Where are you from? Is it an insult?

CC not all black people take offence about people’s interest in their ethnic background. It is racist at worst or making assumptions at best about everyone who is black. This denies individuality which is totally wrong.

volver

Forsythia

Daisymae

This incident was at an international event. There were people from all over the world present. Strikes me that this was not an unreasonable question to someone who was attending. Blown out of all proportion. Plus I do think that it would be interesting to the other side of this story.

We won’t be allowed to hear her other side of the story. She’s been stitched up like a kipper. Poor old lady.

She could go on twitter. Or I'm sure that any of the news programs would love to have her point of view. Do you think she'd like to do that?

Or do you think she might keep quiet because she acknowledges she behaved in a racist manner?

She’s been closed down. As for her going on twitter at her age I never cease to find your sense of humour amazing. You are a card.

Forsythia

Daisymae

This incident was at an international event. There were people from all over the world present. Strikes me that this was not an unreasonable question to someone who was attending. Blown out of all proportion. Plus I do think that it would be interesting to the other side of this story.

We won’t be allowed to hear her other side of the story. She’s been stitched up like a kipper. Poor old lady.

She could go on twitter. Or I'm sure that any of the news programs would love to have her point of view. Do you think she'd like to do that?

Or do you think she might keep quiet because she acknowledges she behaved in a racist manner?

We don’t know that she touched her hair. We only have one side of the story. I’m on holiday at the moment. I’ve been asked numerous times where I’m from. It doesn’t offend me. I answer them. Some have said but where in England are you from? Badgering me or just genuinely interested. One young man commented on my white hair and said it was amazing. How dare he!

And as Grammaretto said it was SH's role to find out all they can about visitors. I agree it appears to be heavy handed.

BlueBelle

cc don’t you see the difference between asking in an interested way and interrogating asking the same question over and over surely you can see the difference…. if not well 🤷🏼‍♂️

Perhaps she simply wanted the answer to her question, i.e. to know where her family originally came from? (Though we do wonder if perhaps 83 is too old be be fulfilling an official role).

Sorry BlueBelle but you don't know that. SH was not given a TV interview etc. None of us know what she was really doing. We can only speculate.

Someone said upthread that the Royal attendants have a job to find out all they can about visitors to identify the interesting ones to prepare the way for the K or Q. I would speculate that SH was doing that in a rather overbearing way.

cc don’t you see the difference between asking in an interested way and interrogating asking the same question over and over surely you can see the difference…. if not well 🤷🏼‍♂️

mawthemerrier doesn’t give anyone the right to interrogate or touch your hair or any other part of your body no matter what you wear that’s just a big old excuse for a rude over privileged woman who didn’t getthe answer she was expecting

Callistemon21

We've been told that M&S sell animal prints, MawtheMerrier.

Yes, Hackney does have a traditional dress. 🙂

🤣🤣🤣

Witzend

I certainly wouldn’t ask anyone who sounds native-born.
I doubt that Lady Susan was prompted by racism, but IMO it was highly insensitive, or perhaps crass would be a better word.

We have more than once asked cab drivers whose accents made it obvious that they were born and brought up elsewhere else - I don’t think anyone has taken it amiss.

Yes, we've often got into conversation with cab drivers about their origins. I'm not very elderly (or racist) and am interested to know about where people's origins were, whether or not they are now UK citizens. The Guardian piece suggests that all this media attention is over the top.

Sadly it appears that black people are very enthusiastic to take offence about people's interest in their ethnic background - is it racist of me to think this? Are we not allowed to be interested?

I agree Forsythia SH was allowed to say sorry but not another word. orf with her head

Sago and others you ve lost the point completely and you’re not alone
There is absolutely nothing wrong or racist in asking someone where they are from, however if you continue and continue on and on trying to get a different answer to that being given there’s either something wrong with you or you have an agenda This woman had a pre conceived idea that the lady was African and was completely thrown when she said London so she asked again and was told the organisations name so she tried again and again even going as far as “NO where are your people from ?” she was irritated because she didn’t get the answer she was searching for So an innocent question was taken into a racist badgering
Can you see the difference ?

