this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2025
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I hope this is not too stupid of a question, if it is I already apologize in advance.

Basically my girlfriend and I who are from Germany are planning to travel to the USA. We were hearing stuff that some Americans socially divide people by their ethnicity. I just wanted to ask online whether this is true and if there could be any concerns because my skin is very bright and my girlfriends skin is very dark.

Normally we never really cared or talked about this since at least in our community (where we are from) no one makes a thing out of it and we both just identify as German. But I heard that in some procedures in America you have to say what your ethnicity is? We even heard things like that in some places they divide people by "skin color" and base different cultures on that (we noticed that people from America even speak and behave differently based on whether they identify as "black" or "white") and even have schools for primarily people with dark skin or so. And this concept is very new to us since our skin was never any topic for us and we are somewhat insecure that someone could say something since we look so different and are a couple and we don't know if this could be "weird" for some Americans?

I assume that's probably not the case and I'm somewhat misinformed, which is why we just want to make sure there isn't anything that we have to know or potentially have to be concerned about.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

Bro ain't you gonna face structural racism on your eat pray love vacation.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Just look up "i went to racist town as a " and don't goto those towns, youd have to go out of your way to find them.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

america is massive btw california is the size of like 5 european countries, im in the middle and I can drive 6 hours north or south and still be in the state easy. without traffic.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (6 children)

Racism in America is real. Anyone telling you otherwise is probably just living a charmed life and incapable of accepting that their personal experience is not universal.

I don't have the time or energy to prove this exhaustively, but here's a starting point: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_while_black

In 2019, as reported by NBC, the Stanford Open Policing Project found that "police stopped and searched black and Latino drivers on the basis of less evidence than used in stopping white drivers, who are searched less often but are more likely to be found with illegal items."

Please refer to the citations on that page for more details. Lots of studies in various states showing the same thing. The fact that the mere existence of racial profiling in America is still debated, when it has been consistently proven again and again for decades, is itself a clear indicator of a different kind of racism.

Here's a little story that stuck in my memory, about how a white woman finally came to realize that racial harassment by police was a real thing. It's kind of hilarious, in a dark, face-palmy kind of way. https://franklywrite.com/2020/06/01/a-white-woman-racism-and-a-poodle/

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You'll probably be mostly fine, but expect people to find your accent to be a novelty.

Racists usually keep their mouths shut in public, just pay attention to your surroundings and be careful (good advice anywhere you go).

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've definitely gotten lots of looks in the US due to my accent not matching the way I look as Americans understand it.

It ranges from "huh, that was weird" to actually annoying after a while, but it was never an outright issue for me.

Also, holy crap, stay away from cops. That is an actual piece of advice for the OP. You're gonna think cops are there for you because you're all European and stuff and I'm telling you now, US cops serve an entirely different social function and do not expect to interact with you unless it's through violence. I am very serious about this.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Don't listen to the people saying there's an issue anywhere.

All this racist nonsense is just that - nonsense.

I've lived or worked for extended periods in numerous states, from Maine to Alabama, North Dakota, Washington, Texas, California, and all over the midwest, especially in rural areas (worked with trucking companies), and you really don't see all the racism people claim on the internet, even in the trucker world.

Yea, you'll find an ass here and there, but that's very much the exception today. Far more so than even the 70's, when being openly racist in a small town was tolerated a lot more ("the older generation don't know no better" kind of stuff).

So come to the US. You'll be fine anywhere except specific areas in certain inner cities (and that's a general crime issue, not a race issue).

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I personally know a lady that had to leave alabama after two run in with racists at gas stations in a couple months because her mixed race kid

this was in 2020

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I think this will be a complete non-issue. Interracial/interethnic marriage is quite common in the US. There might be a few isolated backwater areas where people would judge you but such people would be in the minority and would keep such thoughts to themselves.

And regardless, anywhere international tourists would know of or visit will be cosmopolitan enough that such pairings will not be unusual to see.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

But I heard that in some procedures in America you have to say what your ethnicity is?

Not sure what you mean by "procedures," but no. It's explicitly forbidden for anyone to discriminate against you based on your race or ethnicity. You won't be asked if you are black or white or anything else. People might be curious where you are from, especially if you have a strong accent, but you're free to tell them to fuck off (especially if they are being racist.)

We even heard things like that in some places they divide people by "skin color" and base different cultures on that (we noticed that people from America even speak and behave differently based on whether they identify as "black" or "white") and even have schools for primarily people with dark skin or so.

We have laws preventing creating neighborhoods or schools that exclude specific races, but there are regional schools in communities that are primarily one race or another. Generations of racial segregation, redlining, blockbusting, and gerrymandering have created persisitent segregation that survives decades after those practices were outlawed.

So no, you're not misinformed. Historical segregation was real and still affects communities today, but there are no laws enforcing racial segregation. We do have a lot of bigots, as evidenced by the literal Nazi salute at the Trump inauguration today, so you should be careful in places like rural Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Texas, Utah, and South Carolina. But if you're visiting a major city, or any famous tourist attractions, you'll probably not experience any overt racism beyond a Trump bumper sticker.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago

It’s explicitly forbidden for anyone to discriminate against you based on your race or ethnicity

Ironically, it's very common to be asked for this information specifically because of anti-discrimination laws, so they can demonstrate statistically fair practices. I always see a box for this on medical forms, new-hire paperwork, etc. I believe the law requires it to be optional and only used for regulatory reports. So that's probably what OP heard about.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Just go for it, so long as you aren't overtly rude you'll have minimal issues (hard to do, in my experience Germans are quite polite). Few people will care at all and those that do probably won't tell you to your face which is for the best for everyone anyway.

Assuming you're going to visit as a tourist most places you will be at will be fine for both of you.

Also check out Atlas Obscura and Wikivoyage if you haven't they are both cool resources for getting around and finding things to do

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That shouldn't be a problem we're both kinda introverted and just wanna have a good time

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I would highly recommend staying away from the US for the next 4-20 years if your skin tone is anything darker than paper

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

if they are at least multi millionaires and good at knowing which asses to kiss they will be fine.

[–] [email protected] 57 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

It kinda depends on where in the country you're going.

West Coast, and Northern East coast is going to be a hugely different experience than the middle of the country or the southern coast.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Middle of the country? Haha

Nobody gives a fuck

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hey! We have corn. And wheat.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Big cities, you will be fine. If you’re planning to hit up rural areas then maybe it would be an issue.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Are you comfortable being a bit more specific about what area you're going to? Vermont and Louisiana would be drastically different experiences.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 week ago (6 children)

We were looking into hiking and exploring national parks, maybe around Great Smoky Mountains and visiting Nashville (Tennessee) cause we're country music lovers.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

The Smokies are beautiful, I’m sure you’ll both have a good time. Chattanooga is worth visiting if you have the time, it’s a good mix of college town and rural Appalachian beauty.

Just be aware of your surroundings and whether or not anyone is giving you the stink eye or staring you down, and assume any dude giving you shit has a gun (ie, don’t escalate and just leave). I don’t say that to scare you, carrying guns is just very normal in large swathes of the south, so tailor your threat response accordingly. The majority of people are not gonna be a problem, especially in urban areas. But anyone telling you it never happens is living in denial.

[–] [email protected] 40 points 1 week ago

I live near there and honestly nobody's likely to care enough to give you trouble

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not really, it's not the 50's or 60's.

99% of people don't give a shit.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)
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