People often have a hard time guessing my racial background, and I kind of like that. But I have seen people turn on a dime when they went from "Is she black/ is she black and ??" To acting a whole lot different when I said I was Native and Filipino.

As a child, I was ok to play with the white kids and be invited to their parties. As I got older I was ok to date the white boys and their parents would even make it a point to say "she's Indian" to all their friends so that it was clear their son wasn't dating an unacceptable race. That opened doors to all kinds of things that otherwise would have been closed just because I was able to meet the right people because I was allowed in the right circles.

I have seen the expressions change when interviewing for jobs when they read my race I put down.

I've lived a life where people often assume I am Of African descent at least partially, then if it comes up find out otherwise- and seen the attitudes change on a dime.

And I haven't even been treated as white, just a "more acceptable" minority.