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[The Artisan]

-sigh- I've been unemployed for almost a month, feels like a hellhole state of mind but I should be doing applications more.

It's pretty standard but towards the end they have surveys I suppose for statistical purposes but there's 2 things about it that piss me off.

First is, I get that being Asian does count as a race but there are so many different races of people on that continent, Eastern Asian, southeast Asian, South Asian - these people I call brown, Middle Eastern, maybe even more. Grouping them all as "Asian" makes it seem like they're all within one ethnicity.

Second, every time I see the choice "American Indian" I am almost compelled to choose it. Why in the fuck are Native Americans still being called Indians?!

 

[hodayathink]

Hispanic/Latino basically covers everything south of Texas, which is a pretty diverse set of cultures as well (and then we can talk about whether Spaniards are Latino as well).

 

[……forgetit]

Surveys are really odd in the united States, why do they feel the need to ask if you're Hispanic at all?

I eco decline to answer

 

[Username1198]

I've been Other my whole life. Hopefully I gain my citizenship one day and become Other American.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Your name will answer for you. No worries.

 

[TickleMeElbow]

I usually choose other because I'm mixed race.

Sometimes there's actually a "two or more" option though, which is nice.

 

[RowdyReverb]

Hispanic/Latino basically covers everything south of Texas, which is a pretty diverse set of cultures as well (and then we can talk about whether Spaniards are Latino as well).

And white has the specifier (non-Hispanic) just to make sure that white people who speak Spanish get lumped together too

 

[sphagnum]

edit: nevermind, I kind of misread

In regards to Native Americans being called Indians, I was under the impression that there were a lot of Native Americans who prefer to be called Indians anyway.

 

[Aaronology]

This isn't unique to Asians. White, black and Amerindian include many ethnicities too.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

I haven't seen "American Indian" in years and I live in Alabama of all places.

 

[see5harp]

Just say other. As sour as I am with not having something specific It's not like they Break down any of the ethnicities.

 

[TickleMeElbow]

Your name will answer for you. No worries.

That's not true.

You could be adopted, or changed last names by getting married, etc.

 

[t26]

Many tribes are federally recognized as _______ Indian of ______.

 

[ISOM]

This isn't unique to Asians. White, black and Amerindian include many ethnicities too.

Pretty much this.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

In some countries it's actually illegal to ask for people's races/ethnicities in surveys, even if it's for "statistics".

 

[RomanticHeroX]

Race is an arbitrary social construct.

 

[Syriel]

First is, I get that being Asian does count as a race but there are so many different races of people on that continent, Eastern Asian, southeast Asian, South Asian - these people I call brown, Middle Eastern, maybe even more. Grouping them all as "Asian" makes it seem like they're all within one ethnicity.

It is no different than "White" or "Black" in that regard.

Also race != ethnicity.

 

[Zoe]

In some countries it's actually illegal to ask for people's races/ethnicities in surveys, even if it's for "statistics".

It's an EEOC thing, and it's completely optional.

I tried the "why does it even matter" mindset, but now I want my existence to be known, even if it just boosts our share a fraction of a percentage.

 

[whytemyke]

Surveys are really odd in the united States, why do they feel the need to ask if you're Hispanic at all?

I eco decline to answer

Certain laws exist against discrimination and the best way states have to back it up is to require people to supply info on who they're helping. For example, every mortgage application requires we ask the applicant their race and gender.

Asian is one race the same reason "pacific islander" and "native American" are one race. You don't need to know if someone is Korean or Japanese to know if a bank is only giving loans to white people.

 

[Spaced Harrier]

You know all these races are just made up right?

So it's a mix of culture, history, where the local population came from and a random assortment of historical variables chucked in blender and puked up into a form.

 

[dlauv]

Race isn't ethnicity.

While race is bullshit, we don't really separate european-americans by country either on these sheets. "Hispanic" is the odd duck.

 

[Sobriquet]

Second, every time I see the choice "American Indian" I am almost compelled to choose it. Why in the fuck are Native Americans still being called Indians?!

Anecdotally, it seems to be preferred.

 

[elrechazado]

White, black, and Hispanic all have the exact issue.

 

[Staccat0]

Weirdly there is a great board game called Discoveries about Lewis and Clark. In that game it refers to Indians and mentions in the rule book that they did research and found that survey's have shown the majority of Native Americans prefer Indian.

I never dug into it. My dad is native and he says Indian, but he was raised entirely by white people so I figured it was just one of those things until a board game suggested maybe otherwise haha.

I can appreciate why it feels reductive, but anything that helps me avoid listening to some white dude explain how they are "1/8th German and 1/4th Viking" when discussing race is okay for me.

My dad is American Indian and I wholly identify as white cuz I am white.

 

[mavo]

Arabs are actually considered white on the census.

 

[BobLoblaw]

Easier to stereotype and label, like Hispanic.

 

[Phu]

I mean, how many ethnicity options do they typically have on those lists? 5 or 6? They're all gonna be broad and generalizing since most places have more ethnicities than that.

 

[boiled goose]

Applies to any group.

You think black or African is homogeneous culturally or genetically?

The main categories are broad social constructs that have some social implications but of course are imperfect.

Beyond "race" nationality matters, color matters, culture matters , etc.

 

[dpunk3]

Because it doesn't make a big enough difference to employers.

 

[valeo]

Not just Asians...?

