In a recent Reddit post, a user found herself at a crossroads when confronted with questionable racist behavior from her manager. Here’s the full story.
She’s Asian and Interning in Europe
OP, hailing from an Asian country and currently working in Europe, had commenced her internship five months earlier.
Her relationship with her manager, a European individual, appeared promising initially – characterized by helpfulness, autonomy, and support.
However, as time passed, a disconcerting pattern emerged. The manager began asking about OP’s cultural background, although in a seemingly mocking manner accompanied by needless giggles.
These questions were often made during lunch breaks, perhaps in an attempt to provoke laughs from other workers.
“I’m Not Being a Racist, But…”
The questions were prefaced with statements such as “I’m not being a racist, but…” or “Not to sound racist, but your culture’s practices are rather peculiar – I’m curious.”
Initially, these interactions seemed like curiosity, and OP replied with explanations to the best of her ability. However, things took a turn when during lunch, the manager posed a question that was very offensive.
In response, OP called her out, saying that the act of starting questions with “not being racist” was, in itself a racist attitude.
The atmosphere at the table immediately shifted to being quiet and awkward. Then, the manager approached OP and extended an apology for her behavior, assuring her that she wouldn’t repeat it.
Her Colleague Is Angry Because She Was Called Out in Public
To her credit, she has adhered to this promise thus far. However, she consistently kept saying that OP shouldn’t have addressed it publicly and asserted her inquisitive nature.
OP acknowledged that her work remains unaffected and that her professional rapport with the manager has evolved into a more formal and detached dynamic.
But now OP asked herself whether she should have handled it privately and not called her out the way she did.
OP took to Reddit to ask whether she was wrong for what she did and several Redditors sided with her saying that she was not in the wrong.
“Not to Sound Rude but I Don’t Like You Because You Are Different”
One Reddit user wrote, “NTA – I think you hit the nail on the head. If she was so concerned about not being called out publicly, she shouldn’t be asking offensive questions in public.”
Another Redditor commented, “NTA. It’s like saying, “Not to sound rude but I don’t like you because you are different.””
He Refused to Serve Entitled Tourists That Cut in Line, Much to the Delight of Onlookers
The post Her Manager Would Ask Her Questions Beginning, “I’m Not Being a Racist, but…” She Was So Upset She Called Her Out in Public first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Mix and Match Studio. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit