"Are you two related?"

[PeasNCues]

ShieldMaiden and I are very different.

I am 6ft tall, large framed, red head with green eyes and pale skin.

ShieldMaiden is 5'2'', petite, blonde haired, blue eyes and tanner skin.

So, usually, when people ask us this, it's usually in disbelief. I even had a teacher who I had known for 3 years insist that I was adopted lol!

Oh, and ShieldMaiden is older than I am (by 15 months, but still...). 

[Hushabye]

I meant to add earlier that I don't really think the question is rude.  A better way of asking would probably be "How do you know each other?" but "Are you related?" isn't rude, per se.  It's just icky when DH and I are holding hands or he has his arm around my waist or something...

[Piratelvr1121]

Funny thing is I showed a picture of my friend and I to an acquaintance who hasn't met her and knows we're not related.    She said my friend looks like she could be my mother.    So maybe we do look more alike than we realize? 

Heehee...I didn't tell my friend the acquaintance said that though, as she doesn't like being reminded that she is old enough to be my mother and certainly wouldn't want to hear someone thought she looked old enough to be.   I just told her that someone else said we looked related.

[MaggieB]

From this picture, it totally looks like you could be related!

Saying "Oh, are you and your mother having a fun day together?" is an assumption.  Asking "are you two related?" is just striking up some small talk.  It actually sounds like the opposite of making an assumption; it's asking for clarification.

[Piratelvr1121]

That's true, it really isn't an assumption.   And certainly not a far-fetched one since I've been told by a lot of people we do look related.

[iridaceae]

I have a friend that I met when we were adults, and aside from both being white females of approximately the same age and build look nothing alike.  We have gotten asked if we are sisters on more than one occasion.  I think it's the way we interact with each other.

[Phonix]

So, how about this. I had surgery in March. My mother came down and took me to the hospital. At least 3 people asked if we were sisters!
Arghh. She is only 19 years older than me and we are both short, glasses and chubby but still! She, of course, thinks it is great! Oh, and this was before I had the surgery.

ETA: because I can spell!

[Piratelvr1121]

My actual mother was mistaken as my sister at times.    Though once she came into an office where I was working to pick up the boys' carseats since I'd forgotten to leave them at the daycare, as she would be picking them up that day.   

After she left my coworkers asked who the woman was and when I told them she was my mother they were surprised and said we didn't look related at all.   

[drebay]

I get that with my husband, and I still haven't come up with a good response to "Are you two brother and sister?" that doesn't immediately result in me bursting into laughter or being grossed out.

One you think of one, let me know, because we have the same issue.

[Animala]

I have to say that my younger sisters look absolutely nothing alike.  My younger sister is very, very dark coloring, tall and thin.  She is constantly asked if she is native American, Greek, Italian, whatever and "aristocratic" features which is from my mom's side.  My other sister is incredible fair, has light coloring, very round and has delicate feature.  She takes after my dad's side.  There isn't one feature they have in common from their hair to their feet. 

Incredibly people ask them if they are twins.  Not fraternal twins, but identical twins.  It is really weird.

[MrsJWine]

There could be many reasons, not just the age difference.  My adopted sister is blond and fair-haired, just like my biological sister and me.  I've heard, "Oh, you look so much alike!" about a trillion times.  My other sister and I look nothing alike, but we have eerily similar facial expressions, mannerisms, turns of phrase, everything.  It's obvious that we're sisters if you spend more than a minute with us.  Plus, auburn hair is not all that common.  Two people hanging out together who both have an unusual feature?  Not a huge leap to surmise they might be sisters.

Edited for poor grammar that would have made my English teacher grandmother spasm.

[Piratelvr1121]

Well one of my friend's coworkers, when hearing us talk to each other, said our voices sound alike.   

[Hushabye]

I get that with my husband, and I still haven't come up with a good response to "Are you two brother and sister?" that doesn't immediately result in me bursting into laughter or being grossed out.

One you think of one, let me know, because we have the same issue.

You have my sympathies, drebay!  I'm sitting here right now looking at one of our wedding photos, trying to figure out how anyone would mistake us for siblings, and it's just not coming to me.  Maybe it's because we're the same height?  Oh, and we're both fair-skinned.  That's all I got.

We live in Kentucky, so I always have to bite down on the temptation to say, "Yep, and we're married, too!"   

[Lady Stein]

Some people have asked if my boyfriend was my brother.  We both have blond hair and blue eyes.  I have to admit that their reactions when I corrected them were absolutely priceless. 

[Delia DeLyons]

Some people have asked if my boyfriend was my brother.  We both have blond hair and blue eyes.  I have to admit that their reactions when I corrected them were absolutely priceless. 

Unfortunately, I get the opposite.. my brother and I go out together alot - we have the same friends and just generally really enjoy each others' company...

People always think we're dating... it's affected his "game" with the ladies even, haha...and ew. 

Also, alas.... there is a significant age difference between me and my heart's delight, China Cat... and so, time to time we get the wince inducing comment of "Oh, is this your daughter?"  He does not look his age at all, more like 10 years younger, but I do look young for mine, I still get carded everywhere...even for cigarettes! :-/  There have been at least two instances in the beginning of our now 4 year relationship where we were both so flabbergasted that someone would assume that (he is quite Italian and tan with light brown hair, whereas I am very Irish, alabaster complexion, freckles and black hair) that we just kinda bumbled and mumbled and pretty much left the assumer thinking they were right...   

Now I just say, "Ha, oh no.. I am his girlfriend... but I'll try to take that as a compliment..."    Letting the assumer now be the embarrassed one, no reason I should be embarrassed for having found the love of my life!!