To ask how racist you think the UK is?

[HateWarts]

I’ve seen videos on this before, I’m wondering how you feel about it.

[lhw92]

It’s not as bad as other countries but still prevalent. Although I’m so used to ‘low’ levels of racism as the norm I don’t get as offended

E.g. in school (mc area) many students would use racial slurs, call immigrant countries ‘shitholes’, mock accents
I previously though it was just immature teen behaviour but I continued to experienced this in adult life too, (uni, work)

I wouldn’t bother calling such behaviour out^ as it’s not serious
I know there are worse areas in the U.K. I wouldn’t be welcome to even set foot in

Accepting that I’m less likely to be trusted and less likely to get the same job.

Also if I ever speak out about racism (even to white friends) I am confident most will roll their eyes and think I’m being difficult and playing the race card

[Walktwomoons]

I feel like most racists I meet are the 'I like the ones I know' types who have racist opinions mostly through ignorance and stupidity. I think it's this kind of racism we have to combat now because people obviously think it's still acceptable to 'joke' about this shit because they have friends of other races. I feel like there is a lot of insidious racism in media coverage of certain things, atmospheres in certain workplaces etc. Tbh I dont think it's necessary to make certain jokes or use certain words... I was always taught as a kid that this stuff is totally unacceptable and that this type of racism was behind us, but I still see it today. It really makes me feel like my country is not what I thought it was. I don't think it's necessarily better elsewhere though. There was a huge anti racism march yesterday which I was glad to see and it's the UN anti racism day next week so it's a good time to raise awareness and say enough is enough to these types of casual racists.

[Becles]

The UK is a lot less overt about it than many other countries. Because so many of is associate racism with white hoods and flaming torches we think it doesn't happen here.

Minority groups will tell you about being expected to make the tea when they are chairing the meeting, having people assume their qualifications are suspect or not the same, being called aggressive or uppity for not knowing their place or being grateful, being thr only 'ethnic' face in the room, the mentions of minority people in the education system usually- slavery, colonialism or American civil rights.

Shamima Begum: The first time in a long time many Asian girls will have seen someone who looks like them on TV full stop; would her passport have even been up for discussion if was white?

NZ terrorist attack: 'let's not rush to judgement'. If he was brown he would be called a terrorist or Islamic fanatic from the get go

Lots and lots of ways in which racism flourishes but as long as it's hard to call out there's no rooting it out

[HateWarts]

@Lovinglifexo Who are you responding to? It’s unclear in your posts

[ivykaty44]

walkto like the mirror head line of the attacker being a child that looked like an angel? How could a child with white skin and blonde hair looking like the west portrays angels - grow up and become a terrorist?

[Bunbubs]

The Christchurch terrorist massacre was referred to as a terrorist attack from the beginning by the majority of the media.

[lovinglifexo]

Ah sorry ,
@ThereWillBeAdequateFood

[Grimbles]

People may not be directly racist towards an individual person, but there is definitely an underlying generalised racism towards 'immigrants' flourishing that has got a lot more overt since the referendum.

[Mominatrix]

Very racist. Even on this forum, there is so much casual racism which is accepted and people are not even cognisant of the fact that words or phrases they are using are offensive/demeaning.

The term “ Chinese whispers” is said quite frequently, even on the BBC in news reporting. I remember coming to this country and being baffled by the phrase - in which way could whispers be specific to the geographical land mass called China? Even in the US, the game this demeaning phrase is taken from is called Telephone.
Ordering takeaway from a Chinese is called getting a Chinese (what? Are you going to purchase a person from China?)

Anyone with almond shaped eyes in this country is assumed to be Chinese. My children are Eurasian (French/Korean) and they are routinely called the Chinese boy or “Hey! Chinese Kid!” Baffling as they don’t have an ounce of Chinese blood in them. I gave up explaining that there are many countries in East Asia with different identities and physical features and that misidentifying their national origin is deeply offensive as people here genuinely don’t see why it would be a problem.

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

Try getting called ‘stupid white girl/bitch’ when you are pushing 50. Oh no not racist at all. It getting told to ‘go home’ when they get a Scottish accent (and no, not by a white guy).

[RosaRabbit]

I think people are very racially aware and this may lead to racism/prejudice.

An example of this is I often catch a bus filled with teenagers and they are constantly referring to their own race or other people's race. And they often ask about someone's race - just as someone might ask about where someone lives or what their job is when discussing another person.

[OrangeJellySpread]

Pretty racist. My sister had liquid thrown all over her while people shouting a certain racist word.

