5 ms·
> I was surprised when I learned that this US ethnicity is a self-defined status. This means that me, a blond blue eyed man (and accessorily French) could defin
by ardy42 6y ago
> I was surprised when I learned that this US ethnicity is a self-defined status. This means that me, a blond blue eyed man (and accessorily French) could define myself as Afro-American in the US.
That's not really true. You wouldn't be actually able to define yourself as Afro-American in the US, beyond maybe lying on a form (and even that designation would probably be overridden if it mattered). Pretty-much everyone would consider your self-designation to be annoying BS.
A few full-blooded white people have tried passing as Afro-American (only possible because of the lingering effects of the one-drop rule), but they received a lot of press (and rejection) when the real story came out.
- BrandoElFollito 6y ago> You wouldn't be actually able to define yourself as Afro-American in the US Please see https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html, and especially "An individual’s response to the race question is based upon self-identification. The Census Bureau does not tell individuals which boxes to mark or what heritage to write in." The "annoying BS" you mention is people's response to that self-identification, not a legal one.
- DiggyJohnson 6y agoI don’t think everyone else is using the same definition of “define” as you.
- BrandoElFollito 6y agoI do not define anything, just use the US legal definition. Please see my other comment for the gov link and relevant quote. We do not have in France any such legal construct (this is even forbidden by law).