Anonymous wrote:I hate the question Where Are You From. As an Asian American growing up in the 70s and 80s it was a poorly phrased ignorant way of asking What Is Your Ethnicity? I would answer the question ‘I grew up in a small suburb outside Boston’. And the uncultured pasty white person would say No Where are you FROM FROM?? Still get it today from the same kind of people.

Being of a particular ethnicity myself, I used to get this question a lot too. I know academia now considers it a microagression. But I personally do not. I appreciate that people are interested in my heritage or to learn about me.

Anonymous wrote:I hate the question Where Are You From. As an Asian American growing up in the 70s and 80s it was a poorly phrased ignorant way of asking What Is Your Ethnicity? I would answer the question ‘I grew up in a small suburb outside Boston’. And the uncultured pasty white person would say No Where are you FROM FROM?? Still get it today from the same kind of people.

They mean what’s your ethnicity: Chinese, Japanese, etc.

Why not simply say?

Why assume it’s because they are racist and don’t consider you American? You obviously are American, and they know that.

As a boring white person, I’ve been asked this question. I tell people what my ethnic heritage is. NBD.

I think it’s strange that such info is off limits.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? It’s not a lie, it’s a different way of answering the question.

It is a lie, ESPECIALLY if it's asked in that same city they're currently living. The obvious implication is "where did you grow up/ where are your roots". People trying to find out the town that truly raised and shaped you.

it's disingenuous at best, and I'm curious why anyone would engage in it.

Agree, it's a lie. Question is where FROM originally. Not where do you LIVE.

I hate the question Where Are You From. As an Asian American growing up in the 70s and 80s it was a poorly phrased ignorant way of asking What Is Your Ethnicity? I would answer the question ‘I grew up in a small suburb outside Boston’. And the uncultured pasty white person would say No Where are you FROM FROM?? Still get it today from the same kind of people.

Anonymous wrote:? It’s not a lie, it’s a different way of answering the question.

Um, it's a lie.

“Where are you from?” can be answered in a variety of accurate and truthful ways. At a conference, for example, my response would be the name of my organization. If you want to know where someone was born/grew up/is currently living/ or something else — then ask that.

Anonymous wrote:Because my home town in a crime filled cess pool and people tend to avoid me if I tell them where I am from when they first meet me. Eventually, once they have gotten to know me, and know I won't cut them, I will talk about it.

Newark?

Compton?

Those are literally the only two cities with nationally recognized negative connotations.

Why would anyone ask where you originally lived as a child? What a nosey yet dull question. I don't really like answering questions like that especially as I don't identify with any particular area and it's boring to explain why. I have a pat answer I give but maybe people should learn to be better conversationalists.

Anonymous wrote:My husband lies about odd things like this. I've tried to break him of this habit because it's embarrassing when he is caught in the lie.
In his case, he does it because his parents were alcoholics and he just grew up lying about everything that went on in his home, so now lying about something relatively trivial seems as natural as telling the truth.

My husband too. His town was a literal joke on TV in the past so he says he’s from the big city. It’s truly odd to watch him do it.

Because my home town in a crime filled cess pool and people tend to avoid me if I tell them where I am from when they first meet me. Eventually, once they have gotten to know me, and know I won't cut them, I will talk about it.

Where are you from is different from where were you born/hometown.

When I’m asked that while on vacation or sitting in a cab on a business trip, I say, “I’m from DC” (where I live).

If I’m asked in a setting where we’re having a longer conversation/getting to know each other, I say, “I grew up in X, and I’ve been living in DC for 20 years.”

Nonetheless, I know what you’re saying, OP. And, New Yorkers are the worst.

We were on vacation with friends from college, and the cab driver asked us where we were from. A pal said he was from NY, and another pal said, “Whatever, Dave. You just moved to NY and you’ve been there for like 5 minutes. You aren’t a New Yorker yet.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? It’s not a lie, it’s a different way of answering the question.

It is a lie, ESPECIALLY if it's asked in that same city they're currently living. The obvious implication is "where did you grow up/ where are your roots". People trying to find out the town that truly raised and shaped you.

it's disingenuous at best, and I'm curious why anyone would engage in it.

You’re bizarrely overheated about such an inane topic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hometown (entire home state, really) is a national embarrassment full of backwards rednecks, and I got tired of the stereotypes. Much easier to say I've lived in DC longer than anywhere else than to grit-smile through ignorant comments about not having an accent or seeming well-educated.

+100

We're probably from the same state.

Why is it easier if it's untrue?

NP — I kinda say the same thing, I’ve lived in Dc longer than anywhere else. It’s not a lie, and no one cares about the backstory of why that is when making small talk.

It is a lie if someone asks you where you come from or where you grew up and you say somewhere you did not grow up in. That's why the Hilaria Baldwin thing was a big deal

I mean, saying you are from the city near your obscure suburb is not quite the same as saying you are from another country and faking an accent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hometown (entire home state, really) is a national embarrassment full of backwards rednecks, and I got tired of the stereotypes. Much easier to say I've lived in DC longer than anywhere else than to grit-smile through ignorant comments about not having an accent or seeming well-educated.

+100

We're probably from the same state.

Why is it easier if it's untrue?

NP — I kinda say the same thing, I’ve lived in Dc longer than anywhere else. It’s not a lie, and no one cares about the backstory of why that is when making small talk.

It is a lie if someone asks you where you come from or where you grew up and you say somewhere you did not grow up in. That's why the Hilaria Baldwin thing was a big deal

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My hometown (entire home state, really) is a national embarrassment full of backwards rednecks, and I got tired of the stereotypes. Much easier to say I've lived in DC longer than anywhere else than to grit-smile through ignorant comments about not having an accent or seeming well-educated.

+100

We're probably from the same state.

Why is it easier if it's untrue?

NP — I kinda say the same thing, I’ve lived in Dc longer than anywhere else. It’s not a lie, and no one cares about the backstory of why that is when making small talk.