Asking someone where they are from

[Lysander]

It seems that a member of the Palace has resigned having repeatedly asked a founder of a black charity where she was "really from" and that the comments were deemed unacceptable.

I posit that the issue comes in the way in which the question was asked and that Ngozi Fulani felt "interrogated" by the palace staff member.

As far as I see it, asking someone "where they are from" is not the right question, but asking about their ethnicity is better, or where their parents lived before they came to the UK.

This is how it apparently went:

But after the event, Ms Fulani described her conversation on Twitter, where she was challenged by a royal aide to explain where she was from.
She recounted how she said: "We're based in Hackney," and the aide replied: "No, what part of Africa are you from?"
She said: "I don't know, they didn't leave any records", and the Palace member responded: "Well you must know where you're from, I spent time in France. Where are you from?"
"Here, UK"
"No, but what nationality are you?"
"I am born here and am British."
"No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?"

Now this is clearly just hearsay, but asking someone "where are your people from" is not necessarily offensive [I use the word "necessarily" since offense is taken, not given]. I know plenty of Nigerians who proudly talk about their "tribe" abroad. I think that Ngozi just took issue with this woman and her insistence and her turn of phrase, which is fair enough.

What are your thoughts on this situation, GD?

Lady Susan Hussey quits over remarks to charity boss Ngozi Fulani

A palace aide steps down over remarks made to Ngozi Fulani at a reception hosted by the Queen Consort.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Lysander]

Exactly should have answered the question the palace attendee was really asking.

Meghan will be pleased, plays into the palace racist monika, can Musk moderate this kind of twitter content.

Wasn't Megs on the front page again today?

Yes, she was;

Duchess of Sussex: Meghan faced very real threats, says Met chief

The Duchess of Sussex faced disgusting threats while a serving royal, an outgoing Met Police boss says.

www.bbc.co.uk

Coincidence? You decide!

 

[Lysander]

"Where are you from?" - that's ok.

"No, but where are you really from?" - not ok.

Yeah, re-reading it I think the issue is with the word "really".

 

[Lysander]

The woman in question clearly does not identify with the british part of her heritage and is dressed in a way that suggests she identifies more with another culture.

Many women from different cultures dress in Western clothing and traditional clothing interchangeably day to day. Depends on their mood and/or the occasion they are going to. Doesn't mean she doesn't identify with the British part of her heritage per se.

 

[Lysander]

The problem is the "where are you really from"

That implies that she doesn't consider her to really be British/from the UK.

Its insensitive at very best.

I think she wanted "the moon" as an answer.

 

[Lysander]

I've been asked this a few times myself and I just double down. "Where am I from? Bristol.... Oh where I'm really from? The birth unit in Southmead hospital like nearly everyone else in Bristol"

If you're curious about my heritage, ask that. As asking where I am from will only get you the answer that I'm from the UK.

Yes, that's how I see it. I don't ask people where they are from as such, I ask about their heritage, parentage etc. I don't want to know if they're from Rhyl or Kidderminster.

 

[Lysander]

I don't have enough information as to the context to comment on that as per my post #8.

There's a more "in depth" "transcription" of the exchange here:

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/11/30/13/65086069-11485207-Ms_Fulani_shared_this_transcript_of_the_alleged_incident_but_sai-m-3_1669816279938.jpg

I'm quite impressed how she remembered all that. Word for word, too.

 

[Lysander]

What is this "100% British stock" ?

Oxo vegetable.

 

[Lysander]

If she was white would she have been asked these questions?
No of course not.

Not in this country, no. If I were somewhere in Africa I would totally expect the question.

 

[Lysander]

exactly and would you be offended? Probably not

In a weird way, I would kind of be offended if nobody asked me to talk about it!

 

[Lysander]

Sistah Space - is that not racist? Look at how its spelt. Its a play on a pronunciation of a word that is only made by certain heritage of people with a particular accent type. So that also is racist.

Jesus wept.

African American Vernacular English

African-American Vernacular English - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Lysander]

Why would you ask someone with black skin, wearing traditional african clothes who says they are from England where they are really from?

Africa is, you know, a continent, with many different subcultures. Someone from Nigeria is going to have different traditions than someone from Eritrea or Sierra Leone etc. Different food, different values, different music! I personally can't tell the dress apart that well, so it's a fair question. And you'll find that most people are proud to answer it.

 

[Lysander]

i dont see it as offensive, people ask me and i say it as it is, im uk born and bred parents are from kenya and their parents were from india and their parents were from the primordial soup

Yes, but where are you really from??!

 

[Lysander]

I certainly get what you are talking about dont you worry about that.

I have to congratulate you on one of the most passive-aggressive posts I've read here recently

 

[Lysander]

With all what’s going on the world, does this still warrant being the BBC’s top story nearly 24 hours later?

Because it's tied to the Mexocet.

 

[Lysander]

It is utterly ridiculous.

The BBC only care about clicks, not quality or unbiased content. If it looks popular, they'll whore it for all it's worth.

 

[Lysander]

That does seem quite insensitive especially the middle bit.

Well, in a certain light it reads like a sequel to The Lusty Argonian Maid from the Elder Scrolls.

Lady Hussey: And where are you from, my dumpling?
Doesn't-Like-Questions: I am from Glenumbra, my lady. Land of mild climes, verdant trees and golden morns.
Lady Hussey: No, where do you come from?
Doesn't-Like-Questions: We're based in Hackney.
Lady Hussey: No, what part of Glenumbra are you originally from? Which village?
Doesn't-Like-Questions: I do not know, my lady. I am but a poor merchant girl.
Lady Hussey: Well, you must know which part you are from? I spent time in Bruma...
Doesn't-Like-Questions: Here, in Daggerfall.
Lady Hussey: No, but your people! You are of darker skin... maybe Sentinel or Craglorn? You are exotic and... quite different.
Doesn't-Like-Questions: Lady! What do you mean, "my people"? What is this literary extravagance? I know nothing of such things. Would you like to buy a gourd? Three for a septim.
Lady Hussey: Oh, I can see this is going to be quite a challenge to get you to speak on this matter. How about you come back to my mansion so we can... fill in some... details?
Doesn't-Like-Questions: I have to be in Crosswych by sunset... but maybe you could help shine my dynamo core? It hasn't had attention for quite some time.
Lady Hussey: Ah, I knew we'd get there in the end. Plenty of time, my sweet. Plenty of time.

 

[Lysander]

Pretty simple.

The "racist" thing about it is the person assuming somebody who is black, isn't British because they keep asking where are you really from.

But Britain isn't a race...

 

[Lysander]

So?

It due to the implication that someone cannot be British/considered British if they have black skin.

It is using the colour of someone's skin to exclude them from what someone may consider as "British".

Yes, my comment was a mild troll

 

[Lysander]

I find this all a bit over the top tbh.

Charity boss Ngozi Fulani says she felt abused and 'trapped' during Buckingham Palace exchange with Lady Susan Hussey

Ngozi Fulani describes the exchange as a "violation" during which she felt "trapped". She tells Sky News: "I was the victim if you will, of an offence, of racism. When this happens, and it's so direct, and in a space like that, I kind of felt trapped in that space."

news.sky.com

The more money she makes, the more abused she'll feel. This is getting silly now.