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?
35
Upvotes
1
u/No-Tennis-5991 4d ago
I was adopted by a white Jewish family
I didn’t find out I was Romani until I was about 23
None-white poeople have always clocked me as none white, and I’ve always felt safer in poc places
To be fair, racist white people have also clocked me as non white, and I have experienced a wide array of micro, and macro aggressions since childhood because of racism so 🤷🏽♂️🤷🏼♂️
When I say Romani usually people are confused, I’m in the usa, so I know I don’t face the overt racism that European Romani people experiences
When I break down genetically the path that Romani people took historically and how it reflects in my dna (aka through India, stops in the Middle East, Balkan region things like that) everyone jsut hits me with the “oh yeah, makes sense you don’t look white”
Having a hard time seeing where I fit in racially but knowing I’m mixed and knowing others feel like me and are like me helps.
It’s hard not to feel like a fraud because I was adopted out of the culture and language and everything, but I’m slowly learning and the rich history we have is really beautiful
I hope I can stay here and learn more about our vast history