Thread by @DocKamran

#RacisminAustralia - a thread

I've been living in Australia for almost 6 years. During that time I've seen & experienced a staggering amount of #racism.

Here are some examples. Hoping sharing this will make people accept racism is a problem here and that it needs to change.

1) 2nd day in Sydney, met 2 white Australian women in a bar

Me: where should I live? Redfern?

Them: no it's full of Abos

Me: what?

Them: Aboriginals

Me: what's wrong with that?

Them: we're up here (gestures to head) they're down here (gestures to waist)

#RacisminAustralia

2) Met an English guy at a festival. He introduces me to an Australian friend and tells him I'm from England.

His response - 'bullshit, he's a black c*nt'

3) Walk out of my apartment building, guys driving past make monkey noises.

#RacisminAustralia

4) Colleague at work says she used to live in Brixton in London and was 'scared for her life' first time she went to the supermarket because 'it was full of black people'

5) Walking past some kids, they shout 'you did 9/11'

#RacisminAustralia

6) Former landlord tells me I should shave my beard otherwise people will think I'm a terrorist.

7) Walking in to a bar, the manager at the door asks 'are you a chef here bro?' then laughs, along with other door staff.

#RacisminAustralia

8) Walking past 2 Australian guys in Noosa. One of them puts his hand together in the namaste position 🙏 and says 'please don't hurt me'

9) A neighbour about her holiday to South Africa:

'It's great, but some areas you shouldn't go because it's all blacks'

#RacisminAustralia

10) Senior colleague at work, about a medical school: 'It's like the '60s, they have a lot of non-white Australians. They're very old fashioned in their approach'

11) At a Tasmanian festival, man says 'I'm not racist but the Chinese are taking over Australia'

#RacisminAustralia

12) Pulling out of my driveway in my car, waiting to join the road. Woman walks up on the pavement, says 'can't you see I'm walking here? Go sell some more drugs'

13) At a festival, man says 'did someone shit on you mate? Is that why you look like that?'

#RacisminAustralia

14) Chatting to a man outside a petrol station, people working there are South Asian and black. He says 'they seem to be having fun on the plantation'

15) Get physically pushed by a guy at a party for trying to explain why I think the word 'wog' is racist

#RacisminAustralia

This is just some of them.

Every time I have to decide how to react. Confront them? Ignore it? Make a joke at their expense? It is so draining.

Racism damages #mentalhealth.

Please share your experiences using the hashtag #RacisminAustralia. Awareness might create change