I grew up in a severely Hispanic-dominated area. I was one of two whites that went to my school. I caught the eye of the other one one day and I wondered if I looked as haunted as she did.
I was teased daily, put down by my whole class. I was stuck with the same group for years through school since we were put in an "advanced learning" class. Their favorite game seemed to be "pretend to be friends with the white girl and then trash and dump her at the most embarrassing possible moment". The teachers for the most part turned a blind eye. I walked to the bus stop down a dangerous alleyway because the only alternative was walking through a different schoolyard where I would get names and curses screamed at me while others threatened me physically. One girl actually grabbed me (when I was stupid enough to not get away) and she pried my eyes open after she "wanted to look at my eyes because they're weird". I yanked my face out of her hands and ran away. And that's just one example.
To this day, I find it hard to trust Hispanics. Until I get to know them, I'm always afraid. It doesn't help that I find when I drive/pass by random Hispanic men, they always stare holes through me. I've chalked it up to different culture, but it always scares me.
Long story short, I know what it's like to feel that way. I want to tell people about this but I hardly ever do, for obvious reasons ("so what you're still white and it was just your childhood get over it").
Re: Non-fandom Secrets
I was teased daily, put down by my whole class. I was stuck with the same group for years through school since we were put in an "advanced learning" class. Their favorite game seemed to be "pretend to be friends with the white girl and then trash and dump her at the most embarrassing possible moment". The teachers for the most part turned a blind eye. I walked to the bus stop down a dangerous alleyway because the only alternative was walking through a different schoolyard where I would get names and curses screamed at me while others threatened me physically. One girl actually grabbed me (when I was stupid enough to not get away) and she pried my eyes open after she "wanted to look at my eyes because they're weird". I yanked my face out of her hands and ran away. And that's just one example.
To this day, I find it hard to trust Hispanics. Until I get to know them, I'm always afraid. It doesn't help that I find when I drive/pass by random Hispanic men, they always stare holes through me. I've chalked it up to different culture, but it always scares me.
Long story short, I know what it's like to feel that way. I want to tell people about this but I hardly ever do, for obvious reasons ("so what you're still white and it was just your childhood get over it").