To add to that before the questioning she had reached over to move the lady’s hair so she could see her name badge that’s offensive in itself you DO NOT touch peoples hair face or anything else for any matter

She shouldn’t have been sacked that ll gain nothing she should have been put on an awareness course to teach her how to talk and act with people She was high handed acted as a over privileged person with little awareness of politeness or personal space

We've been told that M&S sell animal prints, MawtheMerrier.

Yes, Hackney does have a traditional dress. 🙂

A very good posting Espee.

Preparing to be flamed but I agree with the point made in the final sentence
If you make such an obvious statement about your heritage, you cannot be surprised when it invites a question about where you might be from.
(AFAIK Hackney does not have National dress)

Daisymae

This incident was at an international event. There were people from all over the world present. Strikes me that this was not an unreasonable question to someone who was attending. Blown out of all proportion. Plus I do think that it would be interesting to the other side of this story.

We won’t be allowed to hear her other side of the story. She’s been stitched up like a kipper. Poor old lady.

JaneJudge

she can wear what she wants

And nobody said she couldn’t did they.. if I turn up to a function wearing a kilt and sporran people might assume I’m from Scotland. They’d be racist asking me I guess.

Daisymae

This incident was at an international event. There were people from all over the world present. Strikes me that this was not an unreasonable question to someone who was attending. Blown out of all proportion. Plus I do think that it would be interesting to the other side of this story.

Of course the hosting at events is done by volunteers like Mrs Hussey, it may be better to employ trained professionals.
That of course would cost a lot of money, these events have got to be hosted.

I think it can be, it depends on the context.

I have two black friends both of whom I've known for years. One, originally from Jamaica, born there, but came to England as a baby, she will talk about her heritage and origins quite often, particularly in the context of DNA, she has often pointed out to me that her given surname came from whoever owned her ancestors and she can only get back so far with her family history which she is very into, we both are, I've had my DNA analysed and my ancestors also came from a number of places in Europe. . For her though it is entirely different having antecedents born into slavery but now thanks to DNA she at least knows which part of Africa her origins lie. My other friend, came as a baby from Sierra Leone, her parents came to England as students ,left her with a white foster family when they went back to Sierra Leone, then came back for her when she was around eleven years old, she kicked up merry hell for one thing she didn't know them and allegedly refused to go back with them. The upshot of that was they left her with her white foster parents who were later to adopt her. Probably wouldn't be allowed now but she is well into her 60s and things were different when she was growing up. We learnt all this from her late husband who was one of my husband's close friends. It's a subject she never brings up, I don't think she wants to talk about it, so we wouldn't either, she refers to Essex as where she's from and I think she'd be very affronted if she was intrusively cross questioned in the Susan Hussy manner, who seemed devoid of any tact or emotional intelligence. It's not that difficult to gauge if people are reticent to talk about what may be a sensitive subject.

I would have been extremely cross if someone unknown to me started moving my hair!

This older woman is hang-on from the earlier days of the Queen.
I think she should have retired when the Queen died. I suppose they are allowed to continue as a sort-of continuity measure?

I can imagine a number of my local National Trust volunteers asking these questions at a function to be honest - and they will have had diversity training I'm certain.

This incident was at an international event. There were people from all over the world present. Strikes me that this was not an unreasonable question to someone who was attending. Blown out of all proportion. Plus I do think that it would be interesting to the other side of this story.

As you may know I play golf and gold ladies are very very curious so when you play with a new partner they want to know all about you. I don't mind this generally even though they start with the 'where are you from' question and since moving north I have had a few 'Oh's' read what you like into that. Mainly what they are trying to find out is are you like them, where can they put you, what label can they stick on. I'm used to it now but it does feel uncomfortable at times. I keep it general and golf focused ' have you played here long?' When you get to know people they tell you what they want you to know. Such a minefield now I'm treading carefully.

she can wear what she wants