• chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    6 months ago

    It does, but in reality it’s only if people know it. If your skin, name, nose, or actions shows your ancestry to be anything other than a certain in-group, then expect less rights. The in-group has changed over the years, but in the past it was only Anglo-Saxon, with Irish and Italians excluded. Some fringe groups are still racist against them, but in general anyone darker than a tan (though if of Latino heritage, tan still may be too far) and for some Jewish people (and no, I don’t mean those supporting Palestine or objecting to Israel, I mean real antisemites) are automatically seen as worse, and often times it’s subconscious.

    I’ve seen racism against just my first name. I worked for a mom and pops computer store, was one of their techs. Someone with what I was told was a southern/redneck accent called in, and when told Chatoyer would be the name of the tech, they said “what the hell kinda name is Shatiyay, then hung up.”

    I don’t have proof, but I’m 100% sure it has cost me job opportunities as well. Not necessarily from overt racism. Some people here just don’t want to deal with anything that makes them uncomfortable or they assume would make them uncomfortable. “What if we get his name wrong and he gets angry about it? John has similar qualifications, let’s just get John” etc. I know a boss who passed up women (despite having hired women before and after the one I’m talking about) because he was worried the other guys on the team might talk to frankly or curse too much for a woman.