I refuse to apologise on behalf of the phenotypical expression of my genetic material

[nanila]

Algerian man in restaurant: You look Algerian, actually.
Me: No no. I'm half southeast Asian.
AM: You're sure you aren't part Algerian?
Me: Yes.
AM, looking disbelievingly at me: Hm...I'll have to get you tell my fortune later.
Me: ?!

You could replace "Algerian" in that story with just about any nationality or ethnic group on Earth and I will have experienced it previously. Okay, you couldn't replace the part about the fortune-telling. Are mixed-race people renowned for their psychic powers? If so, how come no one told me earlier? I could have made my fortune as Madame Nanila by now. Curses.

Here are the groups to which people have not only insisted I must belong, but gotten upset with me to some degree for not belonging to them, over the years.

• Moroccan
  
• Thai
  
• Jewish
  
• Spanish
  
• Vietnamese
  
• Samoan
  
• Indonesian
  
• Indian
  
• Japanese
  
• Mexican
  
• Italian
  
• Cuban
  
• Unmixed white

I don't mind being difficult to pigeonhole. I do mind, however, when people get peeved because I don't fit into the preconceived identity box they made for me. How on Earth is that offensive?

Comments

[becala]

I think I've only gotten Native American, Korean, Mexican, Japanese, and Filipino. I've only gotten Thai once, and that was based on my name, not my appearance. And I've never had anyone be personally offended by my not belonging to whatever group they thought I was part of. Or maybe they were and I just didn't notice. There's something to be said for being too thick to comprehend nuances in social situations.

My favorite was when the two dudes at the corner shop asked me if I were Native or Japanese. Apparently there were no other possibilities available to me.

Oh, I think I've gotten Greek once.

[nanila]

I think people tend to go with what's familiar to them. Spending more time on this side of the pond would probably get you some more north African guesses.