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Be Honest: When you see someone that looks "foreign", do you subconciously assume they don't speak English? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 1 month ago by DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works to c/AskUSA@discuss.online

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Because I'm Asian and I can remember like at least 10 instances where people in the US (Including Both White and Black people) would assume I don't speak English before I had a chance to talk. I've lived in this country since 8, I speak on a native level. I wonder if there is just a subconcious "perpetual foreigner" stereotype engrained into people.

Because I sometimes feel uncomfortable. Like it just feels very awkward after I get asked that, then I speak English perfectly lol.

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[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I live in a deep blue city 💀

[–] borf@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 1 month ago

Then I kind of assume, like the folks in the elevator, you were doing some behavior which, unbeknown to you, signaled that you felt lost or out of place.

If you disagree, feel free to share a story that you remember in specific detail. And of course, even "blue cities" have racist assholes, could have just been some bigoted piece of shit.

[–] Beacon@fedia.io 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

But you haven't told us what you mean by "looks foreign". What does that mean?

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_foreigner

[–] Beacon@fedia.io 4 points 1 month ago

That doesn't answer my question. If I'm looking at a human being that "looks foreign", what am i seeing about them with my eyeballs? What are the physical characteristics of their appearance that visually can be seen?