Okay, I may be paranoid here... (racial question)

[Kitka]

I'm getting a lot of "white people really shouldn't comment because they don't know what it's like to be prejudiced against" tones on this thread. Which is pretty presumptuous because it's not something experienced exclusively by those with darker skin tones.

What I'm saying isn't that white people shouldn't comment - I'm white and I did. What I'm saying is that it's impossible for those of us that are white to view this with the same lens as someone who is a minority. That's just reality. Since racism IS still alive and minorities DO deal with it constantly, it's just a different outlook.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

When you aspire for your children to grow up and work in housekeeping at a hotel, then you can comment of my bias against it being assumed that I am a memeber of that industry. Otherwise, I must assume a bias on your part regarding the housekeeping industry.

Assume what you want, but I wasn't even quoting you, so don't take it so personally. We're all entitled to our opinion, and I stand by mine that there is nothing derogatory about being a housekeeper. A job is a job.

 

[Michie]

Didn't read the whole thread, but I get this alot. It has happened at WDW too. At POR and AKL I was asked for towels . I was wearing SHORTS and a Disney tee both times. The maids look much better than I do on vacation . By the way I am not black or hispanic. I am very fair skinned and blue eyed. Oh and one of the people who asked me for help was black. Does that count as reverse descimination?

Same here. I have been in sales most of my adult life. It is just my nature to say to everybody "Hi, how are you doing?" To everybody, at Walmart, Lowes, you name it. And people often mistake me for an employee for that matter.And there have been a couple of times I have went ahead and helped.

 

[Michie]

Assume what you want, but I wasn't even quoting you, so don't take it so personally. We're all entitled to our opinion, and I stand by mine that there is nothing derogatory about being a housekeeper. A job is a job.

My cleaninglady goes to Disney about 3 times a year. She does bring me back something though.

 

[PixieDust32]

I'm Hispanic, and it is always assumed that I am a member of housekeeping. I'm 44 and have lived through this for years. But it still rubs. You would think that society would be past this kind of profiling, by now.

Sorry it marred your vacation. Glad it didn't ruin it!

Same here I'm hispanic and people assumed I am a member of housekeeping. Nothing wrong with that, housekeeping is a honest and hard job. The thing is that you have to be a housekeeper or a servant because you are hispanic. And my DD looks just like DH and nothing like me ( she's blonde and has blue eyes) people ask if I am the sitter or if I adopted.

 

[PixieDust32]

Also when DH goes to home depot, with his work name tag that reads MARRIOTT Manager team and his name, people ask if he works there, and he is blonde, blue eyes.

 

[yeartolate]

I am curious, I am a white woman. Should I be upset every time a person asks "do you work here" ?

 

[Disney Doll]

I've been asked more than a MILLION times about directions or etc in different places.... this is not the point at all. It's the fact that she assumed that I was a housekeeper. NOT that there's anything WRONG with that...

I was not approaching her, I was going to my room and passing her in the hallway.

Well, if there's nothing wrong with being a housekeeper, then why would it offend you?

 

[Disney Doll]

It is the assumption that is the issue. We spent 2 weeks in Florida this winter and on numerous occasions I was stopped (in my shorts, baby, family in tow) and was asked or it was assumed that I was working for housekeeping. I shake my head, and try to shake it off. (One sweet little girl thought I ws a CM in Mexico, though!)

Prejudice exists in this day and age. Sad but true.

I went last year to help two friends of color buy a vehicle. We were all well-dressed, professional looking folk. Two dealerships lost their business because none of the salespeople standing around not working could be bothered with us. Now, you have to understand that one of them is the best eye surgeon in town, and her husband is a psychologist, and dean at the college. They bought matching SUVs at the dealership that approached us to help. It is frustrating, and it does taint my view on occasion.

dznygirl, do you just want to explain to them that you wear the smock as a fashion statement?

Would the assumption be as offensive if you are mistaken for, say...a doctor????

In either case, you are being mistaken for something you are not.

 

[arminnie]

She sucked wind and said "I'm SORRY"....

Hmmmm.....

Needless to say this bugged the living stink out of me. .... just curious as to whether I should let this roll off my back (which after half a century on this earth you'd think I'd learn to!)

--Robinrs

Hey - I'm upset about it, and I wasn't even there. This is one case where I really hope the woman was totally humiliated - she deserved it.

As for letting it toll off your back - well there's not a lot you can do about it. It's not like you can "report her to someone." You don't have to accept it as "okay", but I would not let it eat me up inside though. That would only hurt you.

I live in a very nice neighborhood. One of my neighbors is a very high ranking black executive who happened to be out doing yard work. Someone stopped and asked if he was available to do other yards. I was infuriated by it, but he just laughed it off and thought it was hysterical that someone would be so stupid.

As for the asking directions thing (totally different) - it happens to me all of the time. I've been stopped in London, Prague, New York, etc. by people who think I live there until I open my mouth. I try not to look like a tourist so I guess it's working.

 

[Micca]

Hi Robin! I can only imagine how it must have made you feel. That said, if you can let it go, it's for the best. You'll never see the person again, and there is a chance they just weren't thinking.

 

[dis ms.]

