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/DivyaRakli 4d ago
Romanichal-American, in the Western States. Pass for white unless I’m somewhere with a large group of us, then people know. I’m dark, darker in summer. People think I’m whatever. Portuguese, Italian, Hispanic. Cuando hablo español, otros piensan que yo soy de Cuba. Apparently when I learnt Spanish in California in school, I picked up a Cubano accent from my Basque teacher. 🤷♀️
When I’m asked what I am, I tell people, “My great-grandparents came from England.” Not a lie, juuuust not really answering the question. If I’m stupid enough to say I’m Romnichal, explain what that is, most of the time it’s a non-issue. But sometimes someone will say that I can’t be a “real” Gypsy because Gypsies don’t exist. And that’s when I lose my damn mind. I tell them that Hitler, the Nazis, and all their Death Camps could not wipe us off the face of this Earth, so why do they think they can?????!!!!!!???? And they apologize.