discrimination?

[deleteduser]

I'm used to having an empty seat next to me on the mtr and watching people suddenly stop getting in the lift if I am in it, but a new one for me this morning when walking to work. Came side by side with a local who on noticing me burst into a fast walk to get away from me! Trouble was they could not keep it up and I kept catching them, instant fast walk to get ahead of me again. Madness.

Do you sweat a lot? I don't usually have the luxury of people avoiding sitting next to me on the MTR, unless I am packing luggage around and am sweating profusely. I know I don't like to sit next to sweaty people either, regardless of their race. This is probably what is happening to you, if you sweat a lot or are overweight (or even ugly, who knows).

It's usually more than just skin colour that gets people to avoid you; I'm sure most HKers who are 'city' enough to ride the MTR have seen more than a few white people throughout their lives.

[cerberus]

rune: yes, furniture dragging is one of the many issues facing anyone living in a HK apartment. it happens a lot and beats me as to why.

tying this with discrimination, it's everyone. i had a European neighbor in HK that did the same thing, all day.

Asian1: are you OK? where is all this hatred of Caucasians coming from? at least be more subtle about it. No one here said racism is unique to HK, or made it a "white vs asian" deal. did you notice someone from Africa was also recounting their experiences?

as for pointing out the KKK and slavery, that's about as enlightened as some co-workers i remember from the mainland: at cultural training one day the question was asked what is racism, and a few retorted: "white people hating blacks!". is that what you're about?

[Asian1]

Dont turn this into something it is not. No one is hating on anyone. Read my posts on tans. I am merely offering another point of view not present on this board. If you cant respect it then you are the one with problems.

[hullexile]

Do you sweat a lot? I don't usually have the luxury of people avoiding sitting next to me on the MTR, unless I am packing luggage around and am sweating profusely. I know I don't like to sit next to sweaty people either, regardless of their race. This is probably what is happening to you, if you sweat a lot or are overweight (or even ugly, who knows).

It's usually more than just skin colour that gets people to avoid you; I'm sure most HKers who are 'city' enough to ride the MTR have seen more than a few white people throughout their lives.

Just a tad offensive? No I don't sweat profusely and I shower regularly, I smell as sweet as a daisy, promise. Perhaps I am ugly, that's of course subjective but most people do not seem to think so. It is not just me, I watch it on the mtr all the time. OK in the central area where the mtr is packed of course they sit down next to me, but in the 'outer' areas when they have a choice then often not. I think you will find many other people who experience this, of course we could all smell like shit?

[dicesix]

I also made the same observation as hullexile. There's a Western guy riding the same minibus as I. And in 80% of all cases the last free is the seat beside him.

He didn't look like he was sweating a lot and rather more like meeting hygienic standards. Maybe most of my Asian fellow-passengers are just not used sitting to a person who's more than 1,80m tall. I mean (sorry pun here) he does stand out from the crowd.

Still I would not consider that as discrimination though... only some sort of reservation.

[coolgirl]

Hey guys, no need to make it personal

I actually think the discrimination is mostly pro-Caucasians. My Caucasian friends are not even asked a lot of questions when getting an apartment. I have to present everything (including my contract and salary!!!) before they actually believe me. And on top of that I have to speak my broken Mandarin. Seesh.

[hullexile]

I prefer the height explanation - better than smelling or being ugly. My poor male ego. One of my wife's nephews cries every time he sees me (my eye or skin colour, we don't know but the poor little thing is frightened). Recently he saw a plane in the sky and screamed daddy, then started crying because he thought I might be on it!

[coolgirl]

Honestly, I would rather no one wants to sit beside me in the MTR or bus! Gives me more space! hehehe

But I look too local and do blend in with the crowd...

[coolgirl]

and you will understand the undercurrent and inconcient racism...

Examples:
1-Black French teacher in Alliance francaise Wanchai who during his 2 years stray always have the lift for himself even when a thousand of local waiting for the lift.
2-Black Australian Lecturer of a Marketing Executive MBA who have only 3 students eating lunch with him when tradition was all students at the same table that the lecturer. Funny part what that mature chinese woman that was afraid to ask questions... afraid to get eaten ?

I must agree. I sometimes gripe how difficult it is to be an Asian woman in a predominantly white, male environment (esp. during business school and my past job). But the blacks do have it hard too.

[dicesix]

Honestly, I would rather no one wants to sit beside me in the MTR or bus! Gives me more space! hehehe

But I look too local and do blend in with the crowd...

Haha, I too look local. Even like a trusworthy local. So the seat beside me is always taken!

And sometimes they start to smalltalk with me. That is the exact point where I have to smile like an idiot and admit that I can't speak Cantonese. Then they freeze for a millisecond in which they have to overcome the shock and quickly think how to save faces (mine and theirs).

hullexile, put your male ego at ease. It's definately the height....