From MiSoulLatino in August 2012:
I am a Latina, and I’m white. Well, I’m light-skinned and have green eyes, so people often assume I am not Mexican American, but white. I wouldn’t bring it up except for that fact that it seems like an interesting topic of conversation to many people I have encountered. I’ve heard the “What are you?” question lots of times. I’ve also developed a pretty standard response to the incredulous statement, “You don’t look Mexican” (usually I just laugh it off and say, “That’s what people tell me” to avoid confrontation).
It seems that I don’t jibe with whatever preconceived notions people have about what Mexicans are “supposed” to look like. This causes them distress, which then provokes the aforementioned conversations. It’s the “What’s your race” game.
So, I’ve been asked by other Latinos, if it’s so much trouble to “prove” to people that I’m Latina, why not just say I’m white? Other Latinos have expressed to me that the idea of passing is appealing to them, but it holds no mystique for me. It certainly would be a lot easier, and we all know that we live in a society where being white bestows you with privilege — all I would have to do is to pretend to be somebody else, and mispronounce my own name.
Read more here.
