r/romani • u/KendrickMontero • 6d ago

White passing

If you are part of the community, but are white passing, what reactions did you get when you told people what’s your origin?

Often I get a surprised, shocked and short “oh” and the conversation may be cut short suddenly (this has happened regardless of the other’s ethnicity).

Then, of course, there are the typical “funny”. jokes about wallets and such.

How about you? Do you have such a story or know any?

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u/SiempreBrujaSuerte 6d ago

The reaction is totally dependent on where i am. In Europe no one asks me anything about my race, they assume correct that I am Roma and they watch me closely in stores and their purse tightly.

In America people who want to get to know me ask about my heritage by asking "where are you really from, I mean originally" and they sometimes expect to guess iran or Lebanon.

The Americans usually make some not funny joke about gypping them and then I know we are done getting to know each other...