One of the things which I have recently been finding quite unbelievable is how easy it is to confuse people with the simple question of “What is your ethnicity?”
As part of the booking in process when we first see soon-to-be-mothers in antenatal clinic we ask them a bunch of question relating to general health and influencing factors.
Because certain ethnic groups have different risks for certain conditions that can effect pregnancy we ask about ethnic background.
And what constantly leaves me wanting to slap people is the response to this question. I say “So, what is your ethnic background” (which I now usually follow with “…where did your ancestors come from” or something like that) and in response I still almost invariably get a look of deep confusion followed by a response along the lines of “Australia…. I’m… I’m Australian”. So seeing as they are almost all whites, I try to clarify with “But your ancestors, did they originally come from Europe, you know, caucasians?” to which I once again get a confused look and “No…. I’m… … Australian” at which point I do my best not to look exasperated, write caucasian on the form, and move on.
I don’t know whether it’s something to do with the demographic population group I’m dealing with here, or whether this is a wider Australian problem, along the line of the US theme of America is the best and we’re all Americans…
Coming from NZ where pretty much every form that required demographic information has the first two options being (1) New Zealand European (Caucasian), (2) Maori, followed by the other usual options, I find it interesting that there seems to be so much confusion and ignorance about the separation between ethnicity and nationality. My ethnicity is caucasion. My nationality is New Zealander.
Surely that’s not so hard? Is it?