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Multicultural families

Here's where to share your experience of raising a child or growing up in a multicultural family.

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Original poster

Rude people

6 replies

TinyPawz · 06/12/2008 00:25

I was travelling by train to a friend house with my mixed race daughter.

An older man came over and pointed his finger at her and asked my outright 'What nationality is she?'.

I replied 'Irish'

He said 'no, what nationality is she?'

I replied again 'Irish!'

He got off the train shaking his head. He obviously didn't get the answer he wanted.

Can you imagine someone doing that?

OP posts:

DingDongMerrilyOnEI · 06/12/2008 00:28

OMG!! how rude
what an odd and frankly offensive thing to do
would he have said that to an adult of mixed race?? did he think you were going to chuckle and amuse him with her geneology?? some people have no sense or common decency
xx ei xx

sweetgrapes · 06/12/2008 00:41

Seriously, some people are nuts...

My friend (white) was pushing my dd's(mostly asian) pram once and I was a few steps behind. He started to say something to her and was obviously thinking some deep thoughts .
Then I came up and asked what the matter was. He looked at me(mixed) and said 'Oh. Now I understand. I was wondering how she was the mother!'

My friend could have been anyone - from the mum of a mixed race child to a nanny to a friend of mum's. Mind your own business...

sweetgrapes · 06/12/2008 00:41

Sorry... I meant

Original poster

TinyPawz · 06/12/2008 00:57

My LO is only 2, so she was blissfully unaware of this rude w*nker!

I was fuming for the rest of the day.....I keep thinking of clever things that I should have said to him.....so frustrating.

OP posts:

ummadam · 06/12/2008 11:34

I get it all the time (white girl, white accent, headscarf) My husband is very fair and is mixed race - our son looks like me despite the odd asian gene in his heritage.

Where are you from?

No I mean where originally?

No I mean your parents, where are they from?

Your grandparents?

Oh.. I see... Does your husband make you wear that?

if they asked "it's a bit unusual to see someone english wearing muslim clothes? why are you wearing that?" I wouldn't mind at all and would happily explain but as it is I just keep them guessing

saramoon · 08/12/2008 17:55

I remember a couple of years ago when i was out in town with my two dds who are mixed race - and pretty light skinned - and a woman started chatting to them and me saying the usual aren't they gorgeous etc and then said to me, "sorry, are they yours?"
I didn't know whether she meant are they yours as they are not the same colour as you or are they yours as they are so gorgeous they couldn't possibly be your children!

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