Don't matter if you're black or white

As a woman in the grocery store approached me, I quickly noticed that she wasn't speaking English. Spanish was her language of choice, and I could tell she was asking me a question, but I don't speak Spanish. I told her this, and received, "Stop disgracing your heritage!" as a frustrated response.

Are you referring to my Scottish heritage, or my Danish blood?

As a college freshman at Utah State, I was super stoked to go to the annual Paint Dance. Plain old buckets of blue and white house paint are set out to be disposed of as attendees see fit. Saweeet! Well my roommates and I were dancing (appropriately of course) with a group of young gentlemen. One of them yelled above the music in a distorted rush, "What are you?!"

Come again?

I'm all about saving 3 lives in one fail swoop, which is why I donate my hearty +A blood whenever possible. I was at a blood drive, and already back getting my finger pricked. The phlebotomist scanned my basic info, looked up sharply, and said "You know Caucasian means white right?"

Yes. I am aware thank you

My mother had taken me to get a physical so that I could join the track team in 7th grade. It was my first time seeing Dr. Veeber as we had recently moved into the area. She shined her yellow light into the crooks and cavities of my head, and stroked her silent little woman-stache with one pointer finger. Then she asked my mother, "Do you know who the father is?" My mother said she'd been married to my dad for nearly 20 years.

"So is he white?"

Yes.

At work the other day, a creepy man in his mid-fifties whom I'll just call Mr. D approached me with his twitchy left eye and proceeded to tell me that I looked exactly like his best friend growing up. Except that I was a girl. This is why he'd fallen in love with me the moment he saw me. Compliment? I just said okay and asked what the friend's name was, unsure of how to respond to his quirked out and totally creepy comment.

Anton Hererez

These are a few of the times when people have questioned my race. It's odd. Most times I get the, "What are you?" which is an awful way of approaching the subject people! Think before speaking. They say stuff to me in Spanish at places like Cafe Rio every once in awhile as well. I just ask for the pork barbacoa salad, and smile. uhhh. Yeah, it goes without saying that my skin color..or eye shape..or something.. has placed me in some rather awkward situations a time or two. I'm Danish, Scottish, English, and Welsh. Totally Scandinavian. Apparently I don't look it though. They should offer scholarship to people like me!