In my western culture class this week, our topic has been "Ethnic and National Identity." Naturally, to introduce the idea of identity, I took a few moments at the beginning of class to talk about standard forms of identity, using my own Texas driver's license and US passport in comparison to the students' government-issued ID cards. The conversation went a little something like this:
Me: Ok, so what kind of information is typically listed on an ID card?
Student(s): Name! ID #!
Me: Right, ok, what else?
S: Address...
Me: Yep. Let's see, and here's "height."
S: Birthday!
Me: Good, good. Hair color...eye color...
S: (blank stares)
Me: Uhh...hair color and eye color...right?
S: (blank stares)
Me: (just nearly on the verge of a realization) Um, ok. Quick question...do your ID cards have your hair or eye color?
S: (confused looks, shaking heads)...no....
Me: Ah. Ok. (seeing an unexpected opportunity for further learning) Let's work this out. What is the natural hair color of nearly every Chinese person?
S: Black!
Me: And what is the natural eye color of nearly every Chinese person?
S: Brown!
Me: Ok, what is the natural hair color of nearly every American person?
S: Yellow! (seeing my reaction) Uh, bu* bu bu bu, uhhh blonde! (looking at my hair color) Bubububu...brown!
Me: Hmm. Well, what is the natural eye color for nearly every American person?
S: Blue!
Me: (walking to the front row of students, pulling off my glasses) What color are my eyes?
S: Brown?
Me: Close - they're actually hazel. Sometimes brown, sometimes green, sometimes both.
S: Wha-??? You can change your eyes?!
Me: No, it's not really like I can - I mean, it's not a superpower or anything. (closing my eyes and pretending to concentrate) "Green, green, GREEN!"
S: (still somewhat perplexed)
Me: Ok, let's see. What color is Ms. Patty's hair...you'd better not say yellow!
S: Uhh, blonde.
Me: Yes, and her eyes?
S: Blue.
I went through the same questions about a few of the other American teachers here, showcasing how we each have different hair/eye color combinations and perhaps that's why our IDs request such seemingly superfluous information. I just love it when their minds casually creak open just a bit more, just enough to allow old stereotypes to shut down while new ideas form!
*Mandarin for "no"
Me: Ok, so what kind of information is typically listed on an ID card?
Student(s): Name! ID #!
Me: Right, ok, what else?
S: Address...
Me: Yep. Let's see, and here's "height."
S: Birthday!
Me: Good, good. Hair color...eye color...
S: (blank stares)
Me: Uhh...hair color and eye color...right?
S: (blank stares)
Me: (just nearly on the verge of a realization) Um, ok. Quick question...do your ID cards have your hair or eye color?
S: (confused looks, shaking heads)...no....
Me: Ah. Ok. (seeing an unexpected opportunity for further learning) Let's work this out. What is the natural hair color of nearly every Chinese person?
S: Black!
Me: And what is the natural eye color of nearly every Chinese person?
S: Brown!
Me: Ok, what is the natural hair color of nearly every American person?
S: Yellow! (seeing my reaction) Uh, bu* bu bu bu, uhhh blonde! (looking at my hair color) Bubububu...brown!
Me: Hmm. Well, what is the natural eye color for nearly every American person?
S: Blue!
Me: (walking to the front row of students, pulling off my glasses) What color are my eyes?
S: Brown?
Me: Close - they're actually hazel. Sometimes brown, sometimes green, sometimes both.
S: Wha-??? You can change your eyes?!
Me: No, it's not really like I can - I mean, it's not a superpower or anything. (closing my eyes and pretending to concentrate) "Green, green, GREEN!"
S: (still somewhat perplexed)
Me: Ok, let's see. What color is Ms. Patty's hair...you'd better not say yellow!
S: Uhh, blonde.
Me: Yes, and her eyes?
S: Blue.
I went through the same questions about a few of the other American teachers here, showcasing how we each have different hair/eye color combinations and perhaps that's why our IDs request such seemingly superfluous information. I just love it when their minds casually creak open just a bit more, just enough to allow old stereotypes to shut down while new ideas form!
*Mandarin for "no"
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