Has anyone assumed that something on you is fake?

[ml2]

LGK - (this is sort of off the original topic, but...) your post made me laugh! I'm mixed and get the "where are you from?" question from acquaintances/strangers every once in a while (accompanied by a searching look at my facial features)... I usually say "from [hometown], California" and smile - and it's never the answer they're looking for. just harmless curiosity and I'm not offended by it, but if someone I don't know particularly well (or at all) is going to be so bold as to ask me what my ethnic identity is, I figure why let them off the hook for asking a pretty personal question by letting them couch it in less intrusive terms...

 

[rubybeth]

On the intrusive questions front, the one I usually get is the so-awesome "What *are* you?" which is like my least favorite way ever to ask what someone's ethnic heritage is. (And, even more annoyingly when I answer that I'm just plain ol' Heinz 57 European heritage, nothing "interesting", I've had people then keep asking repeatedly and/or accuse me of lying which is just... weird.) That question always makes me want to answer with something horrifically sarcastic.

My sister and I have both had this happen, LGK! People have asked us what we "are" and we're like, "Human?" Then they've asked, "Where are you from?" and we say "Minnesota" and they say, "No, originally." We are both fairly pale with very dark eyes/naturally curly hair, European heritage from Germany/Sweden/Czechoslovakia. I have no idea what they think we 'are' but it's been pretty funny when it's happened.

 

[Haven]

Haha--I like the "Human" answer, rubybeth. I'm going to have to try that one!

People often ask me where I'm from, and I do think it's an intrusive question *but* it is interesting hearing where they *think* I'm from. I've gotten everything from Russia to Greece to Italy. Too bad I'm nearly 100% German. There's a Brit and a Canadian in there somewhere three and four generations ago, but the rest of us are plain old Germans. When I was in Greece everyone thought I was Greek and spoke to me in Greek, which I just plain don't speak at all.

 

[kama_s]

Haha--I like the "Human" answer, rubybeth. I'm going to have to try that one!

People often ask me where I'm from, and I do think it's an intrusive question *but* it is interesting hearing where they *think* I'm from. I've gotten everything from Russia to Greece to Italy. Too bad I'm nearly 100% German. There's a Brit and a Canadian in there somewhere three and four generations ago, but the rest of us are plain old Germans. When I was in Greece everyone thought I was Greek and spoke to me in Greek, which I just plain don't speak at all.

That happens to me all the time as well. When I was in Egypt, everyone thought I was Egyptian. I often get mistaken as being Spanish. I once had a lady in her 30's come up to me and speak to me in spanish. When I told her I didn't speak spanish, she said I must at least speak a little and how awful an upbringing I must have since my parents obviously didn't teach me to speak spanish. I was rather bewildered by her comment and it didn't hit me until later that she thought I was Spanish! When I'm tanned and colour my hair dark, people think I am Italian. I love the ambiguity, it's fun being mysterious

 

[redfaerythinker]

Kama- I wish I could be mysterious, but with my hair... People just say, "You're Irish aren't you?" Yep

 

[CherryBlossom]

I always get asked if I have a lip injection done because I have really pouty lips, and I've had some girls stop and ask me where I get my eyelashes done... I didn't know even know you could get fake eyelashes. lol

 

[dragonfly411]

Never had this happen to me. I'm surprised b/c I generally expect people to ask if I'm natural blonde since I come from a family with Portuguese blood.

 

[Strawdermangrl]

A boss of mine, not currently, made a comment when I was inquiring about a reduction and insurance/steps for billing.

Simply stated was 'Why do you want to get a reduction when you paid to have them that big?!'

Yeah, nothing fake there. Pissed me right off. Embarrassed me, as well.

It was an awkward stare off before I just said 'Obviously TACT is something you lack, kind of like I lack saline.'

 

[that_someone_special]

My jewelry and my eye color. My eyes shift from regular blue to neon electric blue. Random people will ask, "OMG IS THAT YOUR REAL EYE COLOR?? ARE YOU WEARING COLORED CONTACTS?"

 

[4ever]

My hair, the colour (darkish strawberry blonde) and the curl.

 

[kama_s]

My jewelry and my eye color. My eyes shift from regular blue to neon electric blue. Random people will ask, "OMG IS THAT YOUR REAL EYE COLOR?? ARE YOU WEARING COLORED CONTACTS?"

Bean, I would LOVE to see a picture of you/your eyes!

 

[kama_s]

Kama- I wish I could be mysterious, but with my hair... People just say, "You're Irish aren't you?" Yep

I would take pretty red/ auburn hair any day! What colour are your eyes? Red hair, green eyes and freckles are yummy!

 

[purselover]

Especially in the summer I have natural highlights that pop out, even hairdressers will ask who highlights my hair.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Most people think my jewelry isn't real. When it dawns on them that it is real, their facial expression looks as if someone threw a bucket of cold water on them.

 

[Trekkie]

Haha--I like the "Human" answer, rubybeth. I'm going to have to try that one!

People often ask me where I'm from, and I do think it's an intrusive question *but* it is interesting hearing where they *think* I'm from. I've gotten everything from Russia to Greece to Italy. Too bad I'm nearly 100% German. There's a Brit and a Canadian in there somewhere three and four generations ago, but the rest of us are plain old Germans. When I was in Greece everyone thought I was Greek and spoke to me in Greek, which I just plain don't speak at all.

That happens to me all the time as well. When I was in Egypt, everyone thought I was Egyptian. I often get mistaken as being Spanish. I once had a lady in her 30's come up to me and speak to me in spanish. When I told her I didn't speak spanish, she said I must at least speak a little and how awful an upbringing I must have since my parents obviously didn't teach me to speak spanish. I was rather bewildered by her comment and it didn't hit me until later that she thought I was Spanish! When I'm tanned and colour my hair dark, people think I am Italian. I love the ambiguity, it's fun being mysterious

I get this all the time. Drives me up the friggin' wall.

When I lived in Germany I was often asked "you look so exotic, what are you" as a pick up line. They never believed me when I replied, "South African". Apparently I'm "too beautiful to be African". WTF?!

Yeah, you ignorant POS. Dis my country and my people. Great way to get me into bed.

Haven, I often get the Greek thing too. I frequently walk into Greek owned corner cafes here in SA and have little old ladies speak to me in Greek. Fortunately when I lived in Greece I picked up a few words. Unfortunately, they're all dirty words!

 

[Circe]

A boss of mine, not currently, made a comment when I was inquiring about a reduction and insurance/steps for billing.

Simply stated was 'Why do you want to get a reduction when you paid to have them that big?!'

Yeah, nothing fake there. Pissed me right off. Embarrassed me, as well.

It was an awkward stare off before I just said 'Obviously TACT is something you lack, kind of like I lack saline.'

That's ... one of the most inappropriate things I've ever heard of. That, right there, is harassment seminar territory ....

 

[Nomsdeplume]

Hair color. I'm a natural blonde with black eyebrows, which, well, occasionally raises some. At least it's darker than it was when I was a kid - on the playground, they used to call me a mutant!

I have the same problem, except people always ask me if I dye my eyebrows and eyelashes. I even had a girl ask if she could pull my lashes once, to check if they are real.

 

[Sparkly_Not_Gaudy]

Hair color. My MIL once told me I looked good as a bottle red because I had the coloring for it.

I've had (and for 25 years HATED) red hair all my life. I got to enjoy it free of greys for another 10 and now I am have to highlight to hide the grey!