Regional identity

[iheartthed]

I think the shift of Metro Detroiters adopting "Michigan" as their regional demonym occurred around the 1990s or early 2000s.

Originally Posted by edale

People I meet in California who are originally from Michigan definitely seem to exhibit more state pride than I've ever encountered from Ohioans. My old cubicle neighbor had a big map of Michigan hung up in her cube, and would always tell people she was just from Michigan, not Detroit, or the Detroit area where she was from. I've noticed other people from the Detroit area similarly say they're just from Michigan. I assumed this is because Detroit has a pretty unfavorable national brand, whereas most people have pretty positive associations with Michigan, but maybe it is also derived from some sort of state pride. The whole pure Michigan ad campaign was really genius, and did a great job at promoting the natural beauty of the state, so it makes sense that locals/expats would also have a pretty high degree of state pride.

Eh, I think a lot of people describe their origins by naming their state first. Whenever I meet someone from Ohio they always says "Ohio" first, instead of Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, etc. In fact, it's so common for people from Ohio to reference their state that "people from Ohio" is a common way to describe gentrifiers in NYC.

People will also often say "California" before specifying L.A. or the Bay Area. People from Minnesota tend to say "Minnesota" over "Minneapolis" or Twin Cities. People from Maryland will lead with "Maryland" instead of Baltimore, and on, and on. I do strongly suspect that Metro Detroiters did commonly describe themselves as being from Detroit or the "Detroit area" in the past, but have shifted to "Michigan" in recent decades, and that's why it sounds weird to people of a certain age. I don't really think it was common for Metro Detroiters to describe themselves as being from "Michigan" until the 1990s or early 2000s.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by craigs

Sufjan Stevens has Michigan and Illinois covered, that's for sure.

^ yeah and lately noah kahan is making vermont a thing.

this singing about your state, city, region, block local thing is common everywhere though.

hell its probably half of music lyrics. the half that isnt about hooking up.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I think the shift of Metro Detroiters adopting "Michigan" as their regional demonym occurred around the 1990s or early 2000s.



Eh, I think a lot of people describe their origins by naming their state first. Whenever I meet someone from Ohio they always says "Ohio" first, instead of Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, etc. In fact, it's so common for people from Ohio to reference their state that "people from Ohio" is a common way to describe gentrifiers in NYC.

People will also often say "California" before specifying L.A. or the Bay Area. People from Minnesota tend to say "Minnesota" over "Minneapolis" or Twin Cities. People from Maryland will lead with "Maryland" instead of Baltimore, and on, and on. I do strongly suspect that Metro Detroiters did commonly describe themselves as being from Detroit or the "Detroit area" in the past, but have shifted to "Michigan" in recent decades, and that's why it sounds weird to people of a certain age. I don't really think it was common for Metro Detroiters to describe themselves as being from "Michigan" until the 1990s or early 2000s.

i agree all that seems its changed over time.

i think it might reflect something about globalization and the trend toward urbanization in the world.

i dk, something like that, or maybe its just easier shorthand, must have caused it.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I think the shift of Metro Detroiters adopting "Michigan" as their regional demonym occurred around the 1990s or early 2000s.

Detroit brand is not as bad as it was in the past, right? And Americans usually have this kinda of blue collar pride. Why Detroiters are different in this regard? I ask this assuming they're trying to hide Detroit behind Michigan.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

People will also often say "California" before specifying L.A. or the Bay Area.

I beg to differ; it's been my experience that someone will say that they're from "California" if they're NOT from LA or the Bay Area. People from LA or the Bay Area will say that they're from LA or the Bay Area. Years ago when my partner and I were in Turkey and we encountered another American, we asked where he was from and he said "California." Turns out he was from San Diego. I wondered why he didn't just say San Diego.

Hehe myself, while traveling and someone asks me where I'm from, I always make it a point to say "Los Angeles" instead of "LA."

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Yuri

Detroit brand is not bad as it was in the past, right? And Americans usually have this kinda of blue collar pride. Why Detroiters are different in this regard? I ask this assuming they're trying to hide Detroit behind Michigan.

It's hard to explain but Detroit's brand is better from the outside than it is in Metro Detroit. For a while "Detroiter" was a code word for Black people in among white residents of suburban Detroit.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I beg to differ; it's been my experience that someone will say that they're from "California" if they're NOT from LA or the Bay Area. People from LA or the Bay Area will say that they're from LA or the Bay Area. Years ago when my partner and I were in Turkey and we encountered another American, we asked where he was from and he said "California." Turns out he was from San Diego. I wondered why he didn't just say San Diego.

Hehe myself, while traveling and someone asks me where I'm from, I always make it a point to say "Los Angeles" instead of "LA."

Yeah, maybe it's hard to notice that from the inside, but people from SF or LA will definitely lead with "California" when they're over here on the East Coast. It's not a hard and fast rule, but I have had to pull layers back to get a more exact location more times than I can count lol.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

It's hard to explain but Detroit's brand is better from the outside than it is in Metro Detroit. For a while "Detroiter" was a code word for Black people in among white residents of suburban Detroit.

That's bad. White people right in front of you afraid of being mistaken by Black. That's a whole new level of insecurity. I guess today central Detroit is perceived as a "cool" place on a Michigan context, right?

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Yuri

That's bad. White people right in front of you afraid of being mistaken by Black. That's a whole new level of insecurity.

It's not that people are afraid of being mistaken for Black, it's just that "Detroit" and "Detroiter" became a politically charged label in Metro Detroit. Suburban Detroiters have negative feelings about the label and have adopted another terminology to describe where they are from. People from other parts of the country might have negative connotations of "Detroit" but the term is not racialized to them. People in New York or Denver don't really know or understand the racial connotation of calling someone a "Detroiter". To them "Detroit" just means a city with a rich history that has gone through a catastrophic economic decline.

