Was this racist?

[BansheeofInisherin]

I am in a book club with several women. Most are American, European or British. I am S Asian and the only person of colour there ( I hate that expression, but can't think of an alternative). That is not usually a problem for me. I don't hang out only with other Asians and have many non-Asian friends. However:

The book we read recently was Yellowface. If you have read the book, you will know it is about a white American author who steals the manuscript of her Chinese friend, because she believes that PoC have an advantage in the publishing world. We got on to discussing this and suddenly, one of the women said " Frankly, my husband is really annoyed at how minorities get all the top positions because of the diversity push". Another woman chimed in "Yes, my husband too can't get the job he wants because of diversity iniatives". There were nods of agreement around the table.

I didn't know what to say. I am a first generation immigrant here, and it was not easy for me to get a job. I only got one because I am pretty highly educated and have a specialist skill. Both my DH and I work with people far less educated ( They have A levels while both of us have masters).

Anyway, I went home feeling somewhat attacked. Was this racist?

It sounds a bit insensitive, what do you mean about working with people far less educated than yourselves?

Very racist, yes. I'm really sorry you had to hear that.

No, it wasn't.

Wow. Racist, ignorant, incredibly offensive. I work in diversity and one of the most damaging things is how this is what people actually think, despite it being illegal.

if they looked at data they would know that a lot of it shows how much harder it is for Asian and black applicants to be successfully appointed, not the other way round.

that must have felt horrible, I’m sorry.

It’s true though. So no not racist. We are in a period of over correcting. It needed to happen though. It will balance out eventually.

No. It's not true. A bit early in the morning, but do I really need to dig out the data to show how minorities are disadvantaged?There's plenty of it!

Oh, I only want S Asians to comment on this, please. This is a board for us.

She quite clearly said what she means. She is educated to postgraduate level and could only get a job for which she is massively overqualified for, as can be seen by the fact that her white coworkers are not graduates.

I also found it really odd how they blamed this on their husbands. Why not just say "This is how I feel!"

LOL. This board is for S Asians just as the Black MN Board is for black MNers. read what it says at the top.

Yes it was.

Very racist, very ignorant, wholly unacceptable! The people defending this, or worse, trying to suggest OP is somehow being racist , would benefit greatly from some basic level equality and diversity training.
Sick of this kind of nonchalant racism being normalised!

Yes, in this case. Nope, I don't need to find another app. MN has provided this one for me, and this board for me. Neither do the black Mners

Bugger off with your gaslighting.

I think it’s racist. There may be targets to improve diversity, but if you’re good enough you’ll get the job. There is more competition than there was… but that’s a positive thing unless you’re coming from a position of privilege where you feel entitled to the prize.

We're obviously interpreting the guidelines at the top of the page differently. You appear to believe the board is exclusive in nature, whereas I interpret it to mean anyone can post so long as (as everywhere else on the board) responses are respectful.

Sorry you went through this OP, it must have felt very uncomfortable for you. I agree it is quite racist and ignorant.

Their comments are clearly racist. I would probably quietly leave the group.

Yes it is racist because it's assuming that the people of colour who got the job were not the best applicant. Another applicant would be very unlikely to know their CV, experience, personality, work ethic, if they're a good general fit for the company. What's the alternative viewpoint? That all the white men who are currently in the top jobs are all their genuinely because of their achievements and experience? Rather than who they know?
I would feel uncomfortable about that and try to challenge their views. How do they 'know' that their husband's didn't get the job because they're white, British males? The problem is when the world has been yours for the taking, then even a small piece of power being removed or someone else getting a small amount of privilege will feel huge to these people.
I can categorically say in the NHS where I work that this is not a thing. Black and Asian clinicians don't progress as quickly or get to the higher bands in the same way white men do. White clinicians are praised for things which female clinicians do every day, they just make more noise about it. White clinicians are seen as leaders more often than clinicians from Black or Asian backgrounds. As a mixed ethnicity member of staff I get neither privilege. I would trade places with a white man in an instance to better my career.
Ask their husbands that 'ok so would you rather be black or Asian?' Not just in the work place but in the world today, vulnerable to stop and search, police brutality, isolation in the playground, systematic racism, unconscious bias. See what they say

It’s a board for South Asians. Being told that white people don’t get to be the dominant voices everywhere is not the same as apartheid.

Bye @LauraNorda and anyone else who thinks minoriteis are advantaged in the workplace.

Oh, and I'm white and would say it was definitely racist and if I'd been with a group of people who came out with that I would absolutely have spoken up and pointed out that 'positive discrimination' is not allowed in the UK so their husbands are talking bullshit and the only positive discrimination that exists is to mediocre white men. But it's my white privilege that enables me challenge comments like that, I'm not surprised you didn't.