It’s something almost every Asian American has been asked before.
Where are you from?
California.
No, where are you REALLY from?
What they’re getting at is what’s your ethnicity.
Meher Ahmad in her blog for Jezebel had some interesting ideas on the matter.
She titled her blog “How to Ask Someone about Their Ethnicity without Being an Asshole.”
She has a good time talking about ways not to ask. It’s actually quite amusing.
Are you offended when someone asks you where you are from? Different people have different levels of tolerance to the question.
For me personally its bothersome because it implies that I’m not from the United States. That I’m some sort of foreigner. It’s a perception many have of Asian probably based on the fact the 60 percent of Asian Americans are foreign born.
But that still leaves 40 percent who were born in the United States.
I’d love to hear your stories and thoughts on the matter below. Plus let us know what you think of Ahmad’s ideas after reading her blog in Jezebel .
From Gene Wang via Twitter: How to Ask Someone Where you are From: Yup, bothers me a lot.
From Shirley Leung via Facebook: RE: How to ask someone where you are from: . "I'm from America/here" is my usual response. Sometimes ppl are confused bc my Asian-ness is of some plave they can't pinpoint, or they just wanna ask about my ethnicity. If it's a stranger I never intend to interact with again, I may just start and end it with "from the SF bay area" or "No. California."
From James Wu via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: My reply is usually "from China and me no speaka Engulishs.
From Kathy Tsu via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: I get this type of question all the time. As a "Fobbie" with Chinese acent in English, I have no better answer;" Taiwan origin". I will return with the same question. "What's your heritage?". I always get good and interesting but long winded conversation. Pretty educational.
From James Wu via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: Kathy Tsu, you been modest, I don't think you have much of an accent. When I first met you I thought you were from Ping Tung, the same county as Vanessa. Oh I don't think you have much accent in English either.
From Melissa Yu via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: planet earth, you?
from Walden Jay via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: I used to get that alot; "Where are you from?" I always answer, "From San Francisco". They would then ask, "No, I mean where did you come from before that?" I'd say, "I was born in San Francisco". Of course they would then ask, "Where were you before San Francisco?" "You mean where was I before I was born?"…
From Shirley Leung via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: I should just "play dumb" at this question in the future. Esp those who have no business. Or just stare at them, mute. LOL. Let them think I'm a fob. They do anyway.
From Kenneth Tin via Facebook RE: "Born and raised in San Francisco" if they really wanted to know country of origin, I add "but my parents were of Chinese Ancestry". To the point and settles it. People who ask are just curious, no one ever means harm by it when they ask me. Sometimes I'm mistaken for Filipino or Thai or …
(in past…I've been mistaken for Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Thai, Hawaiian…some others probably)…
from Judy Wing Lee via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: Depends on who's asking but 'why do you want to know?' is my answer if the inquirer is non-Asian
From Lanette Yee via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where you are from: just remember they are not originals either
From Judy Wing Lee via Facebook RE How to ask someone where you are from: LOL… Unless they are Native American Indians or rather, indigenous people
From Tyrone Hong via Facebook RE: how to ask someone where you are from: I don't really get offended because I think most people are just curious and just want to start a conversation.
From Walden Jay via Facebook RE: how to ask someone where you are from: I get a bit irritated because they're automatically assuming I'm not a natural born citizen. If they're curious, they should ask me what my ethnic backgroud is, not what's my nationality or where I'm from. I also get irritated when they ask and I tell them I'm an American and they look at me like I'm either being a smartass or I'm dumb.
7 hours ago ·
from James Wu via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: I never get offended by that question.
from Tyrone Hong via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: Here is a sure fire way to get rid of those people who are really annoying you. Well it all starts back in the Ming Dynasty where my mother's father's Grandfather…wait or was it my father' mother's grandmother… People will stay the hell away from you after that! ha ha!
from Shirley Leung via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: It's funnt when they assume you can't speak English and speak slowly to you.
from John Tam via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: When I tell them I'm from New York and they still they ask where I'm from originally and that's when I say "my dad's nutsack."
From Walden Jay via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: lol, John Tam. Sometimes I say "From my mother's womb".
from Letsee Tsomenygoodillos via Facebook RE: how to ask somone where they are from: Never happen, since they know my English is better than the White peoiples' (based on the fact that they ask me for help). Besides, when I slip into the ghetto lingo, they know I might whip that *ss.
From Lisa Lim via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: I was at a watch repair shop today and the attendant asked if I was Filipino. That's the first time someone asked me that as the first guest? Just because I asked him what would be a good place to visit in the Philipines?
From John Tam via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: Alot of the ex-military types who spent time overseas think every Asian woman they meet here reminds them of one they had when they were over there, so they assume you're just as easy too. One of those guys actually wrote a book for white guys on how to pick up different kinds of Asian women.
from Lisa Lim via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: The attendant was Filipino. lol
from Johnson Tong via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: Some gang talk to me where u from lmao
From Jimmy Chin via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: Surprised that some people can turn a simple harmless direct question into an ignorant one. People never had problem with my questions… "Hey, are you Chinese… or Korean?", "Your last name, is that German?", "Are you originally from central America?" People have no problem knowing that I just want to know their ethnicity.
From John Tam via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: : Of course. Even if they don't admit it, everyone is biased in favor of their own Paisan.
From Diana Wong via Facebook RE: How to ask someone where they are from: I've been asked that all my life. Depending on where I am in the country, people assume I'm part of the other than white race that is in the majority. In Washington, Indian, Boston, Portuguese, California, Spanish. You get the picture.