Black (Asian too) and/or British?
Anyone of any race can chip in!!
What do you think about the compatibility of being Black or Asian as well British? How do you mix the two? Do you distinguish between the two or do they go hand in hand? Do you consider yourself to have two cultures or is being British decisively more important? Can you be both black/Asian and British?
Please join The African Carribean Society!! ALL are welcome! Lol
What do you think about the compatibility of being Black or Asian as well British? How do you mix the two? Do you distinguish between the two or do they go hand in hand? Do you consider yourself to have two cultures or is being British decisively more important? Can you be both black/Asian and British?
Please join The African Carribean Society!! ALL are welcome! Lol
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It's really depends on where you look to be honest.
My parents were born in India before they came over here to have me and my siblings.
My passport says that I'm British, but my doctor's application form says I must tick Indian, seeing as the closest option to British is White British. The key difference is that the passport refers to Nationality and the application refers to Ethnicity.
Personally I consider Nationality far more important (although I understand why doctors need to know ethnicity - for their records and the fact that certain ethnic groups are more/less prone to certain diseases).
Britain has been responsible for me and has represented me all my life. It's taken care of my health and my education. I think it would be quite rude of me to ignore this and pledge allegiance to a country I've visited a handful of times.
My parents were born in India before they came over here to have me and my siblings.
My passport says that I'm British, but my doctor's application form says I must tick Indian, seeing as the closest option to British is White British. The key difference is that the passport refers to Nationality and the application refers to Ethnicity.
Personally I consider Nationality far more important (although I understand why doctors need to know ethnicity - for their records and the fact that certain ethnic groups are more/less prone to certain diseases).
Britain has been responsible for me and has represented me all my life. It's taken care of my health and my education. I think it would be quite rude of me to ignore this and pledge allegiance to a country I've visited a handful of times.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by HSG1992
It's really depends on where you look to be honest.
My parents were born in India before they came over here to have me and my siblings.
My passport says that I'm British, but my doctor's application form says I must tick either Indian, seeing as the closest option to British are White British. The key difference is that the passport refers to Nationality and the application refers to Ethnicity.
Personally I consider Nationality far more important (although I understand why doctors need to know ethnicity - for their records and the fact that certain ethnic groups are more/less prone to certain diseases).
Britain has been responsible for me and has represented me all my life. It's taken care of my health and my education. I think it would be quite rude of me to ignore this and pledge allegiance to a country I've visited a handful of times.
My parents were born in India before they came over here to have me and my siblings.
My passport says that I'm British, but my doctor's application form says I must tick either Indian, seeing as the closest option to British are White British. The key difference is that the passport refers to Nationality and the application refers to Ethnicity.
Personally I consider Nationality far more important (although I understand why doctors need to know ethnicity - for their records and the fact that certain ethnic groups are more/less prone to certain diseases).
Britain has been responsible for me and has represented me all my life. It's taken care of my health and my education. I think it would be quite rude of me to ignore this and pledge allegiance to a country I've visited a handful of times.
Yeah I completely agree, except I'd say I still had some African culture in me, which I'd like to embrace, however I totally get your point.
Original post by PinkyQT
Only white people can be British. I'm black and was born in London but I just say I'm a Black African and tell people I'm Nigerian. If a black/asian person says they're British if I ask them where they are from I will honestly just laugh in their face.
Yeah.. so i'm just now going to ignore everything you say.
To OP, I'm British and Asian. I was born here, i've grown up here so i don't see why i'd have any shame in calling myself British, because that's what i am. You can be both, it doesn't make any difference.
Common question posed to non white British citizens...
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by PinkyQT
Only white people can be British. I'm black and was born in London but I just say I'm a Black African and tell people I'm Nigerian. If a black/asian person says they're British if I ask them where they are from I will honestly just laugh in their face.
Why do you live here then ... go back to Nigeria?
I'm of Indian origin but I've spent almost all my life in this country, I was schooled here, go to Uni here, have a British passport...and I consider myself British. Who are you to tell me otherwise?
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by PinkyQT
Only white people can be British. I'm black and was born in London but I just say I'm a Black African and tell people I'm Nigerian. If a black/asian person says they're British if I ask them where they are from I will honestly just laugh in their face.
If you said no Black/Asian person can be English, then I might of been a little more understanding, however, I would say the term British has a universal appeal to it going back to the British Empire (Citizens of colonies could identify themselves as British), but yes I get your point. I consider myself British but I've always been reserved to be outspoken about it for fear of how White brits would think of my claim to being British. I guess nationality is a question of culture v ethnicity and people will always have differing opinions.
Original post by Ewan
Common question posed to non white British citizens...
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
On an official level yes. However for me personally to consider them British (English/Scottish/Welsh/N.Irish) they would first have to consider themselves to be those things as well and be somewhat culturally British ie Speak the language, have an accent, follow the social rules, celebrate British events, are part of the society, watch/read/listen to British shows/films/books/music/etc, eat the food, dress like they're British, etc etc (don't need to do all these things all the the time but they need to somewhat follow British culture). genetically however I couldn't say they were but that's a bit more of a complex conversation. I would regard them as British regardless of the genetics.
