Babycatcher

Wow this certainly generated some responses I hadn't thought it would.
Thanks so much for the genuine replies it was reassuring and helpful.
I am neither namby pamby and certainly not looking for any trouble.
If we make the move to Australia I will be as chilled out as I alway am... we will be friendly and welcoming to those we meet and hope that we meet the same!
If my boyfriend and I make it to Australia (Brisbane) (with my kids) then I am reassured by what I have heard (mostly - apart from a few less chilled out posters!) but I am not offended they are entitled to their opinion.
Like I have said we have experienced some difficulties, him being Asian, me being white seems to be the biggest issue. Oh Well! We are happy so REALLY that is all that matters!
Anyway THANKS SO MUCH - I really appreciate all the feedback.

robclaridge

Let us please, please not forget. Remember that racisim is too way. One of my best friends was dating a Korean student for quite a few years here in Brisbane. She eventually left him under pressure from her mother who was hysterical at the thought of her daughter marrying a white foreigner. Inadvertantly it is always perceived that it is the caucasion white europeans that are seen as the biggest perpetrators of racism. I'm sure someone will blame me for the woes of some nations poverty inflicted some 300 years ago by a distant and never known forefather of mine - for whom I have to still bear some responsibility On the whole Australia is great for multi culture. Its a case of integrate and everyone is fine! Segregate yourself and you will be seen as racist! Some cultures for whatever reason do segregate themselves for whatever reason... but in general its fine!

NKSK version 2

I don't think that it is as straightforward as this.
Integration and segregation are words which are thrown about in any discussion on racism and in many cases they are meaningless. I’m not sure how a mixed-race couple can either segregate or integrate much less their children. Often they are words (or commands) issued by the dominant population in a country – and from my experience usually anglo-saxon populations.

I’ve seen institutional racism of the worst kind in SE Asia – so yes it does happen the other way around. But when you are in a position of relative wealth and with a historical context of (misplaced) superiority as I think most British people born between 1900 and 1980 possibly have (they come from a highly successful nation with great power whatever you think of the current society) then the Brunei government saying that you are not allowed to have the same opportunities as a local because you are a) not Muslim and b) not from Brunei becomes a cause of mirth rather than offence.

mohogony

Go throught the accomodation section of newspapers in SYdney and Melbourne and see all the rental adds and accomodation adds saying looking for " Asian only tenants" or "prefer Asians" If someone put an add in saying want a " white only" tenant they would be probably be arrested. In sydney gangs of Lebanese go around targeting " skips" white Australains for bashings and gang rapes. In my opion its white people thst are the victims of racism in OZ.

paulry

My wife is Chinese Malaysian. The only hints that I have ever picked up of any negative awareness of our ethnic diversity are:

The first time that I took my wife to South Africa with our eldest son who was just under three months old at the time. It was soon after the first fully democratic vote. While my wife was shopping for clothes I was looking after the baby in one of the aisles. Soon a group of white Afrikaner ladies began gathering around the baby cooing delightedly about how beautiful the baby was. Then my wife emerged from between the clothes racks and I introduced her as my son's mother. That went down like a lead baloon and the crowd quickly dispursed. My wife didn't pick up on it so I didn't feel offended. No harm done, it was quite amusing really.

The other occasion was in Sydney about ten years ago. My family and I had boarded a train but there wasn't enough seating space for all of us downstairs (my youngest was still in a pushchair). So I went upstairs and found myself sitting next to an Australian lady who upon seeing me holding a camera asked me if I was on holiday there, etc. She was very nice and chatty but then went off at a tangent about how rude the Asians are. Genuinely interested to know what the locals thought I decided to just bear with her and not tell her that I was married to one. It was a general whinge really but it left me wondering if my wife had unwittingly taken the seat that this lady had earmarked for herself or stepped on her toes perhaps? Surely not? My wife is very well mannered and considerate so probably I was drawing the wrong conclusions. Again, there was no harm done so It didn't trouble me. Travelling in Queensland I did notice several "double takes" but that was about all. My wife didn't notice it.

I'm sure that the increased influx of people from a greater diversity of nations has probably settled attitudes in Australia so I don't expect any trouble if/when we get there.

In the UK, at least in so far as attitudes towards my wife and I are concerned, things are completely colour blind. Not even any "double takes". Both my sons are very happy and popular in and out of school so no complaints from me I do notice that ethnic minorities warm to me when they learn that my wife isn't white - it's as if its some sort of confirmation to them that I have no underlying racist attitude. Oh, and I get lots of smiles from South East Asian women .

scottishcelts

Maybe they think you're a squillionaire!

paulry

I wish

I think it's more like the same reason that women stare at me (discussed previously)

scottishcelts

Petals

I know what racism is as I was brought up in a country with Apartheid. Today's racism is just people selecting who they want to be friends with, everyone can use the same bus, the same seat, the same school and fraternise with who they like. I find it amusing that we are still getting these racism questions.

I might be wrong but are these discussions more about being accepted into social groups, well that depends on us and if people like us wherever we come from.

I remember by son telling me the story he taught at a small school at the time in the country and every child was invited to a birthday party except one little boy so sad he was an Aussie just like everyone else but still faced with exclusion.

Same with fat people, ugly people, all sorts of people face discrimination. Try being disabled or disfigured.

Forget the word Racism just remember to treat everyone well.

My neighbour is Filipino married to an Aus and I go to their place a bit but I have to say that I am usually the only White lady there all the women are Filipino married to Australians, is that their choice I think so.

SamSi

Think they are talking about SE Asian. Hung like mice supposedly.

JoanL

My son's long-term girlfriend is Vietnamese Australian. They met through work, where they were both science graduates working in a lab. They hardly ever experience racism here, and felt none when they were on holiday in the UK in Oxfordshire and Yorkshire. Her Mum took a while to accept my son, but her Dad accepted him from the start. We love her - she is beautiful, intelligent, and very sweet.

moneypenny20

Who breed quite merrily. Quality, not quantity. Anyway before anyone decides these are racist comments, back on topic I think.

Pomster

H is from SE Asia....strange mice you know- or are you confusing mice and elephants?

SamSi

Cheers Pomster, right that's it, I'm off to SE Asia

BadgeIsBack

But is that cause of mirth a result of racism too? Or is it a case of one word of racism against another? (Do you see where I am going with this - because I can't....). Can a racist remark actually have a basis on an actual perceived or factual superiority? "My country bagged your country *twice* and so - suck it up?" etc..

Serious question!

I think people can tolerate most people if they share their beliefs and goals, and interests.

We all have a best mate from school who brought in funny food - but delicious! - to share, and who we nuded up nicely with etc and he had the same bits as we did. (Just kidding!) We all know a nice family from Kenya who where nice and respectable and their father sang Tenor in the choir and was a biochemist so they must be alright etc. We all know mixed couples where noone notices anymore even though the women are dying to ask if it is true. And we all work with someone (one!) from China, or India, where noone can quite work out how they got through the interview because they are intelligible, and there are manifest barriers, (in this case!) due to culture etc.

I told this bloke when he went on vacation to not fall under a bus as a lot of our work was in his head. He was very insulted, I had pretty much ensured it would happen... that's cultural relativity.....