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In a similar vein I remember choosing to walk around HCM city in Vietnam and being constantly accosted by taxi drivers because being white was a good signifier for being (relatively) wealthy, and so they assumed I would want a ride. It was annoying for me, but I could understand why they would do it.
The same psychology is at play when a Cambridgeshire Police officer stops a driver for being black. In the cop’s mind, he’s just filtering for out-of-town individuals. You were profiled. Obviously the context is different and important.
miro_o
I also think that people mistake racism for recognition of privilege. And then get offended by being called out on it.
In a similar vein I remember choosing to walk around HCM city in Vietnam and being constantly accosted by taxi drivers because being white was a good signifier for being (relatively) wealthy, and so they assumed I would want a ride. It was annoying for me, but I could understand why they would do it.
I can think of two acts that I think were genuinely racist, one also in Vietnam where my friend took me to see her Grandparents, who asked in ignorance if I bleached my arm hair (they had, as far as I know never seen someone with blonde arm hair), and a more recent stereotyping where a waiter in India repeatedly refused to serve me a dish because he was certain it was too hot (spicy) and I should order something else (I didn't and it wasn't).
Both are so abnormal, that I could likewise laugh them off, and certainly don't make me think that I was hated for my skin colour.