*sigh*

So, today is thanksgiving. Little "t" because as someone who studies systems of oppression, this day is very problematic, for many reasons. For a brief articulation of part of this problem, check out my cousin Jefferson's blog here.

This year is especially troubling to me because of a conversation I had yesterday at work.

The conversation started out great, there is another student who's research interests align with mine and we had a great conversation about racial stereotypes. Then a third coworker jumped in. This is where the conversation fell apart. I don't have the energy to write about everything that happened but here are a couple excerpts of her highly offensive and racist comments.

During a conversation explaining the difference between using the term Asian and Oriental:

her: I just don't see it. I've read a lot of literature and Oriental has never seemed negative to me.

That's the whole point you moron. It is presented as something non-offensive when in fact it is. Literature, especially main stream literature continues to perpetuate this term as acceptable as a form of dominant hegemonic ideology. Me: Well, that's literature.

Later, after the conversation had shifted to the use of derogatory terms and their connotations:

Me: It's like using the term, 'I've been gyped.'

Her: I don't know what that refers to.

Me: That's okay, a lot of people don't. Gyp is a shorten version of Gypsy. It is referring to the fact that Gypsies are seen as thieves, liars, cheats and dishonest.

Her: Well, compared to our culture, they are.

Me: OMG!
(not my inside voice)

...
I left the office shortly after that, really worked up and super angry. Such blatant racism. I have so rarely run into it face to face that it is a shock to the system. I am use to covert forms of racism (also not acceptable), but this... And she didn't even realize how racist she was being, but that's white privilege for you. And I have to take a class with her next semester. Someone will have to hold me back if she says stupid stuff during this class. Our common class? Feminist Perspectives.

Her other class? Intercultural Communication.

I am very glad that I already took that class so I can miss her contributions to those discussions. I imagine they would go something like the conversation that occurred yesterday.