# Racism and Sexism in Spain



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

A few things that I have found interesting:

My neighbour Juan is a lovely man, always ready to help. He once forbade me to do anything relating to repairs to my car as 'las mujeres no entienden nada de estas cosas'.
I spoke to a meeting of CCOO about setting up equality structures. I asked the women what their biggest problem in the workplace was. The reply: 'Los hombres'.
I got myself a more up-to-date Ipad and gave my old one to a Moroccan friend. He wanted advice on how to use it so went to the Apple shop in La Canada. The Spanish assistant asked him for proof that he was the owner, for a receipt or some proof of purchase and as he had none refused to help him. I suspect that would not have happened to me.

Are these examples typical, frequent or rare, I wonder. As I have been in Spain a mere seven years, my experiences aren't that extensive. I have to say that I personally wasn't offended by Juan's comments as he saved me 100 euros on a new LR battery by buying it for me at a large store in San Pedro poligono. I would have saved more but I insisted on a warranty and receipt with IVA included.
I must be a very faint-hearted feminist (if one at all) as I'm happy to be patronised if I can save that much money.
Wondering wat PW and others think....


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

It's commonplace for Spanish neighbours and acquaintances to speak to my husband rather than to me, although I often have to translate what they say for him. He is always addressed by his name and with the informal "tu", whereas I am "Señora" and called "ustéd". 

I have experienced Spanish guys stopping me doing jobs sometimes, like physically taking a paintbrush out of my hand when painting an outside wall of the house, and insisting on finishing them off for me.

Not long after we bought the house, my OH went to buy an ironing board from the shops and got a volley of wolfwhistles on the way back, it obviously wasn't the done thing to be seen carrying one.

We're not offended, just find it amusing.


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

I was once in a meeting with senior managers (Spanish), where my role was being discussed, with me taking an active part of the discussion, as you would expect.

Although the individual in question did half try to be polite and say that she was not commenting on my own abaility to do my job, she did say "no entiendo por qué no hemos contratado un Español para ese puesto"... (I don't understand why we didn't recruit a Spaniard for this position).

Of course, this is not racism, nor is it even xenophobia, maybe not even discrimination, its simply that there are less inhibitions in Spanish culture about raising nationalities in situations where the over PC UK would have Trade Unions getting involved and disciplinary hearings by HR.


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Have to agree Overandout

Uk is too PC 

Take my local filling station- signs absolutely everywhere " You cannot smoke here"- political correctness/ nanny state gone mad


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

What gets me are the phone calls from our banks (BBVA and La Caixa). All of our accounts are joint accounts, but they always ask for my husband. If he's not home and I tell them that and say that I can take the call as I'm also an account holder, they always say no and that they'll call later to speak to him. Now how am I supposed to interpret that??? I find it massively insulting, especially because in our house I am the one who takes care of all the banking and finances.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

kalohi said:


> What gets me are the phone calls from our banks (BBVA and La Caixa). All of our accounts are joint accounts, but they always ask for my husband. If he's not home and I tell them that and say that I can take the call as I'm also an account holder, they always say no and that they'll call later to speak to him. Now how am I supposed to interpret that??? I find it massively insulting, especially because in our house I am the one who takes care of all the banking and finances.


Now that would annoy me. An insurance salesman once called at my door in the UK and said "hello love, is the boss in?". He looked quite taken aback by my reaction.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

THis happened to me in the UK

I went to a Garage to look at a new car, When I finally decided on a nice shiny new BMW the sales guy asked if I wanted to discuss it with my husband!

I Left

Purchased an MX5 instead


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Speaking from our own point of view, we haven't encountered it. We tend to be treated equally or if not, SWMBO takes precedence over me because she speaks fluent Spanish. We treat each other on an equal footing and I think others see that and it reflects on their attitude towards us. I am a feminist anyway and will always make sure SWMBO is first.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

cambio said:


> THis happened to me in the UK
> 
> I went to a Garage to look at a new car, When I finally decided on a nice shiny new BMW the sales guy asked if I wanted to discuss it with my husband!
> 
> ...


I had to laugh at that. I had an MX 5 too, loved it...and I was told it was a 'girly' or 'hairdressers' car' by men.
Sold it to a friend, got a BMW M3 cabrio. No further comments.


