If someone asked me what nationality I was, I would probably respond “Indian.” Granted, I don’t get asked that a lot since my ethnicity is easily recognized by my appearance. But when I do get asked, even though I respond “Indian,” part of me aches to say “American” as well. But I never do. Even though technically I am an American citizen, I worry about the reactions I would receive if I insisted that I was American.

I think that if people really thought about it, they would realize that I am truly American. What is preventing them from this, and making me uncomfortable about my identity as an American, is the social construct that ethnic minorities don’t identify as American, even though many are American citizens.

The fact is that many people have a very narrow definition of what an American is, especially regarding appearance. A large number of Americans think that Caucasian people, or people of European origin, represent what the average American looks like. But the truth is that there is absolutely no way to distinguish an American by their outward appearance. There is no such thing as someone who “looks American.”

A couple of years ago, Nina Davuluri became the first Indian American woman to be crowned Miss America. As a result, a shocking amount of hate and racial prejudice was directed toward her. Many were angry about her win because they thought she wasn’t American, even though she was born in Syracuse and grew up in New York. Many thought that a contestant of Indian ancestry should not win the Miss America competition.

While this type of racism may seem shocking to some, it wasn’t to Davuluri. In 2013, she admitted that she wasn’t surprised by the hate that she encountered. She knew there would be those who would criticize her, and she was prepared for it. The fact that Davuluri expected the reaction she received further proves the existence of the social construct that ethnic minorities are not really American.

Like Davuluri, I have realized that there are those in our country who will accuse me of being non-American. Even though I feel American and most certainly am American, I still am not comfortable labeling myself as one, which makes me feel like an outsider in my own country.

People need to realize that the average American is not what they used to be. As Nina Davuluri said in an interview for NPR, “I have always viewed Miss America as the girl next door, but the girl next door is evolving as the diversity in America evolves. She’s not who she was ten years ago, and she’s not going to be the same person come ten years down the road.’’

So-called “minorities” make up a large portion of the American population, and the fact that they are referred to as minorities makes them feel inferior, unimportant, and not American enough.

I take pride in being an American. But it is hard for me to declare my American-ness because of the stigma that is associated with people who don’t match up to the traditional view of what an American should be.

Being an American isn’t about having blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. It’s not about loving football and hamburgers. Americans come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. People need to understand that there is no single way to define an American. And that is what makes our country truly beautiful.