Self-identification and social perception of whiteness can diverge sharply for the same person.
Evidence
At the same time that Kambiz and Nora shared their stories with me, American-born Leyla was an eleventh-grade student at one of the most prestigious private schools in the nation. Whereas Kambiz felt white but was perceived as non-white, for Leyla it was the reverse. … On a spiritual level, and on a cultural level, I internalized it and accepted it for how it was. — Neda Maghbouleh, The Limits of Whiteness, 50
Categorization
- XREF: Mirrors the recurring theme in The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Home Boy of characters who feel one way and are perceived another.