We found the person who gets really worked up when MD/VA people say they're "from DC"

[Anonymous]

Not clicking the link. What did she say?

[Anonymous]

The funny thing is that when I'm in NYC or California and tell people I live with my family "in DC" they proactively try to rib me: "Oh like actually DC, or really the suburbs in MD or VA?"

So it's known thing to others outside this region that folks try to pass themselves off as "from DC" when they actually live in a nice suburb.

Of course, I tell them we own a rowhouse in Georgetown and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so pretentious. I've lived in nine cities in three countries; nobody thinks anyone is glamorous being from DC!

Have you met people from Michigan and Ohio?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The funny thing is that when I'm in NYC or California and tell people I live with my family "in DC" they proactively try to rib me: "Oh like actually DC, or really the suburbs in MD or VA?"

So it's known thing to others outside this region that folks try to pass themselves off as "from DC" when they actually live in a nice suburb.

Of course, I tell them we own a rowhouse in Georgetown and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

This is so dumb. People do this for every city. You DC people think you’re something special. You’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Alexandria was part of DC until 1846...

Tell them you're from inside the Boundary Stones. That will surely impress a history buff or cartophile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda but now live in CA. when asked where I'm from I say "DC", because no one outside of the immediate DC area has heard of Bethesda unless they're into all things NIH. Also I spent a great deal of my adult life actually living in DC and going to school there.

Yes, what’s wrong with this? I don’t understand why this bothers anyone. Living in DC isn’t exactly the cool posh thing that anyone brags about. It’s a shorthand for geography.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The funny thing is that when I'm in NYC or California and tell people I live with my family "in DC" they proactively try to rib me: "Oh like actually DC, or really the suburbs in MD or VA?"

So it's known thing to others outside this region that folks try to pass themselves off as "from DC" when they actually live in a nice suburb.

Of course, I tell them we own a rowhouse in Georgetown and that shuts them up pretty quickly.

This is so dumb. People do this for every city. You DC people think you’re something special. You’re not.

I lived in NYC for 10 years and now DC for 14 years. No one ever challenged me when I said I lived in NYC. There's like 9 million people who actually live in NYC, so its not far fetched.

But I've been questioned/ribbed more times than I can count by people in other areas of the country - or even by Europeans! - whether I truly "live in DC." They assumed I was lying and instead lived in a suburb. They were surprised when I told them that we live with our kids in DC. And that my wife was born in DC.

So yeah, there's definitely a wide stereotype about living in DC when in truth they live in the MD or VA suburbs. And many parts of MD or NoVA are now straight up "urban" due to density increases in the past 15 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC actually is Maryland. The DC on this side of Potomac where White House is etc all used right be Maryland

OK, and part of DC used to be Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC actually is Maryland. The DC on this side of Potomac where White House is etc all used right be Maryland

OK, and part of DC used to be Virginia.

Which part? I thought they gave it all back, unless you're counting that tiny sliver of land that the GW Parkway cuts through after the 395 interchange.

[Anonymous]

I affirmatively avoid any connection to DC because I don't think DC is viewed favorably across the political spectrum. If I'm talking to a local, I say the exact city. And if I'm talking to someone outside this area, I say I'm from Maryland.

+1 I usually say I'm from Northern Virginia. The person I'm talking with usually comes back with "Oh are you anywhere near Falls Church, Springfield, Vienna, Fairfax City, (etc.) because my brother, nephew, cousin, aunt, son, best friend from college (etc.) lives there. Happens all the time.

[Anonymous]

I definitely don't tell people in rural or ex-urban areas that we live in DC. Once they hear that they want to then talk politics, tell me about Trump/rant about Biden, or rant about DC itself.

No thanks, bub.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC actually is Maryland. The DC on this side of Potomac where White House is etc all used right be Maryland

OK, and part of DC used to be Virginia.

...until Virginia took it back. Thank you, Maryland, for giving with no takebacks!

[Anonymous]

I’m from Capitol Hill. Throughout the country I’ve met people who say “oh, I’m from DC too” and I ask where and they say something like Fairfax.

It is incredibly annoying. They’re not the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m from Capitol Hill. Throughout the country I’ve met people who say “oh, I’m from DC too” and I ask where and they say something like Fairfax.

It is incredibly annoying. They’re not the same.

It is, to people who are not from the area - same as anywhere.

[Anonymous]

I have no problem with people from the surrounding area saying they’re from DC when out of town. I mean sheesh, if you live in Loudoun county and you’re in Minnesota or California or something, people are likely to have never heard of that. It gives a general area, good enough.

But once I met someone online in DC whose profile said he was “one of those rare DC lifers.” I thought that was pretty interesting - you don’t meet a lot of professionals in DC who were born and raised in the city. On the first date, I asked him what neighborhood he grew up in and he said “out in Fairfax.” Seriously man? That’s not rare, I can prob find 10 people from your graduating class at Clyde’s after a hockey game, no problem.