I am Latina but pass as White

[artislife]

63. I see your question about what I meant

What I mean by passing, in my experience is that most White people think I am purely White. Most non-Whites can see there is something else there.

Why is this even an OP? Because when I go into a situation that is predominately White, nothing happens. There are no preconceived ideas of who I am, what I am doing there, how I got there and what my character is. Nothing.

People also can say the racists little rants in front of me, thinking I just might feel the same since I am White like them.

Case in point. I met a woman who had very dark hair, dark eyes and was just a striking woman. She told me her name was Yolanda and quickly added that she was not Mexican. It was a networking event. Was I to tell her, well even if she was Mexican it was cool because I am part Mexican? I didn't say anything, but my name. It is not hispanic because it wasn't the paternal side of the family that the lineage came from.

I often think about my own cowardliness at that moment and rationalize that I wasn't going to shame her. But she shamed herself in that small exchange by showing her prejudice.

But on the other side the coin, I often get questions from other minorities on what my background is. They can see it, usually.

I have traveled to other countries and I was snubbed in a shop by an Italian communist. He hated Americans. Then my Italian friends said I was part Native American (Mexican grandma married Ojibwa Native American) and he loved me. Race means something to every single person on this planet. It just does.