The One Drop Rule: How Small a Drop? Or, What Race am I?

[monstro]

Your race is whatever you want it to be.

But no one is obligated to agree with you.

[Nava]

@Rodgers01

My brother did one of those genetic tests that tells you where your ancestors lived 500 years ago, before mass intercontinental travel. One thing he found is that we have sub-Saharan African ancestry; I don’t know what percentage.

This was no big surprise: although we’re mostly white, parts of my dad’s family have been in the American south for a long time and I’d have been surprised if I didn’t have some black relatives. (For the same reason I was quite surprised that the test showed no Native American ancestry whatsoever!)

If the test is one of those based on your Y chromosome, you don’t have information on the maternal side. Your mitochondria could be 100% Cheyenne and the test wouldn’t bring it up.

Bonus question: the test also turned up some unexpected Spanish and Jewish ancestry. I have no idea where those came in. Does the one-drop rule apply to those as well? I know that religiously you are only Jewish if it comes down the maternal line; don’t know if that’s the case here.

Jews have been all over the place, and you mentioned the South yourself. Spaniards were there both before the French and mixed with them. And of course, any of your ancestors from more Northern parts of Europe could have a sailor in the woodpile.

[grude]

@VarlosZ

If people look at you and think you’re white, then you’re white (and are therefore entitled to all the privileges and immunities implied thereby). In terms of race, anything else is a red herring.

^This, race is a social construct and it doesn’t even matter what your real genetic background is. People are going to treat you differently based on what they identify you as, an Australian Aborigine in the USA would likely get labeled black.

[MrDibble]

I voted “something else” because it was your brother who was tested, not you, so you may not have the same markers he has for SSA ancestry. Whatever those are. Unless you’re twins.

Plus those commercial genome ancestry tests are pretty worthless, anyway.

Anyway, in the US, like most places, race has less to do with genetics and more to do with ethnicity, culture, associations - if you see yourself as white, and others in your white community see you as white, you’re white.

[Krouget]

@Rodgers01

So what do you think? By the standards of American society, what race am I? Poll to come.

According to your question, you’re definitely white. The rest just makes for trivia.

Over here, you are what you look like. Take a walk with me into a few stores, and if they have it, watch who the security follows. The majority of the time, it won’t be you.

[Green_Bean]

The “one-drop rule?” Seriously? What is this, 1930?

@Rodgers01

Still, at a glance you wouldn’t think twice about categorizing any of us as white - though, of course, the same thing could be said about Rashida Jones!

I wouldn’t categorize Rashida Jones as obviously looking “white.” If I didn’t already know what her ancestry was, I’d put her in the category I unglamorously call “could be anything,” and if you told me she was 100% non-Latina white, I’d think you were very likely mistaken.

Bonus question: the test also turned up some unexpected Spanish and Jewish ancestry. I have no idea where those came in. Does the one-drop rule apply to those as well? I know that religiously you are only Jewish if it comes down the maternal line; don’t know if that’s the case here.

You’re not even close to being Jewish. Sheesh.

I mean, I know it’s a lot cooler to be a black Jewish Spaniard than it is to be a run-of-the-mill white guy, but you’re really grasping at straws here.

@VarlosZ

If people look at you and think you’re white, then you’re white (and are therefore entitled to all the privileges and immunities implied thereby). In terms of race, anything else is a red herring.

Not necessarily. Your actual background and the effects that it has had on your life are relevant as well.

For example, you might look at my redheaded Jewish neighbors who have a Polish last name and never guess that they were Latina, but their parents were Cuban refugees and they grew up speaking Spanish at home. It’s true that they escape some of the disadvantages of being Latina because they “pass,” but they’ve had the same disadvantages as any other Cuban-Americans who’s families lost everything when Castro took over and had to start over here without even knowing how to speak English.

While the question of what people think you are is an important factor in the formation of your racial/ethnic self-identity, ultimately, what you are is what you identify as.

[bup]

@MeanOldLady

Rashida Jones looks “unambiguously white” to you?

Until this thread I had no idea she had any sub-Saharan African ancestry (well, since people left Eritrea - you know what I mean).

I’d have guessed she had some Mediterranean blood of some description - Arab, Spanish, whatever, but in my mind those categorize to white. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to ask if she had anything else. So, yeah.

[gigi]

@bup

Until this thread I had no idea she had any sub-Saharan African ancestry (well, since people left Eritrea - you know what I mean).

I’d have guessed she had some Mediterranean blood of some description - Arab, Spanish, whatever, but in my mind those categorize to white. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to ask if she had anything else. So, yeah.

I guess if you never heard who her father was, yeah.

Speaking of interracial couples, I think of biracial as half and half or a significant percentage of either, so I went with “Something else”. But realistically, you’re white.