I have been asked this as a white American in certain (see: xenophobic) countries. Where they can't comprehend Americans not looking not just white, but like a specific kind of white. I am very Slavic in appearance so it surprises western European countries especially that I don't look like them I guess.
I have to say it's the most confusing question out there, because like you said American isn't an ethnicity unless you're Native. As a woman, I usually play the dumb card by giving the same answer over and over, and make them continually ask until they either give up or have to be explicitly racist/xenophobic because they've rephrased the question.
Not to detract from the overall conversation, but I blame Hollywood a lot in this. A lot of box office hits are still white-centric.
I have been asked this as a white American in certain (see: xenophobic) countries. Where they can't comprehend Americans not looking not just white, but like a specific kind of white. I am very Slavic in appearance so it surprises western European countries especially that I don't look like them I guess.
I have to say it's the most confusing question out there, because like you said American isn't an ethnicity unless you're Native. As a woman, I usually play the dumb card by giving the same answer over and over, and make them continually ask until they either give up or have to be explicitly racist/xenophobic because they've rephrased the question.
Not to detract from the overall conversation, but I blame Hollywood a lot in this. A lot of box office hits are still white-centric.