[Murray C.]

What exactly does the word 'Caucasian' mean? I am defined as being Caucasian, but I don't know where the term/definition originated from. In fact, I don't know if I even like the word. Is there something wrong with being called 'white'? I like 'white' better because 'Caucasian' sounds like a disease or some sort of disliked personality trait. How do other white/Caucasian people feel about it? If I knew the origin of it, I may be more accepting.

User Detail :  

Name : Murray C., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 31, City : Halifax, Nova Scotia, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Draftsman, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, 

[Lucy-H22362]

Caucasian is a race, white is a color. Caucasian refers to anyone of European, Near Eastern and Middle Eastern descent. Some people from Northern Africa are also considered Caucasian. It used to be that people were divided into three categories: Caucasian, Oriental or African. Recently, people have realized that with so many different ethnic groups, three categories are not adequate. So on forms where people are asked to state their ethnicity, there are many more choices. Caucasian has come to commonly mean anyone of European descent. I think Caucasian sounds better than white. Besides, "white" people aren't really white, they are more of a peach color.

User Detail :  

Name : Lucy-H22362, Gender : F, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : 24, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Nelson A.]

The term Caucasian is applied to a broad and increasingly vague subdivision of the human species with a predominance of light skin color, and higher percentages of light-colored eyes and hair than are found in other segments of the population. The designation Caucasian was first used in the 19th and early 20th centuries by scholars who believed that this subdivision originated in Caucasia, a region of southeastern Europe (where the Caucasus Mountains are). Caucasians are now more commonly known as the white race, or as people of European extraction. The Caucasian race spread throughout the world through colonization (that's how it reached America, the continent) growing to be what it is today. If you wish to know more, just pick up any encyclopedia and check out the term, it's there.

User Detail :  

Name : Nelson A., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 30, City : Caracas, State : NA Country : Venezuela, Occupation : Lawyer/Business, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[A.C.C.]

I would hope you wouldn't want to use either term. "Caucasian" is a pseudo-scientific term meaning "originating from the Caucasus Mountains." The Aryanist school of historians in the early 1800s came up with the term in order to invent a common origin for all people of "white" ancestry. Trouble is, there's no evidence to back it up, just wishful thinking. The latest scientific evidence says the "white race" does not exist except in imagination because it is just an offshoot of Asian people. "White" as a racial term was first used in the 15th Century because colonialists wanted to identify Europeans with the color traditionally associated with purity and good in Western thought. I would encourage people of European ancestry to call themselves either European or Anglo because these are cultural and not racial labels and not exclusionary and divisive like "white" and "Caucasian."

User Detail :  

Name : A.C.C., Race : Mexican and American Indian, City : W Lafayette, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : Grad student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Eddie W]

a black friend of mine in Vietnam use to call me a colored boy. The reason being I went from being a white color to a very dark color. He did'nt change.

User Detail :  

Name : Eddie W, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 48, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : retired/now a student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 

[Stephen S.]

I agree with A.C.C. up to the 'Anglo' part. Anglo means English specifically, whether it is a reference to the culture or the people. Being half Irish and half German, I would prefer to be called European rather than Anglo or Caucasian.

User Detail :  

Name : Stephen S., Age : 32, City : San Antonio, State : TX Country : United States, 

[alex]

White, in refering to a general population of people does not exsist. Unless you are talkin about a group of albinos

User Detail :  

Name : alex, Gender : F, Race : *poweRpuFF greeN*, Age : 19, City : houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : *maDsCienTist*, 

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