WTH is "whitewashed"?
 

So I've heard this term quite a bit. I've heard it said that certain people are "whitewashed". I've never paid much attention to it until a friend of my little sister said that I was whitewashed. I have only met the friend once & did not really speak to her.

What made me whitewashed? Is it b/c I don't speak in an accent like Cheech Marin? Or is it b/c my boyfriend is white? Or perhaps it's b/c I like to eat pot roast better than chicken enchiladas?
I don't get it. Why am I considered to be whitewashed by one ignorant moron simply b/c I don't fit her mold of what a Latina should be?

Can someone please explain this to me? Also, a little off-topic, does this rule also apply to "wiggers"?

Give me a break!:rolleyes:

Actually, don't worry about it. They're just classless punks that don't have a clue.

Be yourself.

If being "white" means being educated, etc.. to them, they're doomed to fail and you'll be able to exploit them someday :D

You can still be an educated person that conforms to a certain culture, yet still appreciate where you came from. In the words of Theresa Heinz Kerry, tell 'em to "shove it."

I agree.

Whitewashed from what I know, means that you speak more polished english(not alot of mexican/so. american slang), if your dress is considered more "white" than latin american, etc. for some reason is considered "white". You're in college and in a "white" sorority. Your boyfriend being white is also part of it.
The other term you asked about is used by some to refer to white people who "act like they are a black person". In other words they tend to be more into the hip-hop culture as far as dress, appearance and slang. Eminem would be the example there.
That's the best I can explain it.

I just happened to hang out with mostly white kids during high school, but was friends with the Asians. One day, they said "You need to hang out with your own kind more, cause you're white-washed". It never occured to me the color of my friends until they had mentioned that. I just don't happen to be interested in the things a lot of Asians my age are into.

So, that should give you the idea.

I get it. What a load of crock.
You guys rock!:D

"White-washed" means something different in different communities. For example, speaking with a "polished accent" does not equate to being "white-washed" in Toronto's Chinese Canadian community. Not liking chicken feet doesn't mean that you're "white washed" either. Not being "FOBBY" ("Fresh off the Boat" or immigrant. "FOBBY" in Toronto can mean that you're very hip or way on the other side of the spectrum) does not make you white-washed. However, if you have a lot of white friends, if you don't recognize any of the Hong Kong celebs, and if many of your social orgs are predominantly white, then yes, you might be "white-washed" according to some tacky people.

I am of the old school I guess.

If you are white washing people, you are giving a line of crap--Lieing.

If it has something to do with color and race, they are full of crap!:mad:

Do Moronic sound good?:confused:

Maybe is slang, as You Bitchin=Good?

Maybe it is Act Stupid, Do Stupid, Be Stupid?????:rolleyes:

Being called "whitewashed" doesn't bother me anymore.

It beats being called "Twinkie" or "banana".

what I would give to be called "twink".

as for whitewashed: that's what you do to fences and basement walls, not people. :D

Being called "Twinkie" or "Banana" in my family is a big deal because, well, not too many of us have been privileged enough to receive higher education. To them I'm yellow/brown in a white person's body. :rolleyes:

I'm a daughter of an immigrant and a local Hawaiian and where I was raised most kids spit out their own kids by the time they were in high school. I grew up speaking Pidgin English and raised on "local" (a mixture of Filipino, Japanese, and Hawaiian ideals in my family) values, and as I attended HS, I was still "local", but the way I spoke, ate, carried myself...EVERYTHING! became different. I couldn't speak the languages I was raised with even though I could still understand it, but it was evident that I was becoming more accustomed with the things my family wasn't used to.

I am very familiar with my roots and am proud of what I have accomplished without ever forgetting where I'm from...so when they give me isht (and they still do) and tease me for sounding like a "white person", I don't feel bad when I snap back and say, "I have a fcuking degree and I'm still making more money than you do..." and I don't feel bad. My mama and daddy wanted more for me than 892374928374 kids and a big house (that's the measure of success where I'm from), and I'm glad that they dreamed for bigger and better things for me and that I took advantage of that.

But that's just me.

That sounds very different compared to Asian families in Continental US, Canada and the rest of the world. Here, if you don't have a degree, you're pretty much a disgrace to the family--success is measured by where you go to school. I have a cousin in Hong Kong who wants to major in the liberal arts. When she was going through the application process last year, I had suggested to her that if she wanted to major in that, then she might want to consider smaller, liberal arts colleges. Her parents, however, were set on her attending larger, well known schools, such as the Ivies or schools like the University of Toronto or UBC in Canada. Schools like Middlebury and Amherst were pretty much out of the question!

white washing is when you don't understand nor respect the nuances of your culture and heritage in order to gain acceptance from white people. ie "losing sense of self."

