brooklyn gal for a while

ethnicity

Once while at work in Sunset Park* I was repremanded by a woman in her 50s for not speaking Spanish better. I appologized and told her I had never actually taken a class. She responded with something along the lines, of "but you should know it! You are a Latina!" Arching my eyebrows, I disagreed, reporting my Irish heritage. She seemed bewildered, to her I looked Latin.
About a month later I was walking to work (this was in east Chinatown) and was stopped for directions, where I only understood "East Broadway" and then the gentleman repeated himself in halting English. I pointed the way, only to have him respond with "Chinese? you are Chinese, yes?" Smiling, I said no, and he came back with "you look Chinese."

all I have to say to these reports are
1. seriously? is it the blue eyes, or freckles that lead you to these "diagnosis" of race? and
2. which lens is better, one, or two?



*a Latino neighborhood

posted by gordian knot @ Saturday, January 27, 2007