Few things irritate me more than someone asking me “what are you?”  Now, this is a question that all halfsies inevitably will get on a monthly, if not weekly, basis.  We’re all quite familiar with it.

Let me clarify my stance on it: don’t ask it.  What am I?  I’m an Aquarius.  I’m a Wahoo.  I’m a Democrat.  I’m a Virginian.  I’m a man.  I’m an annoyed man.  I don’t mind people asking me my ethnic/racial makeup.  I even don’t mind if someone asks me if I have “some Asian” in me.  If “some Asian” turns into “you Asians”, then we might have a problem.

If you want to ask me my racial constitution, that’s fine.  But please, include the word “race”, “ethnicity”, or something that actually indicates what you’re asking.  When you ask me “what are you”, I feel as though you’re looking at me like a circus freak, as in “Wow, what the hell are you? Half man, half beast?”  Otherwise, I’m going to pretend that I don’t know what you’re asking about and intentionally make you feel awkward and uncomfortable.