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“I am from Austria,” I said. The question came during a conversation at work. We were talking casually about where we grew up, where our families lived and what languages we spoke at home. I expected the conversation to move on. Instead, the person smiled and asked: “Yes, but where are you really from?” For a moment, I did not know what to say. I was born here. I went to school here. I speak German, I have friends here and I have built my life here. Still, my own life story and lived experience did not seem to be enough.
The question suggested that, because of my name, my appearance, and my family history, I could not simply belong. This was not the first time this had happened to me. I have been asked similar questions at school, in shops, at parties and on public transport. Sometimes people said they were only curious. Sometimes they thought it was a compliment to say that I looked “exotic.” But when these moments happen again and again, they do not feel harmless. They create the feeling of always being seen as different, and as someone who do not own their life story and lived experience. Everyday racism is not always loud or intentional. It can often appear in these kind of questions, assumptions, jokes, comments that others consider insignificant.
Yet for racialised people, repeated experiences can bring tiredness, frustration and self-doubt. They can make a person feel like an outsider in the very place they call home. By claiming ownership of my life story and lived experience, I stop letting other people define who I am. So, challenging racism also means reflecting on our everyday language. Instead of asking someone where they are “really” from, we can pay attention and truly listen to the life story they choose to share. Belonging should not depend on a person’s skin colour, race, name, accent and/or family background. It should be recognised as something everyone has the right to claim. |
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Published on 04.09.2026 at 12:53 
