WTH is "whitewashed"?

[XOMichelle]

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi

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

lol. Tom Sawyer

[Imperial1]

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

Imperial1

[Kevin]

Originally posted by starang21
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."

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

[starang21]

Originally posted by ktsnake
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

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.

[CSUSigEp]

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

[Kevin]

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.

[starang21]

Originally posted by ktsnake
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.

[Taualumna]

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.

[starang21]

Originally posted by Taualumna
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.

[wrigley]

"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.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by starang21
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.

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.

[starang21]

Originally posted by ktsnake
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?

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.

[Munchkin03]

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.

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

...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...

[Kevin]

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.