You don’t sound like a Hispanic!

Susie Gonzalez,
San Antonio, TX.

I had just gotten married and opted to add my husband’s last name to my byline as a newspaper reporter. When I called someone to seek information for a news story, the person wasn’t available. When I gave my name to leave a message, the person’s assistant said, “You don’t SOUND like a ‘Susie Gonzalez.’ You sound white.” This comment introduced a new level of prejudice to me that I had never before experienced as a white person.