Would I be depicted as white?

Show all answers

Gwen

I have a friend who is an ethnic Arab whose family is from Mardin (his parents still speak Arabic amongst themselves though now live in another part of Turkey) and has bright red hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and freckles. I knew an ethnic Kurdish girl with red hair and green eyes too. My maternal grandfather's side is also "white Arab" from Yemen, all tall people with pale skin and blue eyes, my white Arab great-grandmother having been blond too. People have some conception of Arabs and Kurds being "very dark" but I see a lot more variance in their coloring: There are Kurds and Arabs who are quite swarthy, but there are also quite a lot who look Irish.

However, the same thing goes for Afghan and Pakistani people: They can be extremely fair or extremely dark. Yet they are both in the Middle East and Asia. Thus: What is the purpose exactly of the "Caucasian" categorization if we are not all taking some kind of clear-cut DNA tests to divide us up into simple groupings?

I may have mostly Turkic (to the simple-minded racist like the poster above this would be "like Mongolian") ancestors, some European ancestors, some Kurdish ancestors, and some Arab ancestors. Anyway, hardly anyone can guess where I am actually from as I indicated in this thread:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AsxhW3JnRSUGm5OJNeZDzX_ty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080928193850AAS9FR6&show=7#profile-info-GcodaXPWaa
But in fact I would say that *most* citizens of Turkiye have the same issue, and indeed filling out "ethnicity forms" is not clear-cut for us either.

When I first saw those forms, I would simply circle "Asian" because I thought that it was referring to the actual continent of Asia. Then I realized that usually "Asian" was often in reference to the Far East only. Moreover, you should be careful of circling "Asian" in any case because there are sometimes quotas that work against Asian applicants (e.g. for college) in certain states and institutions. So, if you have another viable option, I would not suggest for you to choose "Asian" even if your homeland is technically in that continent. :D

Now, if you had the option to circle "Native American", then I would say that there is no question that you must absolutely circle that option: It would be to the best of your advantage in any U.S. application. However, whether you may have some Caucasian ancestry or not, it is highly doubtful that you have some "Native American" ancestors. :D After "Native American", the next best option to circle in the U.S. would be "African American". Yet again: That too is not an option in your case, no matter what else you may be.

These usually leave us with just "White" or "Middle Eastern" as your only viable options (having eliminated circling "Asian" as it just does not work to your advantage). Between those two, I do not see how circling "Middle Eastern" will necessarily benefit you in obtaining positions in applications, but I will admit that it depends on the application. Personally, despite people generally not guessing that I am Middle Eastern, I do identify more strongly with being Middle Eastern than with that strangely uncomfortable notion of being "simply white". Circling "Caucasian" to me is so non-descript, it is like just the de-facto thing to circle when none of the other categories apply. No offense to "simply white" people, but to identify only with being "white" means nothing. Being Swiss means something. Being French means something. Being Italian means something. But being "white" -- what the heck does that mean?

You ask "where I stand in society" but why do you leave that just for other morons to decide? YOU decide where you stand in society based on who and what YOU identify with.

Trotsky vs Kerensky-Ð´Ð°Ñ…Ñ Ð´ÑÐ¸

The answerers here should note that the asker calls himself a Kurd, he isn't Turkish which, makes the question of which geographical region Turkey belongs to highly irrelevant. In any case, there's no way that I'd call the part of Turkey that borders with Iraq or Syria European.

You are not white either. People hold this popular misconception that having colorful eyes and/or having a slightly blondish hair makes you white. I have seen Middle Easterns who have "dark blond" hair as you put it (actually light brown would be more correct) and brag about it (lol) because it is so rare in the Middle East and indeed, among the Kurds in the Southeastern region of Turkey to have such physical attributes. While filling out the forms, you should call yourself a "Middle Eastern" because genetically, since you are Kurdish, you are purely Middle Eastern. An Arab cannot say he's white just because his skin color is lighter compared to the rest of the Arab population. Similarly, an Italian cannot say he's not white because he's got slightly dark skin.

I really don't see where the confusion is, though you ask this question with a seemingly careless manner, I think deep down you regard it as important. Being Middle Eastern is not something to be ashamed of.

Jen

LOL perhaps you are as Aryan as anyone else? Isnt that the same root word as Iran...

EU is economic-political, Europe is geographic. I supect there may eventually be some redneck argument to call the Middle East its own continent just so people can be clearer on who they are hating. For now, go for it and muddy up those archaic forms. Think about it... do you honestly want to be on the list to get called up to wear a yellow crescent on your sleeve if the Patriot Act swings full force back to internment? I would not identify myself to the US government as arab of any kind in this decade.

Richard E

Part of Turkey is in Europe, so it is at least partly a European country. This is not up to the EU.

By American standards, you are White. People will consider you white in the US if you wear western clothes and shave regularly.

Caucasian and White means the same thing in the US, but most people have trouble spelling Caucasian.

dingdong

how should i know what you have to say about your ethnicity! put a pic of urself ,so i can say. what a racist question

Totally Blunt

Everyone who takes a vacation to our Aegean and Mediterrenean coasts turns brunette. In other terms, how should we know? And what IS white?

Bix

You are a Mongolian (or something which sounds like Mongolian but I don't remember the word).

cenga2000

childish question! go, grew up,then ask!

yeah

no white person would every call themselves caucasian unless it was written on a document

I'm African, Caucasian, and Native American....If they ask my ethnicity I either choose "African" or "other", all depends on how I'm feeling that day...

If you don't know that you have Caucasian genes as a fact, and you yourself don't look European, then why claim you're European? Do you wish you were white, or you just don't like being Turkish?

woolerz

Turkey is in Europe, right? I mean they're bordering the middle East, but I consider them as part of Europe.
Haha just to be safe, put other. I doubt it matters much anyway.

â™¥BarÄ±ÅŸ Awarenessâ™¥

Just check either box
Caucasian or white
doesn't matter, cause your not
checking the box
that says African and
in the USA, that box
would of set you up for life.

badspeller

yes you are white and nothing Al's .Armenia's and Kurdish are white. also turkeys are NOT Europeans.they are mongols and Arabs and Africa mixer, they are not European members and they will not become one. the Turks in European side are not belong to them the land is EST THRAKI and is considered to be geek the most ,and Bulgarian land,. IT WAS slave by the Turks .the capitol city is a Greek city,AGIA SOFIA the ester Church, and religious of the Christianity Capitol Church. it resembles Jerusalem and the Jews, clam they own the city.

Sarah S

i am turks and irish so i just say I am half white and half middle eastern

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: