# What specific compliments or remarks (positive or negative) do you receive from other ethnic groups? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713 "2012-07-28T23:00:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ecoaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85e7bf/32.png) [@ecoaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecoaster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/1 "2012-07-28T23:00:57Z")
For example, a handful of times black women have told me I have “nice eyes” and I’ve also received general comments about my aura (e.g., “you have a nice way about you”). BTW, I don’t generally hear this from other women (I’m a white guy). What about you? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/2 "2012-07-30T01:51:40Z")
I live in a neighborhood with a large Korean population, and for the most part they, true to the “Hidden Kingdom” stereotype, keep very much to themselves. But one day, while waiting for a bus, an elderly Korean woman told me how much she liked my long hair. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/3 "2012-07-30T03:40:56Z")
You use chopsticks very well! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/4 "2012-07-30T04:06:25Z")
You can’t dance. Or jump. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/5 "2012-07-30T04:18:10Z")
I’ve had many a Mexican tell me that I eat… well, like a Mexican. (Intended as a compliment) That is to say; I take my tortilla, rip it up into four or six pieces and then use that as my utensil to pick up the food on my plate. I learned this from living with Mexicans as a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/6 "2012-07-30T04:49:56Z")
My wife says that her Chinese friends tell her that I’m handsome. But they’re her friends, what are they supposed to say? That I’m ugly? ---
**Author:** ![listedmia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@listedmia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/listedmia)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/7 "2012-07-30T08:49:59Z")
I’m white and live in a predominantly black area. I get a lot of compliments from black women on my hair. It’s bleached blonde right now, and we usually get into a discussion about dyes and such. I have gotten some unprintable ones from black men because they thought I was a prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/8 "2012-07-30T10:41:57Z")
I am surrounded by octogenarian Europeans, I used to be “too fat”, now I am “too skinny”. It seems it is not possible to win. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/9 "2012-07-30T12:42:55Z")
I had a particular black police officer call me to tell me she likes my voice and that when she hears me on the radio she goes out to write parking tickets so she can talk to me. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/10 "2012-07-30T13:17:16Z")
I’ve had Af-American friends (and strangers) remark on how white I am, which is neither a compliment nor insult – just a truism 🙂 Friends with really curly hair always, at some point in our relationship, comment on how straight my mane is. Again, just a factual observation, but my extremely curly-haired pals are usually of Italian or Jewish origins. I do get a ton of questions and comments whenever I mention that I was raised a fundamental Mormon in Utah – but these are remarks made by _everyone_, not just one group of folks; I am, apparently, quite the exotic creature here on the East Coast. (I literally brought a high-level administrators’ meeting to a skreeching halt when I mentioned my religious background in response to some casual/friendly chit-chat). \*_The answer to the question you’re dying to ask is “yes.” My great-great and great-great-great grandparents on both sides of the family were polygamists._ ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/11 "2012-07-30T13:22:46Z")
Once in college I ate lunch with a gaggle of Chinese girls who told me that I looked like Leelee Sobieski. I don’t, but I enjoyed the attention. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/12 "2012-07-30T13:25:39Z")
The “compliment” I get most often is “You don’t look Jewish,” as if I’m supposed to have black hair, black eyes, and a big hook-shaped nose. (In all fairness, my nose is kinda big for my face, but that’s about it. And you can see my photo on **Arnold Winkelreid** ’s photo pages.) And, of course, there’s the whole “Jews are rich and smart” stereotype, which is so prevalent that Mittens got in on the act during his [recent trip to Israel](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/30/mitt-romney-israel-economic-success). ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/13 "2012-07-30T15:07:15Z")
I’m a white woman who dyes her hair with henna. Black women are constantly commenting on it and asking if it’s my natural color. (I’ve never met a white women who grew hair in that henna red, personally.) One lady I guess couldn’t think of the word for “natural color” because she asked me “Does it grow out of your head like that?” Which continues to crack me up. ETA - oh, and it’s been funny since I’ve been on a diet for this wedding thing - all my black coworkers are all worried that I’ll “lose too much weight” and that I’m “wasting away”. (Trust me, I’m not. I just hit my goal weight, although I’d be fine with losing a bit more - 140 pounds at 5’7".) All the white people keep telling me how good I look lately. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/14 "2012-07-30T15:20:16Z")
Well, John Mayer used to be told by his black friends that he could hang with them, well, 'till he [talked about it like an idiot](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=551710)…😉 (link to thread about Mayer’s notorious Playboy interview where said a lot of racially stupid things…) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/15 "2012-07-30T15:20:52Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > You use chopsticks very well! I get this one from Chinese people. I do, in fact, use them very well, and can even eat rice quite happily with them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![T-Rex\_Arms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@T-Rex\_Arms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T-Rex_Arms)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/16 "2012-07-30T15:28:00Z")
I get “I love your hair” sometimes. It’s healthy, thick, and straight with a light brownish red color. People from all different backgrounds, including people from a similar background as myself, have complimented it though, so not sure it counts as an answer to the OP’s question. This is not to say I hear it all the time - just that it’s the one I’ve heard most often throughout my life. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/17 "2012-07-30T15:32:10Z")
That I’m tall. At 6’ (183 cm), I’m not short, but I really didn’t become tall until I moved here. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/18 "2012-07-30T17:43:25Z")
I get complimented on my Spanish by Latinos fairly often. If I were still in California I’m sure I wouldn’t get that, but in Ohio I guess it’s more rare. Not sure if this counts but I’m often asked for directions by black people. I told a friend this and he said I was just imagining it. A while later we were at a gas station and guess what happened? After I had given the directions my friend just looked at me weird and said “That guy just walked past four people to get directions from you… you may have a point.” I do tend to give pretty good directions though, maybe they have a sixth sense for that. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/19 "2012-07-30T17:49:18Z")
An Iranian woman who only dates black guys said that I’m pretty hot for a white guy. I guess that’a a compliment. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713/20 "2012-07-30T18:06:30Z")
This is kind of the reverse everyone else is talking about but seems to fit the OP’s request: Both of my grandsons, 4 and 7, are the product of a caucasian (for want of a better term, “white” just doesn’t sound right) father and a Japanese mother. They are often told how beautiful their eyes are. While the family was driving to Alaska for their next Coast Guard post, my daughter-in-law (the mother) said that a woman in Idaho said to my grandsons, “You have such beautiful eyes! Where are you from?”. They were both confused, not knowing what that had to do with their eyes, and my oldest grandson replied, “Miami?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-specific-compliments-or-remarks-positive-or-negative-do-you-receive-from-other-ethnic-groups/629713.md?page=2)