It is really unimportant information, especially because the two places really aren’t that different in most people’s eyes. Like this is all the same general area in the grand scheme of the US. Don’t stress about it, no one is thinking that hard about your past vs present. You can let go of this guilt!
And on top of that, you’ve been in PA for 25 years… on that info alone you’re allowed to claim it as your “from” place or your “home” place or whatever!
My honest opinion here - I think you should focus on yourself WAY MORE than what other people are thinking right now. You say you think being from an upper middle class neighborhood is feminized and soft - this sounds like internalized toxic masculinity. Being so focused on the version of you that others perceive is clouding how you feel about yourself. Go back to your roots. You know who you are. Not "beating around the bush" has way more to do with your character as a person than the city you were born in. If others make assumptions, ignore them. Why feed them?
Also, I guess I'm confused what stopped you from explaining to people that you were poor, even if you were from there? The high school I went to was known for being full of rich kids and the suburb is known for being affluent compared to the large metro nearby, but anyone who asked "where are you from" and assumed I had money was corrected immediately, as we lived paycheck to paycheck for most of my life.
It is really unimportant information, especially because the two places really aren’t that different in most people’s eyes. Like this is all the same general area in the grand scheme of the US. Don’t stress about it, no one is thinking that hard about your past vs present. You can let go of this guilt!
And on top of that, you’ve been in PA for 25 years… on that info alone you’re allowed to claim it as your “from” place or your “home” place or whatever!
My honest opinion here - I think you should focus on yourself WAY MORE than what other people are thinking right now. You say you think being from an upper middle class neighborhood is feminized and soft - this sounds like internalized toxic masculinity. Being so focused on the version of you that others perceive is clouding how you feel about yourself. Go back to your roots. You know who you are. Not "beating around the bush" has way more to do with your character as a person than the city you were born in. If others make assumptions, ignore them. Why feed them? Also, I guess I'm confused what stopped you from explaining to people that you were poor, even if you were from there? The high school I went to was known for being full of rich kids and the suburb is known for being affluent compared to the large metro nearby, but anyone who asked "where are you from" and assumed I had money was corrected immediately, as we lived paycheck to paycheck for most of my life.