Racism in the US vs racism in the UK

[Alonetime]

I've just watched the racism in an elevator video (google it, it's very short video) and I'm a bit perplexed by it. As a woman, I wouldn't think for a second that the man might steal my handbag, but I would definitely be very aware of being a woman in a confined space with a man.

Is this a case of racism in the US just bein very different to the racism in the UK, or am I too a "dumb bitch" and part of the problem?

If the colour of the people in the video was reversed - so a black woman alone with a white man - would the white man flinch when the black woman entered the lift, move aside, clutch onto his belongings and appear nervous? I highly doubt it. It’s more likely that the black woman would be more nervous of being alone in a lift with a man too than the man would be.
Racist prejudice behaviour of course does happen, but in this particular instance I think the man in the video is missing a huge point, which is simply that she is a lone woman, and he is a man.

@FourNaanJeremy completely agree. As a black woman I can confirm being alone with any man regardless or whether they are white, black, Asian etc. would make me flinch.

He also calls a man a b*h in later videos - he does it in a slightly camp way, I think - but the venom is still there.

@PicsInRed this is my thoughts too. When someone gets in the lift I move over pull my bag(s) in and move my child over if he's with me. None of it is to do with black, white, male or female, it's fairly standard socialisation to make space for others.

@Alonetime

I would cross over the road if a group of white drunk lads were coming towards - I wouldn't if a group of drunk black lads were

A few posters have made this point. Why is it the case? Isn't it because we know that black men have more to lose and they know it too? Is it white privilege that means we have less to fear from black youths than white youths?

Definitely not white privilege - experience as a woman of colour of being abused by groups of white boys

I would cross over the road if a group of white drunk lads were coming towards - I wouldn't if a group of drunk black lads were

I’m a black woman but a lot of my white woken friends say the same! Generally it’s because they don’t want to be seen as racist and that crossing over might be seen as a race thing rather than a woman thing.

IMO it’s a very dangerous thing to do because violent crime against women has no colour and women should (I know I know!) take precautions like this against all men regardless.

Women friends not woken friends !!

I have to disagree with the point that some posters are more afraid of white drunk men than black white men.

I have experienced unpleasantness with both: one was not more frightening than the other-they were both equally bad and it is really dangerous, as women, to assume that one group are harmless because of the colour of their skin.

I tell my daughter to stay away from groups of drunk lads full stop.

I still think the maker of this video should be made to apologise, although I have a sneaking feeling that he thinks people should be sympathising with him for his restraint in only thinking about a violent attack on a lone woman

If this sort of shite is allowed to stand, before long we will find ourselves-women particularly- being forced to accept that racism,even if it is wrongly perceived, as in this video, is a reason to react with violence.

If he had acted on his fantasy-would he have had apologists-hand wringing and saying they understood his motivation? Alas, I think the answer would be 'yes'.

I hadn't seen that video before. It's really unpleasant. If I'm in a lift alone and someone else gets in, I move to the corner whether they're male or female, white or black. Women are socialised to take up less space, it's an automatic habit. Fantasising about violence because someone stepped aside and held her bag closer to her is an incredibly disturbing response.

On crossing the street - as a teenager I lived in a very multicultural area. I was told by an openly racist family member that I should cross the street if a group of black men or boys were walking towards me. I told them that I was far more likely to do that if the group was white. I was a very shy, very conservatively dressed girl. No black teenager had ever harassed me on the street, but plenty of groups of white boys had thought it was hilarious to. My racist relative didn't like hearing that, but it was the truth. (But yes, as a previous poster said, staying away from groups of drunk men is sensible regardless of their skin colour. In my case, all this happened during the day and presumably nobody was drunk.)