Are Spaniards white?

[Regina]

I think it depends. Yes it's clear Portuguese and Spanish played a massive role in the subjugation of other people historically, but then I also think there are still deep-rooted prejudices against Southern Europeans within Northern European culture. We look at things too simply these days, just because the Spanish and the Portuguese had empires, that doesn't mean Southern Europeans are respected and treated well among Northern Europeans. There has been a long history of Northern European superiority complex and seeing Southern Europeans as "tainted" white people. It's rampant in Nazi ideology and was there in British colonialism too. "White" is used as a unifying word that homogenises us. It puts me in the same category as ethnically British people, who colonised "my country" (Malta).

Growing up Southern European in the UK, I've seen it. I'm pretty sure some (not all) British people have this really rigid image in their minds of what I'm supposed to be; brown-skinned, thick as shit, flapping like I've come straight out of a telenovela. I get to enjoy the look of utter bemusement and confusion on their faces when they're met with a very pale-skinned, blue eyed boy who speaks English as a first language better than they do. Granted, I do consider myself white (who wouldn't looking at me, tbh) so my experience is not one of severe racial oppression by any means. But in terms of stereotypes it is there and it's real.