"If genes don't determine race, what does?"

Abby: We're nearing the end of the quarter, which means our talks are coming to an end soon!

Me: Gee, what a nightmare.

Abby: We must converse about something before it's too late! What did you think of the message of David Henry Hwang's Trying to Find Chinatown?

Me: I found a bit amusing how the Chinese-American character was the more racist of the two. I suppose Hwang was trying to be ironic or something.

Abby: I think Ronnie had a bit of a point though. Genes do determine the color of your skin, eyes, height, etc. I mean, I'm part Golden Retriever and Labrador, so I have characteristics of the two breeds.

Me: I agree that genes determine how you look on the outside, your phenotypes, but I don't think they determine your race.

Abby: But isn't your race how you look? You're dark skinned and of Asian descent, so don't you consider your race to be Filipino?

Me: I think you are born with certain genes of an ethnicity, not a race. For me, I'm 75% Filipino and 25% Irish. I consider that to be my ethnicity. However, I do not believe my race is Filipino or Irish. Because I was entirely raised in environment of American culture and practices, I consider my race to be American.

Abby: Why do you keep putting "race" and "ethnicity" in italics? Aren't they the same thing?

Me: To me, no. I feel like ethnicity is in your genes, but race is based off your environment you grew up in. It bugs me whenever I fill out a survey for school or something, they ask me for my race. I do not think that my mostly Filipino "race" should be considered as legitimate data when comparing my performance in school to other students' races. I understand that De Anza is filled with over 1,000 international students, however, I don't think I fit under the same category as students from the Philippines. I feel more connected to my American side than my Filipino and Irish roots.

Abby: But you look Filipino! You can't deny that!

Me: Because I deviate from Euro-centric looks of "typical" Americans, I don't have the luxury of hiding my ethnicity. Fortunately for Benjamin in Trying to Find Chinatown, he has the option of revealing his ethnicity when he feels like it.

Abby: Does this mean I can choose my breed then?

Me: I don't know how race and ethnicity transfers over to the dog world, sorry.