I don't get offended by sexist comments, neither do I find those who object to people objecting to them 'PC'. 'PC' to me means merely being polite and considerate of the feelings of others and not using terms such as poof, yid, ****** and so on, or calling grown women 'girls'. 
I actually think it's helpful to hear the occasional comment of that type as it serves as a reminder that Neanderthal attitudes still exist. Occasionally women on this Forum are addressed as 'Lynn girl' or 'Mary girl'.....imagine women referring to men as 'Tony boy' or 'Baldy boy'. Of course, you can't. But I find it amusing.
That sort of thing is ultimately harmless but incidents such as the one involving my friend aren't. That is more than xenophobia. Does anyone think a British or German person who have been treated like that? It leaves a nasty taste. I shan't be patronising that store.


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

kalohi said:


> What gets me are the phone calls from our banks (BBVA and La Caixa). All of our accounts are joint accounts, but they always ask for my husband. If he's not home and I tell them that and say that I can take the call as I'm also an account holder, they always say no and that they'll call later to speak to him. Now how am I supposed to interpret that??? I find it massively insulting, especially because in our house I am the one who takes care of all the banking and finances.


Oh joy, I wear hearing aids and cannot use the phone, my wife does all the phone work and in return I do all the face to face stuff. We're going to have fun. :lol:


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## Simon22 (May 22, 2015)

mrypg9 said:


> Occasionally women on this Forum are addressed as 'Lynn girl' or 'Mary girl'.....imagine women referring to men as 'Tony boy' or 'Baldy boy'. Of course, you can't. But I find it amusing.


Is it wrong I lol'd at baldy boy, sorry. I have yet to experience this but I will be watching for it now. Of course I may have just missed it as when looking at houses the agents were chattering in Spanish and I was only getting every fifth word!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

We were in Movistar recently trying to get Fusion (another story entirely). Anyway, with the deal came a router which we had to set up ourselves. The sales assistant (female) started by talking to my wife (fluent in Spanish), then went on to me as it got more technical and then finally to my son on how to set up the router for WiFi around the house etc.

Apparently there's a pecking order when it comes to technology;

Children
Men
Women
and this irrespective of how good their Spanish is (or Valenciano in this case) - otherwise I would have been at the bottom of the list!


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

snikpoh said:


> We were in Movistar recently trying to get Fusion (another story entirely). Anyway, with the deal came a router which we had to set up ourselves. The sales assistant (female) started by talking to my wife (fluent in Spanish), then went on to me as it got more technical and then finally to my son on how to set up the router for WiFi around the house etc.
> 
> Apparently there's a pecking order when it comes to technology;
> 
> ...


Could be interesting when I arrive in Spain with a partner of 27 years and a dog. Will top dog win the day!!!


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> A few things that I have found interesting:
> 
> My neighbour Juan is a lovely man, always ready to help. He once forbade me to do anything relating to repairs to my car as 'las mujeres no entienden nada de estas cosas'.
> I spoke to a meeting of CCOO about setting up equality structures. I asked the women what their biggest problem in the workplace was. The reply: 'Los hombres'.
> ...


Our Spanish neighbours (in their sixties) have very strict rules: women clean and cook, men work on the land and earn the money! However, younger Spaniards seem more enlightened and of several couples that we know, the wives are the main breadwinners and the husbands help with cooking and cleaning. On the question of racism, every Spanish friend we have appears to dislike North African Muslims. Our nearest town has quite a large Muslim community who are employed in textile factories on low wages (well below the legal minimum after their employers deduct extortionate accommodation costs!). The children go to local schools and don´t speak Spanish which, our friends tell us, hinders the education of local children. In fact it´s much the same story that we used to hear so often in the UK!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Simon22 said:


> Is it wrong I lol'd at baldy boy, sorry. I have yet to experience this but I will be watching for it now. Of course I may have just missed it as when looking at houses the agents were chattering in Spanish and I was only getting every fifth word!