Originally Posted by Yuri

I guess today central Detroit is perceived as a "cool" place on a Michigan context, right?

Somewhat. The perceptions of the city are definitely not as toxic as they were in the 1970s - 2000s, but there is still a major divide between the city and the suburbs.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

i beg to differ; it's been my experience that someone will say that they're from "california" if they're not from la or the bay area. People from la or the bay area will say that they're from la or the bay area. Years ago when my partner and i were in turkey and we encountered another american, we asked where he was from and he said "california." turns out he was from san diego. I wondered why he didn't just say san diego.

Hehe myself, while traveling and someone asks me where i'm from, i always make it a point to say "los angeles" instead of "la."

+1

[pdxtex]

I think there will always be a city/suburb rift. Detroit is no different than other big cities in that regard. Try living in the PNW. Portland may as well be West Berlin surroundrd by a hostile countryside. We definitely have conservative suburbs whose residents are happy to remind you they don't live in Portland. Overall, I think this rise in regionalism is concurrent with hipster culture. Buy local! DIY. People in the 90s were looking for their authentic experience. Whatever that means. So now everyplace has to brand themselves as unique and amazing. Iowa corn. Accept no substitute!

[craigs]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I beg to differ; it's been my experience that someone will say that they're from "California" if they're NOT from LA or the Bay Area. People from LA or the Bay Area will say that they're from LA or the Bay Area. Years ago when my partner and I were in Turkey and we encountered another American, we asked where he was from and he said "California." Turns out he was from San Diego. I wondered why he didn't just say San Diego.

Hehe myself, while traveling and someone asks me where I'm from, I always make it a point to say "Los Angeles" instead of "LA."

iheartthed has his anecdotes, but I'm with you and homebucket. I cannot imagine traveling and saying merely that I am from "California" because that is ridiculously vague. It's like saying you're from the Northeast. When I moved back to Boston for a few years I always noted that I was from San Francisco, and nowadays when I'm traveling I note that I'm from Los Angeles.

Also, I've noticed that when people want to refer to the larger region where the Los Angeles metropolitan area sits, they often say "Southern California" rather than just "California." Like you, I suspect the people abroad who say that they are from California live in places that are not well-known.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by pdxtex

Overall, I think this rise in regionalism is concurrent with hipster culture. Buy local! DIY.

Maybe it's new-ish in some places, but I can confidently report that Chicago has been 1,000% full of itself since its inception.

[ColDayMan]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I think the shift of Metro Detroiters adopting "Michigan" as their regional demonym occurred around the 1990s or early 2000s.



Eh, I think a lot of people describe their origins by naming their state first. Whenever I meet someone from Ohio they always says "Ohio" first, instead of Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, etc. In fact, it's so common for people from Ohio to reference their state that "people from Ohio" is a common way to describe gentrifiers in NYC.

People will also often say "California" before specifying L.A. or the Bay Area. People from Minnesota tend to say "Minnesota" over "Minneapolis" or Twin Cities. People from Maryland will lead with "Maryland" instead of Baltimore, and on, and on. I do strongly suspect that Metro Detroiters did commonly describe themselves as being from Detroit or the "Detroit area" in the past, but have shifted to "Michigan" in recent decades, and that's why it sounds weird to people of a certain age. I don't really think it was common for Metro Detroiters to describe themselves as being from "Michigan" until the 1990s or early 2000s.

Generally agreed but I will say it's much more common to hear someone say they are "from Michigan" than, say, "from Cleveland" "from Minneapolis" or "from LA." I think the internal (to Michigan) stigma of Detroit still permeates with folks from Michigan outside of it.

But of course, I'm talking about white people. Black folks will tell you they are from Detroit before they are from Michigan, even if they live in Grand Rapids.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Eh, I think a lot of people describe their origins by naming their state first..

I think a lot of people who aren't from big, well known cities (or their metro areas) do that, but from my experience, people from major league cities usually lead with their city, which is why it's so noticeable how virtually no (white) metro detroiter ever leads with "Detroit" when they're asked the "where are you from?" question. It's always "Michigan" first.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

I think a lot of people who aren't from big, well known cities (or their metro areas) do that, but from my experience, people from major league cities usually lead with their city, which is why it's so noticeable how virtually no (white) metro detroiter ever leads with "Detroit" when they're asked the "where are you from?" question. It's always "Michigan" first.

Well, early in Madonna's career, she said she was from Detroit (even though she grew up in suburban Rochester Hills, MI) 1:02:
• Video Link

[JManc]

Everyone I ever met from the Detroit area said they were from Detroit. I think that Bay Area is probably the only metro where people are more specific about where they're from. Or just "Bay Area". Perhaps LA as well (??) or just say they're from Southern California.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by JManc

Everyone I ever met from the Detroit area said they were from Detroit.

That's wild.

Here in Chicago, they all say "Michigan".

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

That's wild.

Here in Chicago, they all say "Michigan".

Maybe you guys are just hostile to Lions or Tigers but like Wolverines and Spartans?

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by JManc

Everyone I ever met from the Detroit area said they were from Detroit. I think that Bay Area is probably the only metro where people are more specific about where they're from. Or just "Bay Area". Perhaps LA as well (??) or just say they're from Southern California.

Like I said earlier, if someone is from LA, they say they're from LA. Like craigs mentioned, someone from Greater LA might say they're from "Southern California." The "Southern California" tends to mean Greater LA than the literal geographical meaning; people from San Diego, when speaking within a California context, will say they're from San Diego, or the "San Diego area." But like I mentioned earlier, abroad, they seem more likely to say they're from "California."