I am 'European' despite being born in New Zealand and not actually being European

 

[davepoobond]

Second, every time I see the choice "American Indian" I am almost compelled to choose it. Why in the fuck are Native Americans still being called Indians?!

im guessing you should write a letter to the "Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations" and tell them they're wrong.

http://www.tasin.org/


or the National Congress of American Indians.

http://www.ncai.org/

 

[Wanda/Wander]

It's almost as if the idea racial classification breaks down after even the lightest of taps of scrutiny.

 

[AColdDay]

Louis C.K. had my favorite bit about Indians.

It was just Indians. And they weren’t even Indians. We called them that by accident. And we still call them that.

We knew in a month that it wasn’t Indians but we just don’t give a shit.
We never correct it. We came here.
They’re like, ‘Hi.’ And we’re like, ‘Hey, you’re Indians, right?’ And they’re like, ‘No.’

‘No, this is India, right?’

‘No, it’s not. It’s a totally other place.’

‘You’re not Indians?’

‘No.’

‘Ahh, you’re Indians. You’re Indians for hundreds of years after.”

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

-sigh- I've been unemployed for almost a month, feels like a hellhole state of mind but I should be doing applications more.

It's pretty standard but towards the end they have surveys I suppose for statistical purposes but there's 2 things about it that piss me off.

First is, I get that being Asian does count as a race but there are so many different races of people on that continent, Eastern Asian, southeast Asian, South Asian - these people I call brown, Middle Eastern, maybe even more. Grouping them all as "Asian" makes it seem like they're all within one ethnicity.

Second, every time I see the choice "American Indian" I am almost compelled to choose it. Why in the fuck are Native Americans still being called Indians?!

They prefer it.

 

[DiscoJer]

Some prefer being called American Indians. Haven't you head of the American Indian Movement? Russell Means? He was strongly in favor of using the American Indian term.

You see the one thing I've always maintained is that I'm an American Indian. I'm not a Native American. I'm not politically correct. Everyone who's born in the Western Hemisphere is a Native American. We are all Native Americans. And if you notice, I put American before my ethnicity. I'm not a hyphenated African-American or Irish-American or Jewish-American or Mexican-American.

And he was an activist for 40+ years until his death.

 

[ISWThunder]

When you divide 7.3 billion by 6 categories things become a bit imprecise.

 

[LewieP]

In the UK, were someone described as Asian, the most likely assumption would be that they were of Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi descent, just because there is a larger population from these parts of Asia, especially historically.

Riz Ahmed tells stories of how he goes to America, and people speak Spanish at him (he doesn't speak Spanish), and struggle to believe him when he says he is of Asian heritage, and identifies as "British Asian".

I live in South East Asia, and here some people don't even consider India to be part of Asia, they say it's just India.

 

[Rapscallion]

Race is an arbitrary social construct.

Yep, there's your answer.

The history of how groups were classified into specific race groups in the United States is batshit insane.

 

[teruterubozu]

Cuz Asian Food. Like Hispanic or Middle Eastern Cuisine. People think in terms of restaurants in America.

 

[MikeMyers]

So what do former USSR -Stan countries fall in? Other?

 

[The Artisan]

Race is an arbitrary social construct.

I don't know if it is arbitrary just because it is a social construct; racism is still a prevailing problem in the 1st and 3rd world.

there was a thread about it here that got locked

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=235406311#post235406311

It is no different than "White" or "Black" in that regard.

Also race != ethnicity.

you're right, i shouldn't have grouped them together like that.

They prefer it.

is it not disingenuous though all things considered?

 

[massoluk]

Most of the time I actually see Asian/Pacific Islander.

Lumping the entire continent wasn't enough



Where I live, we grouped white people together, Middle Eastern and Indian together,

White, Black, Yellow, Khaek (Middle East/India), Red (Native American)

 

[Heshinsi]

Doesn't the US classify Asian as meaning people of East Asian descent (i.e, Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, etc)?

 

[Zoe]

Doesn't the US classify Asian as meaning people of East Asian descent (i.e, Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, etc)?

Colloquially, but in instances such as this it includes India.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

You act like this grouping isn't done for other groups as well

 

[hodayathink]

So what do former USSR -Stan countries fall in? Other?

I want to say they're generally considered Eastern European/White.

 

[Pancake Mix]

I don't see the problem. It's a broad category for a few forms.

I want to say they're generally considered Eastern European/White.

Russians in Kazakhstan or Siberia? Sure.

But no, the (ex-USSR) -Stan countries are in Central Asia and the indigenous (non-Slavic) inhabitants would correctly tick the Asian box instead.

 

[The Artisan]

You act like this grouping isn't done for other groups as well

i'm not acting like it doesn't, it's what I think of immediately being of asian descent.

 

[Thelonelykoopa]

I don't know if it is arbitrary just because it is a social construct; racism is still a prevailing problem in the 1st and 3rd world.

there was a thread about it here that got locked

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=235406311#post235406311

you're right, i shouldn't have grouped them together like that.
is it not disingenuous though all things considered?

It may not be fully accurant but it is Something that has been accepted for hundreds of years as to describe indigenous peoples of America. I use Native American out of respect of this being an international forum and not wanting to confuse anyone but my Family prefers the term Indian and thinks of Native American as a more clenical scholarly term.

 

[Days like these...]

I'm Mexican American but I always choose native American instead of white when asked about race. I figure the native people of Mexico are more closely related to native Americans than to white people.