PS: Anyone who wants to ask what is British culture or wants to deny its existence can **** off. Every country has its own culture and sub-cultures and Britain is no exception.
PS: Anyone who wants to ask what is British culture or wants to deny its existence can **** off. Every country has its own culture and sub-cultures and Britain is no exception.
The compatibility is 100%. I'm a british born chinese and have had it completely fine for 20 years 
. However when I go to HK or China to visit my other half of the family they laugh at my Cantonese being not fluent enough. To answer your question OP I do consider myself to have two cultures as I am constantly surrounded by the two. My mother tongue is English, however I also communicate in Cantonese. I love British food, however I love Traditional Chinese dishes. Found it easy to adapt to Liverpool and also HK when I'm on holiday etc. Anyway I love different cultures so its good to have a contrast.
. However when I go to HK or China to visit my other half of the family they laugh at my Cantonese being not fluent enough. To answer your question OP I do consider myself to have two cultures as I am constantly surrounded by the two. My mother tongue is English, however I also communicate in Cantonese. I love British food, however I love Traditional Chinese dishes. Found it easy to adapt to Liverpool and also HK when I'm on holiday etc. Anyway I love different cultures so its good to have a contrast.Original post by Ewan
Common question posed to non white British citizens...
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
I have had similar experiences lol I went to church down here in Plymouth and someone asked me if I had just arrived from Africa that day and how I was finding England, then I said I was born and bred in London.
Original post by PinkyQT
Only white people can be British. I'm black and was born in London but I just say I'm a Black African and tell people I'm Nigerian. If a black/asian person says they're British if I ask them where they are from I will honestly just laugh in their face.
Why does this have so many down-votes? As harsh as it is, its the truth, and its coming from a black person himself. Whenever someone asks me where I'm from, I say I'm British, but then this conversation always ensues.
Original post by Ewan
Common question posed to non white British citizens...
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
"So where are you from?"
"London"
"No I mean, where are you from?"
"London..."
"I mean where are your parents from?"
"........ Shropshire?"
"Like, what is your ethnicity...?"
"Oh, Chinese"
"Cool, nice country, my brother visited there on his gap year"
"Nice, I've never been"
When I was a teen, I always wanted to be accepted as British, but the fact of the matter is, no matter what, I'll always be judged first by my race, no matter what it says on my passport. Not judged only by chavs and EDL thugs who will always consider me a 'dirty immigrant' even though I was born and raised here, but by society as a whole. I don't consider myself 'Chinese' or 'East Asian' either except how I look, I consider myself an individual first and foremost. Now, I couldn't give a toss whether people consider me an immigrant, British, Asian, an orange alien or whatever, as I know those people are judging me based on preconceived notions.
Edit: I'll add in a funny story. Over the past few months I've been in several banks, HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays, Co-Op etc, enquiring about opening a student bank account. I noticed one thing, despite my normal British accent, they all ask me whether I'm an international student, I wonder why. Sometimes I even go into the same branch several times just to ask a different person whether they would ask the same question. The funny thing is, on one occasion, I saw a white Brit asking the same questions as me about opening a student account (I was looking at some brochures), and not once did they ask him whether he was an international student.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Mastermind007
Why do you live here then ... go back to Nigeria?
I'm of Indian origin but I've spent almost all my life in this country, I was schooled here, go to Uni here, have a British passport...and I consider myself British. Who are you to tell me otherwise?
I'm of Indian origin but I've spent almost all my life in this country, I was schooled here, go to Uni here, have a British passport...and I consider myself British. Who are you to tell me otherwise?
Because I was born here. And Nigeria is a crap country.
Original post by PinkyQT
Because I was born here. And Nigeria is a crap country.
No it isnt
If not for nigerians i would have never learnt "no splash, no gash"
Original post by Aaron_xyz
Why does this have so many down-votes? As harsh as it is, its the truth, and its coming from a black person himself. Whenever someone asks me where I'm from, I say I'm British, but then this conversation always ensues.
Because it's absurd. If he had said English, I could understand, especially since in my family culture, being English is basically synonymous with being white.
In terms of my nationality I am British, born and raised in London. My heritage is Caribbean and culturally (well sub-culture) I am a Caribbean Londoner.
(edited 12 years ago)
I'm British Asian
A lot of ethnicities seem to treat being "British" as something to be frowned upon. These are the people that often say you should never forget your roots.
Well for me you should never forget where you were born, raised, educated and live. I'm proud to be of Indian descent but I'd never turn my back on being British either
A lot of ethnicities seem to treat being "British" as something to be frowned upon. These are the people that often say you should never forget your roots.
Well for me you should never forget where you were born, raised, educated and live. I'm proud to be of Indian descent but I'd never turn my back on being British either
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