Thank You Stranag21!

that may have made it a lot clearer!

I always almost thougnt it was Tom Sawyer and the Fence!:D

Isnt it true, that when people try to find their way into The Particular Organizations that they feel comforatable with that Whitewashed as a Termonolgy is used?:confused:

Being Asian in Hawai`i is VERY different from being Asian elsewhere.

Here, you're not "Asian". You're "local" -- a mixture of cultures and their ideals that has raised kids a certain way dating back to the plantation era in at the beginning of the 20th century.

So, when people ask me what I am, I'm not Asian. I'm local.

lol. Tom Sawyer

I've heard of the word but I've never heard anyone use it, but I think Starang21 summed it up. :cool:

Imperial1

I'm not sure what you're suggesting here. Do you feel that in order to not be "whitewashed" that you have to dress, talk, act in a certain way that fits your race's stereotype?

I'm obviously not much of an expert here as a European-American, but it just seems like some people of color choose to behave differently than other people of color. This word amounts to something nearly as offensive as a racial slur and is used by classless jackasses who really have no business telling others how they should act because of their heritage or color of their skin.

I apologize in advance if I'm attributing meaning to what you're saying without it being there. For all I know, you completely agree with me :D

no, i'm not saying that. dressing, acting, and talking a certain way isn't held specifically to white people, but more to young americans in general. a lot of those people who act, dress, and talk in the way you're mentioning are not white washed, and are in fact very much into their own culture, but sitll have a diverse circle of friends. regardless of how you dress, act, or talk....white washing is when someone does not respect their own culture and chooses to ignore it because they want to be accepted by white people.

Whitewashed:

To be assimilated into the N.A society, forgetting your own language and culture and tries to act like a white person to gain acceptance. Looked down upon both of the cultures he/she supposedly belongs in.

Connie Chung is straight up whitewashed, yo.
Ya, lookit the way she tries to act white. Pathetic

http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...hitewashed&r=f

What does it mean to "respect" one's old country culture? I come from a lot of different European countries, but mostly I'm what they call "black dutch" -- which is about as "mixed" as one could possibly be. I have no idea what my ancestors were because apparantly (from what I've read about the black dutch), they were people who had interbred with other races, particularly indians and africans, but could pass for caucasian. In order to not be sent off on the trail of tears and similar trips, they claimed they were Caucasian on the censcus, listing themselves as "Black Dutch". Maybe they were what one might call "Whitewashed". Although, I can understand. All they had to do in order to not essentially be deported was lie about their ethnicity to some genocidal fuckwits. My point though is that for someone like me to pay appropriate homage to all of the dead people in my family and where they came from would be a 24/7 job.

I'm olive skinned to the point that everyone thinks I'm of Mediterranean, Latino, Arabic or of some descent like that. Honestly, I could be and most likely am.

Your race or the color of your skin may contribute to who you are, but it should not define you. Calling anyone whitewashed is about the most classless thing I can imagine. And as I said before, it's right up there with racial slurs in the book o' naughty words.

that's fine if you don't respect it. if you choose not to respect the culture that you originated from, that's your prerogative. this doesn't always have to do with skin color. no one is saying it's right, either.

OK, I don't really get the "respecting your culture" thing either. In Toronto, it's perfectly acceptable for HK Chinese to join country clubs that would have excluded them a decade or two ago. In fact, it's looked upon as "prestegious", just like going to the "right school" and having the "right job". All of these people still realize they're Chinese. It's in their last name (or at least in appearance if they are female and marry non-Chinese) In terms of language, yes, it's important for the first generation or so to preserve it, but the question is, WILL IT BE PRESERVED? Many Japanese-Americans don't know how to speak Japanese, for example.

you're talking about stereotypes and tangible things. i'm talking about nuances of your culture that you're ignoring or not respecting because you want acceptance from whites. shit, i don't know my own language, does that mean i don't understand filipino culture? no. culture goes deeper than having a nice job or joining a country club.

