As I fill out some of my college applications I always find confusion when I come to the ethnicity portion. As I am a first generation middle eastern (Iranian), I identify specifically with being Persian/Iranian but most college apps have that classified under white. Is there any way the admissions officers will know I am Persian without me stating it, maybe from my last name. Any response is appreciated.
Probably not, if you put that you are just white they will think that your white. The funny thing is that in a lot of applications they don’t call African American people black yet they still call Caucasian people white. That just annoys me but anyway you can always put that you perfer not to share or maybe there is an “other” option. Also obviously if you write somewhere about t they will know
@Futuremed17 Is this really a hill you want to die on? American language has shifted away from “black” to African American because that’s what THEY wish to be called. If I saw a checkbox that said “Yellow” rather than Asian, I would be rather shocked. Why? Isn’t that the hue of my skin relative to others? Sure. But historically, it’s been pejorative. People are polite enough to allow the “Asian” box. What’s the difference for someone wishing “African American”?
Go to Canada or the UK and it’ll be different. There, you might see “Black Canadian” or “Black British”. Why? It’s what those people choose to be called. To each their own, right?
While Caucasian (e.g. Georgian, Armenian, Azeri, Chechen) people are usually seen as white in the US, many white people do not have recent ancestry from the Caucasus mountain region.
Because the term African * American * is awkward. Indigenous sub-Saharan Africans are not American.
How is “African American” any different in perceived awkwardness from “Asian American” or “European American”?
“African American” is completely different because the colleges use the categories “Asian” and “White”, and not “Asian American” and “European American”.
Don’t forget Irish Americans! We’re special too! ;
Are people trying to be pedantic or polite?
Would anyone of European descent feel funny about these categories? White or Caucasian
Would anyone of African descent feel funny about: African American or black? Likely not, to be frank. How about “negro” or “colored”. You’re darn straight someone would be offended and rightly so.
Would an East Asian feel funny about: Asian? Asian American? I wouldn’t. Would it raise my eyebrows if the only option was “Yellow”. D**m straight it would.
As I stated before, our language shifts. If a person wishes to be called “African American” I call him/her that. I don’t say “black” if they’ve asked me otherwise. And if 20 years from now, something else arises, I won’t resist that either – for blacks or any other ethnic group. Like I said, is this the hill you want to die upon? Really?
My African friends who are black actually do complain about the term “African American”. That’s why I mentioned it.
MOD NOTE: Let’s keep this discussion focused on answering the OP’s question, and not debating the semantics of race on applications.
Agree with Murphy. You are Caucasian.
The essay is an opportunity to discuss your ethnicity/cultural identity if you want to.
While part of Iran touches the Caucasus mountain area, that area is mainly populated by ethnic minority people (Azeri, Kurd, Armenian) rather than Persian people.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Iran#Languages_and_ethnic_groups
@ucbalumnus In North America, the primary meaning of Caucasian is “white-skinned; of European origin” in the same way that “anti-Semitic” does not apply to Islamaphobia.
Black also includes various people from parts of the Carribean amongst others.
But to address your question, I do not think being of Middle Eastern background gives much of a boost, if at all (unless you identify as Black, which is certainly possible for some, but not all, Egyptians and Libyans amongst others - if you consider Libya part of the Middle East). Based on what you wrote, I would check off the Middle Eastern category, if available, or Caucasian (you will likely see something like “including Middle Eastern” in parenthesis).
“Semitic” usually refers to a group of languages which includes Hebrew and Arabic. Speakers of such languages are not necessarily of a specific religion.
@MurphyBrown according to Merriam Webster:
Semitic = of or relating to the language family that includes Hebrew and Arabic
Anti-Semitic = hatred of Jews
@MurphyBrown I was using a relevant example to explain that Caucasian does not strictly mean “from or relating to the Caucasus mountain range.”