If I replied to a post of yours by addressing you as 'Simon boy' it would seem to me as if I were one of those white South Africans who kept their servants in sheds at the bottom of their gardens or some white plantation slave owner out of 'Gone With the Wind'.
I can stick up for myself if I'm offended by anything so I just laugh at the silliness of some people. It's equally silly to over-react, as imo happened in the case of the poor old science prof at some Oxford college who got sacked for making daft comments.
I used to do classes on gender and race stereotyping with teenagers. One thing we did was to reverse roles and subject the males to the kind of sexist comments routinely directed at young females. That was amusing and revealing.
There is an anecdote in the book by social anthropologist Kate Fox, 'Watching the English', which made me laugh:

Male 1, commenting on nearby well-endowed female: 'Cor! Not many of those to the pound, eh..'
Male 2: Ssh..you can't say that anymore, mate. S'not allowed any more'.
Male 1: 'What??? Don't give me that PC feminist crap! I can talk about a girl's tits if I like'.
Male 2: 'Nah....it's not the feminists'll get you, it's the Weights and Measures lot. We can't use pounds any more, it's all metric now. You gotta say 'kilos''.


She swears this is what she overheard in a pub.


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## Anciana (Jul 14, 2014)

Lynn R said:


> I have experienced Spanish guys stopping me doing jobs sometimes, like physically taking a paintbrush out of my hand when painting an outside wall of the house, and insisting on finishing them off for me.


Now that's an opportunity to exploit, not get offended. I used to take advantage of it with Latinos. I'm glad Spaniards are still that sexist.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Anciana said:


> Now that's an opportunity to exploit, not get offended. I used to take advantage of it with Latinos. I'm glad Spaniards are still that sexist.


Working with mechanics gave us many opportunities to observe everyday sexism. Once Sandra overheard a couple of the guys discussing a female customer whom they had known since school days. The general view was that she had 'let herself go'. They were genuinely confused and puzzled when Sandra suggested they take a look at themselves in the mirror.
Another time I decided to paint the walls of the foyer outside the works canteen/restroom. I couldn't help hearing conversations in which f and c words made up a good half of what was said.
A drop of paint fell off the brush into my eye and it stung so I involuntarily let fly a volley of curses. The door opened and one of the most foul-mouthed guys came out and told me in genuinely shocked and offended terms that I really shouldn't be using that kind of language.


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

My OH experienced a little trouble renting an apartment here due to skin color.



mrypg9 said:


> I got myself a more up-to-date Ipad and gave my old one to a Moroccan friend. He wanted advice on how to use it so went to the Apple shop in La Canada. The Spanish assistant asked him for proof that he was the owner, for a receipt or some proof of purchase and as he had none refused to help him. I suspect that would not have happened to me.
> 
> Are these examples typical, frequent or rare, I wonder.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I think, as in many other aspects, forty years of dictatorship and relative isolation held Spain back in terms of social attitudes. They have made huge leaps forward since though. These days, for example, it's quite normal for men to do the shopping and pick the kids up from school. Let's not confuse sexism with simple courtesy.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> I can stick up for myself if I'm offended by anything so I just laugh at the silliness of some people.


Well, quite, Mary. I can't be bothered poking a stick through the bars of the mangy old lion's cage, shame to wake him up.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Alcalaina said:


> I think, as in many other aspects, forty years of dictatorship and relative isolation held Spain back in terms of social attitudes. They have made huge leaps forward since though. These days, for example, it's quite normal for men to do the shopping and pick the kids up from school. Let's not confuse sexism with simple courtesy.


I notice a lot of families these days where the mother is working but the father isn't, so it's good to see the fathers out doing the shopping and looking after the chldren. I must say Spanish fathers (even the very young ones) always strike me as being very "hands on" and so patient and affectionate with their children.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Brangus said:


> My OH experienced a little trouble renting an apartment here due to skin color.


That´s rather ironic in a country that attracts hundreds of thousands of white holidaymakers who come here each year to lay on the beach and make themselves brown!


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> A few things that I have found interesting:
> 
> 
> I got myself a more up-to-date Ipad and gave my old one to a Moroccan friend. He wanted advice on how to use it so went to the Apple shop in La Canada. The Spanish assistant asked him for proof that he was the owner, for a receipt or some proof of purchase and as he had none refused to help him. I suspect that would not have happened to me.
> ...


