Racism on room advertisements

[Suetully]

I was going through spareroom tonight and some of the ads real 'Asians preferred.' I have some recollection of reading similar ads years ago saying 'Asians only.'

AIBU to think if ads like that read 'whites only' there would be outrage?

What if a job ad said "Asians prefered" ?

YANBU.

Posters desperately trying to argue that it's acceptable for "Asians" to not want to live with "White" people but it would be racist the other way.

All that bollox about curry smells. I love a good curry personally, should they make an exception for me (a non-Asian)???

Job adverts are different and can't say that, unless it's required for the role (ie an actor maybe or working in a particular restaurant)

You would be allowed to advertise for female only for a personal career role.

An advert for white tenants only is allowable but of course no one would do that as it invites criticism, they would just interview people and pick someone suitable.

@SerendipityJane

What if a job ad said "Asians prefered" ?

But it wouldn’t though. There is specific legislation that covers recruitment in the UK that legislates against this. There are only exceptional circumstances when you can specify a specific characteristic when recruiting. For example women’s refuges can ask for applicants to be women for pretty obvious reasons. Otherwise what you propose would be against the law.

@CaMePlaitPas

Another example of white people desperately wanting to be oppressed.

Asians - so this excludes black, and white people too, also indigenous Americans, Canadians, Australians, etc.

It’s such a wide range too - it’s impossible to tell if they want to share with someone from India, or a Muslim (Sikh, Hindu, Zoroastrian...), or a (religious) vegetarian/halal diet.

If one of my family rocked up and they said ‘nah, wrong Asian’ - would they be ‘allowed’ to be offended?

'Asians prefered' is odd in itself, there are different asian cultures, who dislike each other greatly, in fact my friend gets more 'racism' from another asian group than she ever did from white English.

White racism is often institutional and hidden. When Estate agents get asked for ‘white people only’ on viewings for high end 1m+ properties in some areas they make it happen by often delaying or ignoring requests from ppl with foreign names (or pretending an offer has already been made). I remember trying to view a house in a swanky white area and I couldn’t even get through the door.

with my name. But I managed to get viewings when I pretended to have an english name

It's similar to a gym deciding to run a women's only session. That's not sexist because women are a minority who have suffered due to male behaviour

I don't understand this logic. So, if your group has been discriminated against you are allowed to express a preference as to who you will share your home with, otherwise, you can't? Standards should be the same for everyone

@Rubyupbeat

'Asians prefered' is odd in itself, there are different asian cultures, who dislike each other greatly, in fact my friend gets more 'racism' from another asian group than she ever did from white English.

A bit of a generalisation. Most Asian people do not dislike other Asian cultures greatly.

@mustlovegin

It's similar to a gym deciding to run a women's only session. That's not sexist because women are a minority who have suffered due to male behaviour

I don't understand this logic. So, if your group has been discriminated against you are allowed to express a preference as to who you will share your home with, otherwise, you can't? Standards should be the same for everyone

No they shouldn't. Of course they shouldn't. It's called redressing the imbalance.

Yes but I think this is where we're told to check our white privilege?

@mustlovegin

YANBU OP

It's double standards to deem this request acceptable for some groups but not others, surely?

Because there's a double standard.

A lot of the people I know in London have a vetting process in the form of interviews for houseshares. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t an element of racism in that vetting process.

It’s about who you want to share your house with, so it’s totally different from job applications etc.

You can request women only, men only, Aussies and Kiwis preferred, non-smokers only, cat lovers, Muslims only, knitters preferred etc etc.

But ‘Asian’ covers such a wide church though doesn’t it?

It's called redressing the imbalance

The Equality Act in the UK applies to everyone. If one group can be selective (and I'm not suggesting I would post an ad like this), so can others

It’s not racism 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don't think its racist. But category is way too broad. Asians as in Indian? or Japanese?
Same with whites. White-British or White-Russian?

To me it's not about being a minority it's about being more vulnerable. That's why you can have 'women only' because women are more vulnerable, not because they're a minority - it's just that minorities tend to be more vulnerable ie to racist or homophobic abuse.

as a Brit my first thought is “Indian”

Whereas my initial thought is Chinese or Japanese. Not sure the assumption is based on being British, more of your own experiences.

@Brieeeeeeeeeeee

Because it is reasonable for people from ethnic minorities, who are looking for a houseshare in a country where they will almost definitely have experienced overt racism, to try and protect themselves from further racism.

This

@Kokeshi123

Some really dippy Pollyannas on this thread. Anyone who thinks that Asian people are incapable of racism is laughably naive. Racism happens everywhere. I LIVE in Asia, and there is plenty of racism here too. Asian-Black tension is also common in a lot of western societies where both are minority groups.

Well good someone said it! People are arguing from a white person's pov, thinking it must only mean "White people stay out" but they could also mean "Black people stay out". What then? Would you still think they're trying to protect themselves?

I know this is rarely talked about openly and is often swept under the rug but there's a lot of racism in Asia, particularly anti-black or anti-dark skin racism and colourism. Mainly in India, China, South Korea, Pakistan, etc. I know a lot about this from both first-hand lived experience and second-hand experience.

Not saying everyone in these countries are racist towards Black people or anyone with dark skin even from their own country (of course not!), but it's a general issue.

www.google.com/amp/s/inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/racism-south-asian-prejudices-black-lives-matter-753885/amp

qz.com/945053/china-has-an-irrational-fear-of-a-black-invasion-bringing-drugs-crime-and-interracial-marriage/amp/
"The ad featured a Asian woman stuffing a black man into a washing machine to turn him into a pale-skinned Asian man...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/newsbeat-53395935

it's about being more vulnerable

But how would you assess vulnerability in the OP's scenario? Those posting the ad could be two 6 foot strong women, very confident, outspoken and bossy. The applicant could be a petite, shy girl with difficulties to assert herself, from a different ethnicity. Would you still consider the former more vulnerable?

@NoNoThankYou

I have mixed opinions on this but posters saying, "it's not saying 'no blacks, no Irish' so it's not that bad" are making me laugh.

Two groups that are very much being actively excluded by this advert, (with the slight exception of any Irish citizens with Asian heritage)!

Have any of you ever thought that this advert may not be designed to exclude white people at all, but actively aimed at the existing tenants making sure that they don't get a black housemate without having to say "no blacks" out loud, which they know would be unacceptable? How would you feel about that?

Can't believe I posted then saw your post! Just what I said too.

Funny how arguments only come from one side. When you've also faced countless racism from other ethnic minorities in western countries (not even to mention Asian and Eastern European countries), you can also read between the lines and can see things from more than one pov.