The Student Room Group

“Where are you really from?”

I am a British Asian who has been asked the question in the title for a few hundreds for the past few years. In the past, I didn’t take issue with it, but it is getting more and more offensive as many folks seem never to be contented with any answers you give them on the basis of your surname or outlook. They simply assume you can’t be British when you are not White (dominant racial group in Britain). This is the worst when it comes to looking for a house, many landlords / flatmate-searchers ask these loaded questions after you tell them where you are living in as they are simply incredulous about your connection to the country. It’s very disheartening. How many decades more I have to live in Britain in order to be considered British?
Reply 1
for a few hundred times*

I have just fixed the typo. Feel free to point out more.
Reply 2
Original post by Anonymous
I am a British Asian who has been asked the question in the title for a few hundreds for the past few years. In the past, I didn’t take issue with it, but it is getting more and more offensive as many folks seem never to be contented with any answers you give them on the basis of your surname or outlook. They simply assume you can’t be British when you are not White (dominant racial group in Britain). This is the worst when it comes to looking for a house, many landlords / flatmate-searchers ask these loaded questions after you tell them where you are living in as they are simply incredulous about your connection to the country. It’s very disheartening. How many decades more I have to live in Britain in order to be considered British?

as an irish citizen
who has lived in ireland her whole life
(and i look pretty irish it's the name that gets them i think, i am half iraqi tho.)

you will get these questions from some people all the time. my favourite is when i mention eid or the qur'an and they ask if im indian.
people are uneducated and assume things. yes, it's very disheartening!
but pay them no mind!!

i've noticed it's mostly older people and people with less education. so pay them no mind 😔
aside from the far-right riots, britain and ireland is getting fairly better for people of diff races.
a good tactic is to just kind of go, 'oh i'm british' and kind of not answer their loaded questions.
best wishes xx
Reply 3
Original post by elareare
as an irish citizen
who has lived in ireland her whole life
(and i look pretty irish it's the name that gets them i think, i am half iraqi tho.)
you will get these questions from some people all the time. my favourite is when i mention eid or the qur'an and they ask if im indian.
people are uneducated and assume things. yes, it's very disheartening!
but pay them no mind!!
i've noticed it's mostly older people and people with less education. so pay them no mind 😔
aside from the far-right riots, britain and ireland is getting fairly better for people of diff races.
a good tactic is to just kind of go, 'oh i'm british' and kind of not answer their loaded questions.
best wishes xx

Yes, absolutely.

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