I think often racism is in the eye of the beholder and it's a card frequently used by certain groups. On reading this, the last thing that comes to my mind is that the reason for the shop assistant's refusal was the ethnic origin of the person who went in with an ipad with someone else's account on it and couldn't prove where they had obtained it. When I pass something on to someone else, I erase the information myself and show them how to use it, plus I give them the bill and original box. It's common sense. After all if someone finds or steals a device, they could just take it into the shop and get it working if the assistants were so accommodating!
I have been running a rastrillo for the last four years and a couple of years ago we had a huge influx of gipsies. It's true that there are many people who are not happy, but it's not the fact that they are gipsies, but that they are the ones who won't integrate. The first year I had a lot of problems, I was even threatened because I told them to remove their cars. Everytime I had anything to say, I was accused of discrimination. It did slowly sink in though, that they were welcome to be a part of our market as long as they respected the rules and behaved like everyone else. The rules are the rules, but they seemed to think they were only for us "payos". They have their own rules and that's fine by me, but if they want to be a part of our association, then they have to comply with our rules. Now I have very few problems and they do end up conforming. The last minor hiccup was at our annual assembly and I had to explain seven times why the men couldn't vote for their women. The women are the members, but most of them didn't attend and their men expected to vote for them! Finally three of them went and fetched their women and the other four expressed their favour but refrained from voting. That's not descrimination it's applying the same rules to all, I also refused to let several non-gypsies vote for family members or to let people vote who couldn't physically be present on the day of the assembly.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

anles said:


> I think often racism is in the eye of the beholder and it's a card frequently used by certain groups. On reading this, the last thing that comes to my mind is that the reason for the shop assistant's refusal was the ethnic origin of the person who went in with an ipad with someone else's account on it and couldn't prove where they had obtained it. When I pass something on to someone else, I erase the information myself and show them how to use it, plus I give them the bill and original box. It's common sense. After all if someone finds or steals a device, they could just take it into the shop and get it working if the assistants were so accommodating!
> I have been running a rastrillo for the last four years and a couple of years ago we had a huge influx of gipsies. It's true that there are many people who are not happy, but it's not the fact that they are gipsies, but that they are the ones who won't integrate. The first year I had a lot of problems, I was even threatened because I told them to remove their cars. Everytime I had anything to say, I was accused of discrimination. It did slowly sink in though, that they were welcome to be a part of our market as long as they respected the rules and behaved like everyone else. The rules are the rules, but they seemed to think they were only for us "payos". They have their own rules and that's fine by me, but if they want to be a part of our association, then they have to comply with our rules. Now I have very few problems and they do end up conforming. The last minor hiccup was at our annual assembly and I had to explain seven times why the men couldn't vote for their women. The women are the members, but most of them didn't attend and their men expected to vote for them! Finally three of them went and fetched their women and the other four expressed their favour but refrained from voting. That's not descrimination it's applying the same rules to all, I also refused to let several non-gypsies vote for family members or to let people vote who couldn't physically be present on the day of the assembly.


Sorry but I disagree. Of course I erased everything before passing it on. I'm not stupid. I had the IPAD for three years or more and did not have the bill but I did give it him in a box. He wanted information at the shop, that's all. I simply do not believe that I or any other Northern European would have been treated in the same way.
You know, it's very easy for a white person to say that 'racism is in the eye of the beholder' or use that trite old phrase 'playing the race card'. Of course there are a few, very few individuals who use their race as an excuse for bad behaviour but I can assure you from years of case work that there are far too many incidents where black people are discriminated against and harassed in the workplace and on the street for no other reason than ethnicity.
So gypsies 'won't integrate'. Rather like some Brits in Spain and the world over, then
Interesting use of the word 'influx'. Would you use the expression thus, I wonder: 'Spain has seen an _influx _of British immigrants in the last ten years'. 
It's a word, comme les autres, but words have connotations, implicit meanings. 
I remember Mrs Thatcher complaining Britain had been 'swamped' by immigrants.
Tbh, those aren't terms I'd use.
Maybe it's in the eye of this beholder


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## Anciana (Jul 14, 2014)

Now, what's wrong with influx? 

Dictionary says: influx

1.
an arrival or entry of large numbers of people or things.
"a massive influx of tourists"
synonyms:	inundation, inrush, rush, stream, flood, incursion, ingress; More
2.
an inflow of water into a river, lake, or the sea.
"the lakes are fed by influxes of meltwater"
synonyms:	inflow, inrush, flood, inundation
"the lakes are fed by influxes of meltwater"


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Anciana said:


> Now, what's wrong with influx?
> 
> Dictionary says: influx
> 
> ...