"respecting your culture" per se means different things to different people. Just because a Japanese American doesn't speak Japanese fluently doesn't mean in their own home they don't honor where they came from . In their homes they may choose to hang Japanese artwork, listen to Japanese musicians or display religious symbols that pay homage to their ancestors. They may continue to cooks traditional Japanese dishes. They may be active in their community or contribute to causes involving Japan. Speaking the language is just part of the pie.And as for it being lost, it's never too late to learn to speak the language.

Starang21 thanks for giving a good definition.

Before this thread, I was ignorant to this word being used in this way. For me 'whitewashing" was term from childhood, During a snowball fight you'd take a snowball and rub it all over another person's face.

So, sincd 150 years ago, my ancestors may have included blacks, indians, etc. (hell, possibly even more recent than that), I should be learning their languages, studying up on 'em, etc? They're pretty irrelevant to me. I choose to exist in the culture that I was born and raised in. Are you saying that I should be scorned for that?

My father's side had Irish and English that had only been in the US for 4-5 generations. Should I go learn Celtic?

I think the best thing for North Americans to do is just be whatever they are if that makes any sense. I think the "melting pot" of culture creates a more friendly world than the mosaic.

no, i didn't say anything of the sort. i guess you didn't see that part of me saying whether or not it's right. if you choose not to acknowledge your background, that's fine. no one is saying you need to. with minorities, culture is clearly defined.

I think it's more about denying your dominant culture. Most of us as Americans are made up of so many different ethnicities that addressing all of them is impossible.

It seems to be either you get it or you don't. Some people here will insist that the phenomenon doesn't exist, but those who have experienced it in our own families or communities know it does.

...so a 4th generation Latin-American needs to respect their culture.... isnt their culture American culture since their family has been here 100 years? Sounds more like "whitewashed" is a reason to discriminate against someone for assimilating into the only culture they've known rather than a culture from another time and place.

I guess I'm "whitewashed" since I dont wear liederhosen and yodel on mountaintops...

I think it's going to be something that many of us will just have to disagree on. I, like many, see my heritage as interesting, but not really important. Just a bunch of ordinary folks with careers who ate, slept, had sex, and popped out kids.

Interesting how I came to be here, but not necessarily all that relevant to my current situation.

You can say that, but I really can't.

Like I said before, some get it while others don't. I won't lose any sleep over this one.

There is a difference between integration and assimiliation. Many of us remember where we came from. For us it's a shame to see someone who has no connection to their past. These people don't want to culturally fit in but would give an arm and a leg to change any physical semblance if they had to.

-Rudey

their culture is hispanic american culture which is a subculture of american culture. regardless of whether or not they're 4th generation of an immigrant.....who is to say that they don't recognize their roots? history doesn't start with america.

But culture evolves. Years ago, a Chinese Canadian wedding reception would consist of a very Chinese banquet at a restaurant. There was no dancing, throwing of the bouquet or garter. Everything, other than the bride's white dress was, well, Chinese (there were the usual toasts and jokes though). I have been to a few Chinese Canadian weddings as of late, and the weddings are now much more westernized, with a DJ, dancing, bouquet and garter throwing, etc, whether the reception is in a Chinese restaurant in one of the 5 or so Chinatowns or western style. Usually, the three dress changes the bride has and the tea ceremony (held between the ceremony and the reception) remain.

culture does evolve, and not all of it is lost. you're speaking specific things that constitue culture but do not define culture. i'm sure there are other nuances of chinese outside of a wedding, a job, or a country club. regardless of what kind of wedding you want, one can still respect their heritage. it's a mindset and a lifestyle, not just that in which you speak of.

Then what defines "culture"? I attend a predominantly white church. I don't like bubble tea or HK movies. Does that make me a sell out? My cousin dates black men and doesn't like bubble tea or HK movies either. Does that make her a sell out?

no, not really. nuances in your culture are things that you really can't explain to someone who doesn't experience it. your heritage and culture are thigns that are not easily defined..because there are so many minor things that contribute to them. there isn't a hard definition for it.

my girlfriend isn't filipino and i don't think i've sold out anything. that doesn't make me less proud to be one either. i'm sure there are plenty of chinese in china who don't like bubble tea. it's a mindset, as i've tried to illustrate.

To add: Almost 80% of the same Filipinos who called me "white washed" have no idea of the real history of the Philippines. They hear Jose Rizal and that we eventually got independence, but they don't know the real story of our Filipino ancestors vs. Spain and later the United States.

So, I really have no idea where to base their statement other than the guess that anything not "Asian" to them is "white".

noli me tangere

:cool:

el filibusterismo (sp)

Our Bayani wrote many great works.....