Racism For context: I am a black woman (African) with…
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Racism
For context: I am a black woman (African) with dreadlocks living in Halle (Saale).
After living in Germany for about a year, I experienced my first direct racist interaction. Normally no one has ever said anything directly towards me but I’ve gotten the usual weird/unpleasant looks and people refusing to sit next to me in public transport or get up once I sit next to them.
I was on the tram standing close to the doors since I was getting off on the next stop. I had luggage with me so I was focused on keeping it stable. Then I heard people making clicking noises (to match some African dialects that have those sounds) and giggling but I didn’t think much of it. I didn’t think it was even directed towards me so I didn’t even look in the direction it was coming from. After I while my eyes wandered and I found myself looking in the direction of these two young girls around 16-18 year olds, they were still giggling and making the clicking sounds but I still didn’t think it was directed towards me. When I finally locked eyes with them they giggle d and made a shocked 😮 facial expression and hid their faces that’s when it hit me that they have been making those sounds to make fun of me. Anyways I ignored them and got off at my stop.
They were also saying loud things in German that I have little to no understanding of but I’m sure they weren’t pleasant things. But no one said anything or told them to stop which I found very sad because everyone just acted like nothing was happening.
After that they kept following me but from a distance because I had gone to throw away glass bottles. I met them on the street again and when I passed them they clutched their bags as if I was going to rob them and snatch their bags.
I took another tram to the city center and they followed me even into the shops I went into. They were either in the next aisle or behind the one I was in, until my friend joined me and they finally left me alone.
I felt horrible after this experience, I’m already dealing with feeling unwanted from day to day interactions and all I did was mind my own business and in as much as I would’ve wanted to stand up for myself I was in an extremely vulnerable situation without support from anyone else plus the language barrier.
#local
source
For context: I am a black woman (African) with dreadlocks living in Halle (Saale).
After living in Germany for about a year, I experienced my first direct racist interaction. Normally no one has ever said anything directly towards me but I’ve gotten the usual weird/unpleasant looks and people refusing to sit next to me in public transport or get up once I sit next to them.
I was on the tram standing close to the doors since I was getting off on the next stop. I had luggage with me so I was focused on keeping it stable. Then I heard people making clicking noises (to match some African dialects that have those sounds) and giggling but I didn’t think much of it. I didn’t think it was even directed towards me so I didn’t even look in the direction it was coming from. After I while my eyes wandered and I found myself looking in the direction of these two young girls around 16-18 year olds, they were still giggling and making the clicking sounds but I still didn’t think it was directed towards me. When I finally locked eyes with them they giggle d and made a shocked 😮 facial expression and hid their faces that’s when it hit me that they have been making those sounds to make fun of me. Anyways I ignored them and got off at my stop.
They were also saying loud things in German that I have little to no understanding of but I’m sure they weren’t pleasant things. But no one said anything or told them to stop which I found very sad because everyone just acted like nothing was happening.
After that they kept following me but from a distance because I had gone to throw away glass bottles. I met them on the street again and when I passed them they clutched their bags as if I was going to rob them and snatch their bags.
I took another tram to the city center and they followed me even into the shops I went into. They were either in the next aisle or behind the one I was in, until my friend joined me and they finally left me alone.
I felt horrible after this experience, I’m already dealing with feeling unwanted from day to day interactions and all I did was mind my own business and in as much as I would’ve wanted to stand up for myself I was in an extremely vulnerable situation without support from anyone else plus the language barrier.
#local
source
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