Are my children white British or white European ?

[wua]

Which box would you tick ?

I am white European and always tick the white other or white European box. I don't have a British passport. I could have one, I just haven't done it yet. I've lived here for 20 years.

My husband is also white European and ticks that box, even though he has a British passport and was born here. He also has a European passport.

Which box are our children ? They have British passports, so I think they're ' white british '.

However technically, heritage wise, they're not British at all. Heritage wise, my kids are 100 percent European on both sides.

I was ticking white other for them and realised that I'm probably ticking the wrong box !

What do you think ?

Whichever you feel you want to tick. Given what you have shared I'd probably tick European though.

How old are they... Old enough to have an opinion?

They are legally British
But its about cultural identity as well

I'd choose white european there because it's a question about ethnicity, not nationality.

They're tiny.. Under 5

That's what I thought initially because perhaps if it's a medial form, they may be prone to different health problems that ' white British ' or something like that.

Well, technically we're all 100% European because Britain is on the European continent 🤔

BUT in this context, I would probably put White British for your kids.

There's always the box for 'white - other' which I always use as I have dual nationalities. There's often 'prefer not to say' too.

Yes you're right about that too. I actually really hate that distinction that I've made of being European. British people are also European !

These things are normally phrased as “which group you consider yourself to belong to” so it’s up to you. There isn’t a right or wrong in that instance.

My family are of European heritage but my generation was born here and we don’t have other passports. I tend to tick the “white British” box on forms but my DBro
says he ticks the “white European” box as he feels his heritage and ethnic group isn’t British. I don’t think either of us is “wrong”.

I would put White British. Because that's what they are.

I tend to tick white other, even though dh and I have had British passports for years now. It’s their heritage, and it also indicates that they speak another language and may have some cultural differences. I presume that’s useful info.
Interestingly the adult ones have varied. One ticks white British and one, who also married a European and still speaks the language at home, ticks white other. Their own identities have changed.
Personally I view it though as free choice, tick what you wish. I recognise the privilege in being able to do so. It’s sad but it’s all looks alone to most people

This.

My mum insisted as a child I tick white British.

She's European.

I tick White European as that's my ethnicity. I hold a British passport

From my perspective, it's not so much what passport you have but what your culture is/where you have grown up, as lots of people have passports in countries they have never lived/don't speak the language.

I am not born British (though I do now have a British passport) and dh is British. My dc are British. They do have dual nationality (more due to the complexities of travel to my home country), but only the eldest has ever even visited once. They are born in the UK and this is all they have ever known. They would think it was weird if anyone considered them not British. Obviously, this would be different if we had a strong cultural tie to another country and intended to return to live there, etc.

Me personally, I tick White other because even though I am a UK citizen and have lived here a long time and no intention of ever returning to live in my home country/no real family or financial ties there, I still am culturally not British. I grew up somewhere different and I am still a bit different to most British people. If I'd been born and grew up here, I'd definitely consider myself British though.

It's a question about ethnicity not nationality (I.e. what passport you hold)

I don’t think it matters, all white British are also white European! I can’t see how it would make a difference medically though, I can’t see the French for example having different needs than the Germans (liver issues from all the red wine vs digestive issues from all the processed pork?!!)

White European here (with British passport, since 3 years ago) with a White British husband. For my daughter I always tick White Mixed. I don't feel British at all and she has 50% non-British genes and heritage.

If they have lived in Britain for most/all of their lives (presume they were born here as you’ve been here 20 yrs), I’d definitely tick white British. My aunt and uncle emigrated to Aus and had kids there. Those kids were born/brought up there and consider themselves 100% Australian, not British in any way. Because it’s all they have known I suppose.

It would depend to me. More westernised Europe, I’m not sure what huge cultural or medical impact it would have, especially considering their very young ages.Further Eastern European may be different as there’s more likely to be a mix of genetics that’s blanketed under ‘white’ if that is what is under consideration. To be honest, whilst very young I’d probably keep to White British and let them make their own minds up going forward.

For the organisation I work for, it is up to individuals to choose what works for them, or not tick any box at all.

We have been told that the purpose of recording ethnicity is to see if there are any ethnic groups that are underusing the service relative to their population size, which may indicate an accessibility problem that we need to address.

I think a slight issue with this is that some groups are suspicious of why the data is being collected and are more likely to decline or to pick what feel is a safer group, which may skew data.

I think there are differences in some places. There is one specific health issue that's more common in the Mediterranean for example, that I can think of.

the question isn’t there for personal medical reasons, it’s to keep track on who is accessing the service. Tick what you like. Or don’t tick anything.

Agree with this. I might start ticking "White European" myself, despite having a complete lack of any non-British ancestors I could find (to my irrational slight disappointment). If they wanted to find out the numbers of non-British white Europeans the form should have been more specific - e.g., "Other white European". And if the question is about identity not ethnicity this surely belongs as a separate question.

I did one of those online dna tests as had little family history. I’m born and raised in the uk but the results came back an interesting mixture of European, including some Ashkenazi Jewish. I still consider myself ‘white British’ but always had unusually low iron/haemoglobin issues when pregnant. When I mentioned the DNA test during my last pregnancy, they said that was likely a factor. So white Europeans can have an implications that being White British does not.

I always ponder on this one because one of my parents was not British. I suppose in terms of ethnicity I can take my pick!

I'd tick European for anything medical. Me and DH had to have genetic testing for CF. Different ethnicities have different common mutations - even within Europe.

If it's not medical put what you like.