To have been “racially” profiled by HR

[Donotfitin]

I don’t have a British name (like at all), so HR assumed I needed a right to work code, so asked for one, rather than asking if I was a citizen or not.

As a UK citizen I only need to provide my passport, so the whole thing took me completely by surprise!

Its the first time in my whole life that it was assumed that I wasn’t a citizen. I’ve

I’m not questioning asking for right to work documents :/

OP YANBU, my husband had similar when we used to rent together. The agency came back repeatedly during our tenancy asking to see his passport (only his, not mine - less foreign-sounding), even though we'd provided both our passports, driving licences and all the usual documents to go through an agency check.

I can't believe that people are still not bothering to read the OP (or any of OP 's forget posts) properly.

I think we’re actually talking about two different things here. Nobody is saying every single mistake is intentional or that it’s the same as someone being openly racist. The point is that when the same kinds of “mistakes” keep happening to the same groups of people, over and over, it stops feeling random and starts feeling like a pattern.

That doesn’t mean people are bad or malicious. It means there are unconscious habits and assumptions that affect how people are treated. Calling that out isn’t about being offended for the sake of it or “diluting” racism. On the contrary, it’s about explaining the cumulative impact those small moments have when you experience them constantly.

You don’t have to agree that every instance is a big deal, but dismissing people’s lived experiences as nonsense shuts down any real conversation about why they keep happening in the first place. 🤷🏻‍♀️

At the absolute, very very worst they assumed she wasn’t a British citizen.

That’s all that has happened here.

They didn’t make a moral judgement about her based on that assumption. They weren’t rude to her. They weren’t dismissive. They didn’t treat her unfavourably because of that assumption. They just thought she wasn’t a British citizen.

Since when was it an insult to not be a British citizen? What does your implication (that being assumed to be not British is an insult) mean for people who aren’t British citizens?

It heavily implies that non-British people are less than.

I think your implication is the racist one.

I know it is pointless because none of the bright sparks will actually read it (seeing as they couldn't even be bothered to read your OP), but perhaps some approximate analogies might be helpful.

Original scenario - onboarding at a new job
Non-biased: Please provide evidence of your right to work in the UK, for example [list of documents].
Biased: Ncuti Gatwa, please provide your share code.

Analogy - ordering group catering
Non-biased: Please select your preference from the whole menu and indicate dietary requirements.
Biased: Zayn Malik, please indicate which halal curry you would like.

Analogy - meal at Chinese restaurant
Non-biased: Does anybody need anything else for the table?
Biased: Mark Zuckerberg, we've thoughtfully replaced your chopsticks with a knife and fork.

Both of those analogies make assumptions about the person’s ability to do something.

Mark being assumed to not be able to use chopsticks because he’s white.

Zayn only eating halal curries because he’s mixed race/ Pakistani.

Making assumptions about their ability to do something, or their likes or dislikes or anything about them as a person, based on their race is racism.

There has been no judgement on her character or her ability to do the job when they asked for a share code.

Also, why is everyone making the assumption that the HR woman is a white British person?

Both of those analogies make assumptions about the person’s ability to do something.

You mean like the assumption that the OP cannot provide a British passport?

I agree with you that there isn't a judgement on the OP's character in asking only for a share code. But neither is there a judgement on Zayn's or Mark's characters in assuming they only eat curry or can't use chopsticks - unless you think there is?

Has he been asked for a share code though? Otherwise your comment is just as irrelevant as all the other dozen comments like it.

Of course there is judgement on Zayn and Mark’s characters in your analogy.

You’re assuming specific behaviours, personal choices and preferences, and abilities based on their race.

Is it lost on you that you’re assuming both the race and nationality of the HR woman, and attributing behaviours and attitudes to her based on that assumption?

Is it lost on you that you’re assuming both the race and nationality of the HR woman, and attributing behaviours and attitudes to her based on that assumption?

You appear to be assuming, without any evidence, that I've made any comment at all on the race, nationality or sex of anybody involved in the original scenario, making judgements and attributing attitudes to me based on assumptions about my disagreeing with your premise.

Ironic.

I wish people would read all the OP's comments before replying.

You’re not assuming that the HR woman is white British?
So how can she be “othering” people by assuming someone isn’t British?

You’re not assuming that the HR woman is white British?
So how can she be “othering” people by assuming someone isn’t British?

You're assuming what I'm assuming and putting fake quote marks on things you're assuming I've said This is getting (with apologies to Mark Zuckerberg) rather meta now.

Wow. It is still getting better!

For the record, I wouldn’t know if she’s British but she’s not white.

Thanks for the update.

That’s really interesting.

I wonder if that clarification will change people’s opinions

No

You assumed “bias” (direct quote)

How can you assume racial “bias” if you haven’t assumed the race of the HR woman?

Waot a minute. It's bit early, haven't had coffee yet so hoping I am misunderstanding but are you basically arguing that non white non British people cannot be biased against others? I cannot think of other reason why would you write things you did? Can you clarify for my morning weekend brain please.

So, so much this. And it is so painful how many posters are willfully and intentionally ignoring this point.

This comment reflects a very hard of thinking/ determined whataboutism that is truly excruciating to read.

Structural racism (or ableism, or misogyny) does not mean the individual is specifically of a different group. Are you saying internalised misogyny does not exist?

All the OP has said is they have a foreign sounding name. That the new employer has, I stead of asking for general right to work proof, specifically asked for a code that means they believe based only on her name that she is not British. The OP has not made assumptions about the other person's race - because it is not relevant.

Asking someone if they have a code to work is not internalised racism.