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I don't have a problem with either term though I do personally identify more with African American.
Have you ever been to Africa? Is that where your family is from? Any recent relatives that you've met actually come from there? If not, then I have no idea why you would identify with a continent you've never been to, and that you would know nothing about without reading information about it
Have you ever been to Africa? Is that where your family is from? Any recent relatives that you've met actually come from there? If not, then I have no idea why you would identify with a continent you've never been to, and that you would know nothing about without reading information about it
Whether I have been to Africa or not doesn't really matter because either way I'm still an American of African descent. It's no different than a person of Chinese descent being called Asian American even though that person has never been to the continent of Asia. Like I said before, I don't mind either term whether it's "Black" or "African American". I don't get offended at all when other racial groups refer to me as African American. I would prefer it actually. Even in real life, I've had debates with people over the term and I've even been called an "Uncle Tom" once by a person for supporting the term African American. Could you believe that?
Last edited by gwillyfromphilly; 06-25-2013 at 04:28 PM..
Not necessarily because Charlize Theron is not of African descent unlike Black Americans are. Therefore she cannot be African American.
So it's an appropriate term for black Americans, whose family may have been in the Americas for 400-500 years but not for a woman who's citizenship is African and whose residence may be in America?
Besides, if you go back far enough, aren't we all descended from people who lived on the African continent?
So it's an appropriate term for black Americans, whose family may have been in the Americas for 400-500 years but not for a woman who's citizenship is African and whose residence may be in America?
Yes, because she is not of indigenous ancestry when it comes to identifying as African American. If your so curious about what Charlize Theron thinks of the term than why don't you just ask her on twitter or something. I'll even give you the link to save you the trouble.
Not necessarily because Charlize Theron is not of African descent unlike Black Americans are. Therefore she cannot be African American.
If she was born in Africa, she's African. Not all African natives/residents are black.
What about Egyptians and other people from northern Africa? Are they not African, even though many may be Caucasian? Then if an Egyptian moves to the United States, shouldn't s/he be African-American as well?
I am talking about identity as well. Far to much time is spent on the racial aspect of it. People are people to me. YMMV.
I don't know about the UK, but in the US we are very often required to state or note our race. Some of it is for affirmative action, whereby minorities will go first, all things being equal. There are all sorts of situations where we are asked to state our race. That's why it matters.
I don't know what to call anyone anymore, what's considered correct or PC, what offends someone and should they even feel offended. It's confusing. I call black people "black people." We used to call them negroes, then that changed to black and then that changed to Afro or African Americans. Whites are called either whites or caucasians. Asians? What do we call them? Orientals?
Sometimes I wish someone (who???) would decide for once and for all. If we wait a few millenia then maybe everyone will be intermarried and there won't be any need for racial terminology.
If she was born in Africa, she's African. Not all African natives/residents are black.
What about Egyptians and other people from northern Africa? Are they not African, even though many may be Caucasian? Then if an Egyptian moves to the United States, shouldn't s/he be African-American as well?
In my opinion, Egyptians, Moroccans, etc have the right to identify as African American if they choose to. I have absolutely no problem with that.
Yes, because she is not of indigenous ancestry when it comes to identifying as African American. If your so curious about what Charlize Theron thinks of the term than why don't you just ask her on twitter or something. I'll even give you the link to save you the trouble.
Yes but there is no need to go that far back in human history otherwise this forum about genealogy would be pointless.
Well, some non-black Africans have a five-or-six generation lineage and heritage in Africa. So at what point do they get to call themselves African?
Meanwhile some black Americans do not even hail from the African continent, or are recently-arrived immigrants. Do they get to call themselves African-Americans, even if they just immigrated in 2006, or moved here from Jamaica or some other Carribean, non-African country?
I agree with the OP and unless someone specifically tells me they want to be referred to as "African American" or "European American" or "Asian American" I try to avoid labels altogether. I really think it will be a nice day when skin colour is truly irrelevant.
I was born in the USA but grew up in Europe and the Middle East. When I moved back to the US as an adult with a Scottish accent I was gobsmacked at all the people who blithely informed me they were "Scottish." Despite never having been there or having the faintest idea of the culture. Quite frankly I found it really stupid. I feel the same way about the term "African American" from someone who is generations-born and raised in America.
I'd feel equally silly referring to myself as a "German-Scottish-Roma-American." Or "European-American", if I'd never left the US.
If people wish to be labelled, they should be allowed to use any label they want. I've decided on "Panda", black, white and asian.
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