I live in a very nice neighborhood. One of my neighbors is a very high ranking black executive who happened to be out doing yard work. Someone stopped and asked if he was available to do other yards.

That's a great example right there. I'm curious what everyone else things of this situation. See, I have a hard time imagining the person asking that if the neighbor were white--unless of course he had on a shirt from a lawncare company.

It's about people assuming that minorities in a nice home, hotel, store, car, etc., are either the hired help or thieves. To say it doesn't happen is naive.

 

[yeartolate]

Why should the woman who made the statement be humiliated? It was a mistake for goodness sake. Slightly embarrassed, I will buy that, but humilliated????? Good grief. Being that sensitive widens the racial divide rather than closes it.

I have not walked in the shoes of a black woman, but I have been asked "do You work here" from time to time. Maybe the woman who some are assuming is racist was looking for an employee for a long time and was irritated. But yet she is a racist and was given no benefit of the doubt.

 

[disneyaggie]

Just as I walked up to them preparing to be courteous the woman looks down at me and says "do you WORK here? I need some more pillows!".....



Did I LOOK like I worked there? I had on flip flops and sunglasses... WTH...

I gave her my best James Earl Jones voice, said "no" pulled out my cardkey to get into the room next door.. the BETTER room, mind you!

She sucked wind and said "I'm SORRY"....

Hmmmm.....

Needless to say this bugged the living stink out of me. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, this if FAR from the first time I've had to endure this but for some reason I just feel like just once in my life that I don't HAVE to.

I just wondered what you all felt about this? Not trying to start any debates or anything, just curious as to whether I should let this roll off my back (which after half a century on this earth you'd think I'd learn to!)

--Robinrs

Oh, puh-leeze. Get over yourself.

I am as white as can be and I have been asked on numerous occasions, "do you work here"? I look at it that obviously I give them impression that I may know how to assist them and they feel comfortable asking my assistance. And, if I can, I do assist!

 

[RadioNate]

That's a great example right there. I'm curious what everyone else things of this situation. See, I have a hard time imagining the person asking that if the neighbor were white--unless of course he had on a shirt from a lawncare company.

It's about people assuming that minorities in a nice home, hotel, store, car, etc., are either the hired help or thieves. To say it doesn't happen is naive.

I don't think anyone is saying that it DOESN'T happen. I for one am saying that mistakes happen and we've all been in similar situations (ie being mistaked for something/someone we are not). I do think in this situation the woman could have made a mistake and we shouldn't always jump to racism or prejudice.

As a white woman I have been mistaken for the babysitter/nanny. I live in an upper class neighborhood where most of the house are 100k more than mine. People from my HOA, the painters, lawn care solicitors all have assumed at one time or another assumed that I'm something other than the owner of the house. I guess it just doesn't bother me that much. We all make mistakes. I chalk it up to stupidity or ignorance and move on.

 

[dis ms.]

Maybe the woman who some are assuming is racist was looking for an employee for a long time and was irritated. But yet she is a racist and was given no benefit of the doubt.

Did you read arminnie's story?

I live in a very nice neighborhood. One of my neighbors is a very high ranking black executive who happened to be out doing yard work. Someone stopped and asked if he was available to do other yards.

What are your thoughts about this situation? Do you think the person that tried to hire the black executive was looking for a gardener for a long time and was irritated? I don't think so.

 

[U2_rocks]

Assume what you want, but I wasn't even quoting you, so don't take it so personally. We're all entitled to our opinion, and I stand by mine that there is nothing derogatory about being a housekeeper. A job is a job.

But the issue isn't being a housekeeper - there is NO shame in that, I agree! The issue is that Robinrs felt that the woman didn't think she could be anything BUT the housekeeper. i.e. it didn't occur to her that robin could have been a fellow guest! Robin's approaching her door to go into her condo next to this woman's, yet the only thing this woman thinks is that robin is the housekeeper??? THAT'S the issue here!

I can't say for sure that racial prejudice was at work here - i wasn't a witness to it myself. But it's just incredible to me that anyone could mistake robinrs for a housekeeper under those conditions (her attire etc.) unless their mind was programmed to see black people as workers instead of fellow guests. If that woman was truly "color blind", she would surely have taken a closer look at robin and seen that she looked in no way like one of the housekeepers?? Or maybe she would have asked more tentatively? From how it is described I can well imagine a racial element to it.

Then again, to hear some of the stories told by many posters, people seem to assume some very strange things, so who knows?

Anyway, not to pick on you Steph ..... just using your post as a stepping stone to clarifying the issue a little more!

 

[dis ms.]

Oh, puh-leeze. Get over yourself.

I am as white as can be and I have been asked on numerous occasions, "do you work here"? I look at it that obviously I give them impression that I may know how to assist them and they feel comfortable asking my assistance. And, if I can, I do assist!

You see, Robin? You shouldn't have been offended. You obviously gave the woman the impression that you knew how to get her more pillows. If anything, you should have taken it as a compliment.

 

[auntpolly]

Oh, puh-leeze. Get over yourself.

annnnddd....here it is! Right here! The exact moment that I became officially embarrassed for my race.

 

[Kelsie]

Closed at request of original poster.