@vieralynn replied to your post “Uhnm... That sorting is from a... what? American perspective...?”
If you don't mind, I have always been confused by how americans code dark skin europeans as non-white. Could you give me examples of what you, from an american point of view, consider not white that a european would consider as white? Like, where is the border between this white/notwhite categorization of europeans? Only asking because it is so confusing and -- lol -- this came up in a giant discussion elsewhere in fandom today and everyone was all **shrug**. :)
I think one of the biggest things that come up when I see these discussions are Hispanics (those from Spain) and Italians (typical those with darker skin), because here in America the dark skin and features would actually make them “exotic” to white people and often make white people see them as lesser races. In America, some of these people would instantly be lumped in as Mexicans or black as well, despite not actually being so racially. Just because that is how racism in America works. Also Asians are also immediately coded as minorities and often treated with racism.
It’s not so much based on where you are from, then what you look like. If you don’t LOOK white america, you will often be treated substandard even in small ways. I’m sure someone more familiar with race relations in both Europe and America, and someone who has studied foreign relations could describe it Far Better. But that is the basic understanding from an American minority standpoint. You don’t look white (skin color or feature-wise)? You don’t belong here.
Also curious, why do you see Isabela as black (and by black, how much of africa is included in your definition?) rather than as Mediterranean or West Asian or South Asian? Just trying to make sense of what creates these racial categories in an american point of view.
For starters, she is from Rivaini. Which is heavily inferred to be a majority black country, though she could be biracial?
Also she can unfortunately fit into the Jezebel trope (a black trope) when first introduced and her real name is actually Naishe, which if I’m not mistaken is an African name (Zimbabwe I believe?). So she seems to be coded as black (and to an extent have African origin). Isabela was only her name after her husband called her it and she reclaimed it as her identity once he was killed.
