Many times have I been called a gringa, most times with only a very slight perjorative tinge. It is generally used only for USns and could actually be compared in value to n***er. One time, my father in-law was having a good time gringo bashing so I called him a beaner(with love, my tongue in cheek, and my heart in my mouth), just to illustrate that I felt that tinge. He didn't much like being called a beaner by someone he loved and conceded me the point. My ex-husband used to introduce me to new people as a Canadian. He thought that would be an advantageHi Ginette.I usually didn't mind being called gringa by people that knew me. When I did mind it was when strangers called me that with the extremely perjorative intention. The Americans that truely deserve that appellation generally don't understand it anyway. There were times and places where I was ashamed of my fellow countrymen and their bad behavior. Anyway, it is my understanding that "gringo" stems from the war fought against General SantaAnna along the Texas/Mexican border. "Green Grow the Lilacs" was a popular song at that time and the American soldiers on sentry duty seemed to like singing it, thus "Green Grow" became "Gringo" as in "Shhh. Listen to those crazy gringos singing" as the Mexican soldiers crept closer to the bivoacs.