I am the only non-white (Indian) guy working for a small company in Texas. I was talking to a coworker with 2-3 other people around. A third coworker jokingly/mockingly asked me if I would record his voicemail for him because he would love to have my accent on his voicemail. Everybody including him ended up laughing. I do not have the "Apu Indian Accent", but it is not close to American / white accent as well. I don't fake it because I don't believe in that shit. Do you think it is racist? If yes, what would you do if you were in my shoes? TC: < 100k
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Yes, most folks would see this as humour, but the roots of this behavior termed as humour are racist/derogatory based on a stereotype created and promoted by those who feel negatively about the Indian accent. Now, what if you asked him to record one for you when he sounded like the plantation owner from the south from the pre-civil rights era, or perhaps the Hilly Billy accent associated with the rural Americans.
It's certainly insensitive but I'm not sure it definitively qualifies as racist. Do you feel like if you were American but with an accent that they would have done the same thing? For example if you were from Minnesota or Boston is it possible they would have made a similar joke?
It is possible, but still a mean thing to say to anybody. Also the coworkers laughed hard with him, which felt mocking and humiliating.
MN or Boston accent does not attach the negativity and isn't as ridiculued as is the Indian accent. So it's not the same comparison, sorry
I was dropping my daughter at a party. Talking to the dad, not two mins later my daughter runs over with all the girls and says "dad, do your Indian accent"đŹđŹ If he's asking you to do his VM as if you are calling a 7-11, or a call center... That's racist and bs. If he wants you to do it straight as if it's him to badly confuse folks that call him... That's funny AF. I've done an Irish accent VM for someone. With all these things... Intent is key. We all sound different. We look different. We can acknowledge and even celebrate that without mocking. I went to Diwali celebrations wearing Indian garb. And I'm as white as they come.
He didn't want me to record his VM, he just joked about it because my accent was different (funny)
You should have asked him to trade so that you could record his accent to play to your family in India.
Agree with Googler20. I think you know whether your co-workers are hostile or not. If it isnât clear, give it a couple chances ... but stand up for yourself and say something as soon as you think theyâve crossed a line. If you donât, itâll just get worse. Also: Dickishness isnât necessarily racism, but thatâs no excuse.
Yes I've made it a rule to let one slide and fire back if it repeats.
It's absolutely insensitive, and it could be racist, but not necessarily.
So it is racist if they and their friends think the accent is funny - something to laugh at. Ridiculing any culture/race or racial attribute is racist. But if they think it's just exotic or something different/cool, it's not really racist. In this case I would just shrug it off. But if it's the former, I'd not be too happy about it if the behavior continues until a point..that's when I'd either express my discomfort directly or in the form of anonymous feedback. It's a fine thread, communication is what is expressed and interpreted but us Indians are infamous for getting too stuck up. Hope it helps!
People don't laugh at exotic / cool accents karen.
Watching Russell Peters made me see things a bit differently. And when I was in India with work and did an Indian accent from time to time they laughed harder than anyone. If you're a redneck Texan and you interact with an Indian guy... That accent is strong and really throws you. Things can be seen as funny without being insulting or racist. I'm Canadian and say eh from time to time. Is it racist when folks mock that? Or how I say aboot? Not at all. But depending on how they respond, it could be. Do his. Then have him do yours. Cause that'll really mess with any Indian friends/family that call you. We all need to be a little less sensitive.
Yea, you could have turned that around on him and asked him to do a honky Texas accent. You could have asked him to do a âyeeeeehawâ for your voicemail.
Or a YahoooooOoooo
It qualifies as harassment if you say it is harassment . Itâs up to the person being harassed in most cases
God bless America!
Its the truth. Thats what many companiesâ training says... and thatâs what the lawyers argue
Beat the shit out of him.
Exactly my thought đ¤Ł