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yellowcanine

(36,826 posts)

7. I think that all of the "jokes" sound unprofessional and rude.

Sat Aug 15, 2015, 09:06 AM

Aug 2015

The unwritten rule in a situation like this is that only the young woman in the chair gets to make any kind of comment about her potential differences from the usual occupant. And then she has to be careful that the joke is on her, not on the director. Maybe along the lines of, "I know I don't have the skills of ___________ at running a meeting, so you all will have to help me a lot." Same rule applies to the director when he is back in the chair - he can make jokes about his shortcomings, but not in a way which is potentially sexist or racist - maybe, along the lines of, "I know some of you may have hoped that ______________ was my permanent replacement, but here I am, sorry."

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Comment about someone's race at work: big deal or not? [View all] Enrique Aug 2015 OP

I think you need to ask young black professionals. Shrike47 Aug 2015 #1

I would agree. EL34x4 Aug 2015 #32

In a country ... sendero Aug 2015 #2

I think it showed that they were treating her like anybody else. You said you're sure.. BlueJazz Aug 2015 #3

Agree. Not a racist comment. TexasMommaWithAHat Aug 2015 #12

Pretending to be "color blind" is just that--a pretense. tblue37 Aug 2015 #26

But if some people think that the above joke is racist TexasMommaWithAHat Aug 2015 #27

That is true, of course. But I dream of a time when skin color is merely a tblue37 Aug 2015 #29

Yeah. TexasMommaWithAHat Aug 2015 #30

I love that poem. Iris Aug 2015 #34

I used to work in a dept and we had 2 guys both named the same. CurtEastPoint Aug 2015 #4

"Hardware Tom" or "Software Tom" would be pretty funny also. yellowcanine Aug 2015 #9

Tom Jones, people would dance. How could you not? alphafemale Aug 2015 #11

Actually, what's funnier is they were both named 'Tony Curtis.' Swear! CurtEastPoint Aug 2015 #13

To pretend you don't notice someones race...? alphafemale Aug 2015 #15

I find that I can say that to colleagues who have lived in the south a long time. Iris Aug 2015 #35

I have a friend with my same name who is black. Frank Cannon Aug 2015 #21

I also worked at a place w/a guy who had my identical first and last name. CurtEastPoint Aug 2015 #25

I think it was wrong Generic Brad Aug 2015 #5

We had a president and Vice President yeoman6987 Aug 2015 #14

Saving for later MrScorpio Aug 2015 #6

i'm looking forward to it Enrique Aug 2015 #22

I think that all of the "jokes" sound unprofessional and rude. yellowcanine Aug 2015 #7

If that rule is unwritten where did it come from? Or is it just your opinion? Myself I think totodeinhere Aug 2015 #17

It's based on my experience in a professional workplace. yellowcanine Aug 2015 #37

Yep. The person who makes the "joke" now has a bag of trouble floating in the air. Hassin Bin Sober Aug 2015 #39

Brilliant response. lapislzi Aug 2015 #48

That's ridiculous. LiberalAndProud Aug 2015 #19

The "unwritten" part is the fact that you can't account for every situation. yellowcanine Aug 2015 #47

"I wouldn't in a million years ask her about it. " Cal Carpenter Aug 2015 #8

Sounds like Bob was the brunt of all the jokes madville Aug 2015 #10

Unless your story includes more that makes it racist, then it isn't racism lunatica Aug 2015 #16

whether it's racist isn't among my questions Enrique Aug 2015 #23

Not racist. "What's wrong with being dark" nails it. (nt) Nye Bevan Aug 2015 #18

I can't see that as racist Lee-Lee Aug 2015 #20

a number of people are answering a question I didn't ask Enrique Aug 2015 #24

It was inappropriate & he's lucky there wasn't a complaint. CrispyQ Aug 2015 #28

Not racist. Not sexist. Not ageist. TexasMommaWithAHat Aug 2015 #31

I would say that's not racist. Quantess Aug 2015 #33

context is everything Skittles Aug 2015 #36

What I'd like to do here is simply give you a difference in perspective. MrScorpio Aug 2015 #38

Beautiful post alcibiades_mystery Aug 2015 #41

thank you very much Enrique Aug 2015 #45

SMDH alcibiades_mystery Aug 2015 #40

Most people nowadays would need psychiatric hospitalization Facility Inspector Aug 2015 #42

I'd be ashamed of myself for asking thie question. The answer, of course, is YES, IT'S A BIG DEAL. cherokeeprogressive Aug 2015 #43

I'm the proud father of a child; born a Daughter, who realized She was the Son I'd always wanted. cherokeeprogressive Aug 2015 #44

I wouldn't make that remark. DirkGently Aug 2015 #46