Because of the way in which it's used by some politicians, nearly always in a pejorative sense.. Nothing wrong with the word in itself, as I said in my post.
Nothing either in the intention of the poster. But it's not a word I or some others might use in all instances.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Our, now ousted, alcalde (PP) dislikes Brits, to the point that if I, for example, say good morning to him (in Spanish of course) he will ignore me. 

On losing the election he walked out in a fit of pique "I'm not doing any handover!" Now this was just a few weeks before the annual cherry festival (now in full swing). So on taking over, the new crowd (PSOE) find nothing done, with the festival the following week. It has been one mad panic but it has been done and everything has been organised.


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> Our, now ousted, alcalde (PP) dislikes Brits, to the point that if I, for example, say good morning to him (in Spanish of course) he will ignore me.
> 
> On losing the election he walked out in a fit of pique "I'm not doing any handover!" Now this was just a few weeks before the annual cherry festival (now in full swing). *So on taking over, the new crowd (PSOE) find nothing done, with the festival the following week. * It has been one mad panic but it has been done and everything has been organised.


This seems to have happened in Castro Urdiales as well. Castro's quite the big town/small city and I can't even imagine how the woman who is in charge of the fiestas feels right now!





Regarding racism and sexism in Spain: 

*Sexism: *
I truly believe this is a generational thing. My husband's communist grandfather once told me to go sit with the women because the men were talking. I was so shocked, but I wasn't about to fight with a tough Basque guy in his mid-80s. The truth is that despite his verbalized beliefs on this issue, he would help out around the house if his wife was sick. He'd lower the _persianas_ before doing any housework though. 

My husband's parents' generation (mid 60s) seems to still be quite divided. Men work, women do housework. 

My "poor" husband, on the other hand, splits the chores with me pretty much 50/50. I would like him to take more initiative, but if I ask him to help he does. He's always in charge of cleaning the kitchen and the bathrooms, loading the dishwasher (he won't allow me to touch it since I "don't load it efficiently"), taking care of the lawn, and ironing. He also often deep cleans the kitchen with the _vaporeta_ he bought for himself. I think it's a man & gun/power tool thing.  We split the shopping, depending on who will be where when food is needed. I'm on modified bed rest right now, so he's picked up a ton of the slack. His mom offered to come over and clean our house but he said absolutely not. I see the vast majority of colleagues our age are in similar situations to DH and myself. 

I bring home the bacon and earn at least double, if not triple, what my husband earns each month. He told me that he had a hard time with this at first but he's gotten over it. I think some of it has to do with the fact that he's older than me, very well trained, and a government employee. He's frustrated that he only gets part time work whereas I don't stop. 

*Racism:*
I find Spain to be a terribly racist country. Words like "moro" and "sudaca" are thrown around with - what I find to be - shocking normality. Let's not remember that one of the most famous characters on a TV show here is referred to as "Machu Pichu". People pull their eyes to make themselves "appear Asian" and think nothing of it. People are very routinely judged or profiled by certain individuals or institutions simply due to their skin color & appearance. I had a colleague whose father was Chilean. He was here on a very prestigious grant and all his documents were in order. HE was frequently pulled aside at the local bus station and asked for papers simply due to his appearance. In seven years, I have NEVER been targeted for this sort of ID check. I'm the stereotypical guiri: blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale as pale can be. 

I have also received this sort of treatment in the _extranjería_ office. It's bologna. I once went in with some questions for the folks there. I only had half the form filled out and needed help. I fully planned on coming back another day. The woman asked me where I was from: "The US." I replied. "Oh, you're from a normal country, we can get this done today." I was totally taken aback. I have a friend from Peru who has to fight tooth and nail with extranjería to get anything done. 

It's not just "issues with political correctness"; I find many people in Spain to be very openly racist. I am *NOT* saying that every Spaniard is racist. However, the things that are said here in public by many individuals are shocking to me.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Our, now ousted, alcalde (PP) dislikes Brits, to the point that if I, for example, say good morning to him (in Spanish of course) he will ignore me.
> 
> On losing the election he walked out in a fit of pique "I'm not doing any handover!" Now this was just a few weeks before the annual cherry festival (now in full swing). So on taking over, the new crowd (PSOE) find nothing done, with the festival the following week. It has been one mad panic but it has been done and everything has been organised.


when our (re-elected by a landslide) mayor first took over 4 years ago there wasn't even a computer in the mayor's office!