I work with mostly great people, but I do cringe everytime they use racist words and quickly apologise after they realise I am in the room.

I don't think UK is a melting pot as much as US is especially in towns and cities outside of London.

[GreatDuckCookery6211]

Absolutely there’s racism. It’s just not as blatant as it was 20 odd years ago but it’s definitely there.

It’s here on MN fgs for one!

[badstarttothedayisitoveryet]

I agree with BertrandRussell. As a white person, I'm always amazed by the things that other white people will say to me in private, assuming I agree. Sometimes it's my nice, middle-class teacher friends complaining that "things have gone too far" because their headteacher wouldn't let them "black up" for a school production, sometimes it's the employer who thinks I'll want to hear her criticising a colleague's hijab behind her back. I grew up with superficially nice, professional parents (friends alway describe my mum as cool and liberal) who believed that Jews caused the Holocaust, Asian immigrants are "bringing this country down" and the Rodney King incident just proved that black people are trouble-makers. Racism isn't out in the open in this country but it's very much there.

[wheresmymojo]

Much more racist than I'm comfortable with. Anyone who doesn't think there is racism in the UK should go and check out the FB pages and comments of groups like EDL.

In fact, you don't even need to do that...have a look at FB comments about the Bloody Sunday inquiry or the NZ massacre even on posts by The Times. I've been very shocked this week reading comments posted on Times threads at what people think is a reasonable argument.

[wheresmymojo]

...while I agree that there isn't racism against white people some of the comments about Bloody Sunday (basically that unarmed citizens deserved to be shot because unarmed citizens were killed in bombings) opened my eyes to the shit attitudes some English people have about people on the island of Ireland. And I say that as an English person.

[Qwertylass]

I don't think we are but I do think people jump to the conclusion. I was accused of being racist for making an Asian girl miss her lunchtime.

[Yoyo10000]

Certainly in Northern Towns. Yes. Also amongst the older generation very much so.

[wheresmymojo]

I do think some Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi people have racist views of British people (often mixed with misogyny...white girls are slags, etc). When I grew up in Stoke it was well known that some younger Asian guys would sleep with white women but would only ever marry an Asian woman who he'd expect to be a virgin

[LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD]

Of course their is racism towards white people! So people who aren’t white aren’t capable of racism? That’s racist in itself.

[LakieLady]

I grew up in the 60s-70s, in a very racist area. Pro-National Front and racist graffiti were everywhere. Everyday racism was commonplace. That's not the case any more, and I haven't seen any racist graffiti for decades.

If OP had asked this question a few years ago, I'd have said "not very racist at all". But I think things have changed. The far right seems to have more of a sense of legitimacy and I often see racist comments on news websites. I think we now have a climate where racism is not considered beyond the pale like it used to be.

It's hard to know though. I work in an organisation that is shit hot on all diversity issues and incredibly tolerant of people's differences. My friends are all lefty-liberal and anti-discrimination.

Consequently, I was shocked and horrified when I met one of DP's BIL's 8 years ago and he openly made racist (and sexist, Islamophobic and homophobic) comments and jokes, and we were all expected to laugh. I found it impossible not to call him out on it. It often led to a full-on argument and DP's sister in tears. Now, when there are whole-family events, we find out what time they're going and keep the overlap to a minimum. At the annual pre-Christmas lunch, we sit at opposite ends of the table.

I used to be involved with anti-racist groups in my politically active days, and honestly thought that that battle had been won. It really distresses and depresses me.

[Deadbydaylight]

Think there is probably more ethnic discrimination, especially about the English from the Scots.

But they are racist up here too, constantly saying how other races take their jobs. They forget they are too lazy to do the jobs and think they are too good for them.

[LimaLemur]

I think @Divgirl2 is talking about greyhound racing when she mentions the dogs, @Flobochin.

[Bigsighall]

Using the p word for Asian and ‘p’ shop. Taking about the fucking polish ... shocked when I’ve told them my parents are polish. I just think it’s complete ignorance and lack of exposure to other people.

[EnthusiasmIsDisturbed]

It’s underhand often the racism here in the UK because as a society we tend to be less overt but it’s there and when people are telling you they have been racially discriminated against accept that not question it because a racist term wasn’t used

But according to work colleagues who are from a number of different countries and my own family it’s far less than it was though has increased in recent years and I know a number of people who will never visit a number of European countries because of the horrendous racism they were in the receiving end of

My dad is Asian and has lived for over 30 years in the states and said he rarely until the last few years revived any racist comments and now he is people assuming he is Hispanic