I (a black female) went into a Beauty Supply store (with an Asian employee) on my lunch break. I wasnt looking for anything inparticular, just scoping the (overpriced but pretty) jewelry section, when the employee asked me if i knew any strippers. I told him no and wondered why he asked....he said that he could go to the strip club and charge the drunk strippers more for the jewelry...i kinda laughed it off...but it made me uncomfortable. should I be offended in any way???
2007-09-20 06:59:55 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
keep in mind that i was on my lunch break from an office job, so apparently I wasnt dressed like a stripper. the only reason i could think of that he asked me the question is that im young and black. maybe he thought i was like the "video girl" stereotype. I dunno...would he have asked anyone else this??? WOuld he have asked YOU this???
2007-09-20 07:31:14 · update #1
No. You should not be offended at all. Keep in mind that you cannot account for the crazy, weird, whacked-out thoughts of complete strangers you meet. This guy goes to strip clubs and sells jewelry to strippers. Do you like him so far? And, he thinks that you will not find that at all unusual. That doesn't say nearly as much about you as it does about him!
You are WAY above this guy in all respects and need not be the least bit offended by anything he says. There are just people in this world who really do not and cannot influence our thinking. This guy seems to be one of those for you.
Forget about it and move on.
2007-09-20 07:12:02 · answer #1 · answered by JustAskin 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why the heck does it matter that you were black and your friend was Asian? Why does it matter that you have to tell us, indirectly, that he thought you looked like a stripper? It's a simple case of a clerk trying to be funny, inappropriately, but probably nothing more. Tell the manager if you want, but withhold judgment of her until you discuss it. You said you weren't buying anything, so if you never go in again, I doubt it will effect the bottom line, no pun intended. My suggestion, lighten up and stop taking everything, including yourself, so seriously. Life is short enough without making a big deal out of every little offense. peace
2007-09-20 07:19:45 · answer #2 · answered by Pilgrim Traveler 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Man, as a black woman I would have had to stop for a second and calm myself down. But I'm glad that you held your composure and told him no. But, what you should do is have a talk with both him and his manager (if he's not the manager) and explain to him the importance of formal introductions within a business environment, and that it was very offensive and inappropriate for him to address you with such a question.
I walked into a beauty salon one evening located in a shopping mall, and asked if they cut "ethnic hair" and one of the lady's of Hispanic or Asian decent replied "I do all kinds of hair, I can do good nappy hair". I was shocked that she would say something like that, but I realized she meant "black hair" so I explained to her that it was nice of her to offer to cut my hair, but it wasn't polite of her to call it nappy, and that I would take my business else where. Sometimes, people from different countries don't really know what's right or wrong when dealing with customers here in the US. So take it with a grain of salt and keep moving. You know you're not like that, don't take it personal.
2007-09-20 07:27:27 · answer #3 · answered by Deity of Peace 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, he sounds like he was just trying to be funny but came off as a dumb guy.
I am a hairdresser so without trying to offend my fellow stylists, we are a weird bunch!
It is always sort of offensive to me when a strange man says anything off the cuff like that to me, I also am not sure how to take the comment.Some peop le just don't think before the talk.
2007-09-20 07:06:06 · answer #4 · answered by Marilyn T 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I , too, would have felt uncomfortable with that kind of talk from a stranger. Yes, a little offended, too. He was wrong in talking like that to a lady.
2007-09-20 07:04:18 · answer #5 · answered by missellie 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That's up to you, but I feel it is inappropriate to ask a potential customer if she knew any strippers.
2007-09-20 07:06:27 · answer #6 · answered by Y!A P0int5 Wh0r3 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you should be offended ... and you need to talk to an attorney and get into contact with the OWNERS of this Beauty Supply store ... that 'employee' could be 'driving customers away' at best, but by saying what he did to YOU, it was a 'hate crime' in 'non-violent terms.'
2007-09-20 07:05:27 · answer #7 · answered by Kris L 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Lol, I can see how you would take that, but you have to realize many people speak before they think. Some relying too heavily on stereotypes.
I wouldn't worry about it.
2007-09-20 07:03:13 · answer #8 · answered by krisi10_21 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
i would be offended on the basis of a store clerk making remarks like this to a customer, not to mention a man remarking to a woman. there's no respect in either area anymore.
can't tell you how many times i honk at some guy for pulling out in front of me (i mean, dangerously close in front) and he flips me off!! not just stupid that HE's the one who did the wrong, but he's got no respect for me as a woman
2007-09-20 07:04:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Oh nooooooo, my immediate reaction would have been to ask him why he asked me such a question. Were you dressed in a way he may have thought it was appropriate to ask such a thing -
2007-09-20 07:03:56 · answer #10 · answered by Sirena 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