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## Brangus (May 1, 2010)

elenetxu said:


> It's not just "issues with political correctness"; I find many people in Spain to be very openly racist. I am *NOT* saying that every Spaniard is racist. However, the things that are said here in public by many individuals are shocking to me.


At least they're not armed!


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> So gypsies 'won't integrate'. Rather like some Brits in Spain and the world over, then
> Interesting use of the word 'influx'. Would you use the expression thus, I wonder: 'Spain has seen an _influx _of British immigrants in the last ten years'.
> It's a word, comme les autres, but words have connotations, implicit meanings.
> I remember Mrs Thatcher complaining Britain had been 'swamped' by immigrants.
> ...


It certainly is. In a post sent after this one, someone kindly explains the meaning of influx with several examples of its use. I certainly do use influx to describe the tourists in August, the amount of British people who came looking to buy properties between 2002 and 2008, the Dutch and Germans who have been coming for the past two or three years. I guess it's the PC gone mad attitude of the UK, which I have obviously not lived with, which causes me to find it so odd. 
I'm not saying Spain isn't a racist society, it is. I totally agree with a further post by Elenetxu. I can't say, though, if more so than the UK. My sons have been living and working there for the past two years, and some of the things they have encountered are pretty unbelievable and a very common occurance. I have lived here almost all my life and have always said there is a double standard regarding immigrants. But that also happens in the UK. One evening when my boys were going home from a pub, a big group of lads surrounded them in a threatening attitude asking if they were Polish as they heard them speking a foreign language; when they said they were Spanish, everyone starting clapping them on the back saying, Olé, San Miguel, fiesta and tried to invite them for a drink.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

anles said:


> It certainly is. In a post sent after this one, someone kindly explains the meaning of influx with several examples of its use. I certainly do use influx to describe the tourists in August, the amount of British people who came looking to buy properties between 2002 and 2008, the Dutch and Germans who have been coming for the past two or three years. I guess it's the PC gone mad attitude of the UK, which I have obviously not lived with, which causes me to find it so odd.
> I'm not saying Spain isn't a racist society, it is. I totally agree with a further post by Elenetxu. I can't say, though, if more so than the UK. My sons have been living and working there for the past two years, and some of the things they have encountered are pretty unbelievable and a very common occurance. I have lived here almost all my life and have always said there is a double standard regarding immigrants. But that also happens in the UK. One evening when my boys were going home from a pub, a big group of lads surrounded them in a threatening attitude asking if they were Polish as they heard them speking a foreign language; when they said they were Spanish, everyone starting clapping them on the back saying, Olé, San Miguel, fiesta and tried to invite them for a drink.


Yes, racism is universal. As are miscogeny (spelling?), homophobia and other instances of intolerance. Another thing that is very common are comments that in the UK 'PC culture has 'gone mad'. I'm never sure how this statement can or cannot be disproved therefore it must rest entirely in the mind of the beholder, I'm afraid.
I once read a book by once sane but now off the edge columnist Melanie Philips in which she listed several cases of this 'PC gone mad', most of them needless to say from the bigots' favourite rag, the DM. I took the time and trouble to research these claim s and not a single one had basis in fact.
Of course there are a few daft people who push 'equality' to the lengths of absurdity. But there are equally very many men, white people, heterosexuals and so on whose self-esteem must be so fragile that they feel the need to denigrate or attack those who support basic tolerance and equality for all, regardless of skin colour, gender, sexual orientation or any other irrelevant 'difference'.
But none of this is relevant to the fact that a dark-skinned, well-dressed man, bearing a used IPod, wiped, in a clean new box, was treated differently than you or I would have been. There is an assumption there that white women don't steal whereas there is always the possibility that those with skin of a darker hue might. I don't give a damn whether anyone thinks that's excessively 'PC' , I find it sad and hurtful that a friend of mine or indeed anyone should be treated in this way in Spain or any country in the world.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Brangus said:


> At least they're not armed!


Oh yes they are!


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