Visual Discrimination

KTRIC · 17-09-2007 11:01AM #1

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced visual discrimination (just coined that term

) at any point. Someone judging you on the way you look or dress?

I've a fairly good job (earning €50k upwards, not bragging just trying to set the picture) and working in IT. I'm a big guy and have shaved short hair and more than a few piercings.
I noticed that I'm treated differently when I go into a shop or a public place depending on what I'm wearing. Sometimes I wear a suit to work and on the way home when I'm shopping etc I get treated with more respect from people, but when I dress casually I get followed by cops and hassled by old people etc :mad:

I grew up in Dublin where I found this was very apparent but I'm now living in Munich where it’s just as bad.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 17-09-2007 11:03AM

KTRIC wrote:

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced visual discrimination (just coined that term ) at any point. Someone judging you on the way you look or dress?

I've a fairly good job (earning €50k upwards, not bragging just trying to set the picture) and working in IT. I'm a big guy and have shaved short hair and more than a few piercings.
I noticed that I'm treated differently when I go into a shop or a public place depending on what I'm wearing. Sometimes I wear a suit to work and on the way home when I'm shopping etc I get treated with more respect from people, but when I dress casually I get followed by cops and hassled by old people etc :mad:

I grew up in Dublin where I found this was very apparent but I'm now living in Munich where it’s just as bad.

Weird looking people will always be judged like that.

Rob_l · 17-09-2007 11:03AM

KTRIC wrote:

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced visual discrimination (just coined that term ) at any point. Someone judging you on the way you look or dress?

I've a fairly good job (earning €50k upwards, not bragging just trying to set the picture) and working in IT. I'm a big guy and have shaved short hair and more than a few piercings.
I noticed that I'm treated differently when I go into a shop or a public place depending on what I'm wearing. Sometimes I wear a suit to work and on the way home when I'm shopping etc I get treated with more respect from people, but when I dress casually I get followed by cops and hassled by old people etc :mad:

I grew up in Dublin where I found this was very apparent but I'm now living in Munich where it’s just as bad.

I would say get a haircut hippie but you say its shaved already.

KTRIC · 17-09-2007 11:05AM

Rob_l wrote:

I would say get a haircut hippie but you say its shaved already.

I cut off my flowing blond locks last year (much to my gf's protest) it was just as bad with them to be honest.

Rob_l · 17-09-2007 11:06AM

KTRIC wrote:

I cut off my flowing blond locks last year (much to my gf's protest) it was just as bad with them to be honest.

i used to have a shaved head a time ago and I did notice a different reaction from people
Bouncers on doors in particular took exception to me

now no one cares about me though:mad:

I wish they still looked at me with a mixture of fear and hatred

giveth · 17-09-2007 11:08AM

You live in Germany. Everyone gets treated like scum in shops in Germany in my experience!

big b · 17-09-2007 11:09AM

People react to the way that you choose to present yourself to the world?

Shocking. Discrimination, no doubt.

Terry · 17-09-2007 11:23AM

I've been given funny looks all my life.
I don't let it bother me any more.

If someone wants to judge me on how I look, then so be it.

The way I see it is that everyone has their flaws. If someone has a problem with how I look, then that's exactly what it is; their problem.

Dave! · 17-09-2007 11:26AM

I don't get funny looks. But then, I'm normal.

zuutroy · 17-09-2007 11:29AM

I honestly dont care either. I'm sure people find it odd to see someone who's nearly 30, 4 weeks unshaven walking around in baseball jerseys, tsbs and runners but its comfortable, and I'm long past caring.

dlofnep · 17-09-2007 11:32AM

DaveMcG wrote:

I don't get funny looks. But then, I'm normal.

:rolleyes:

Doctor DooM · 17-09-2007 11:34AM

When I am in a shirt and tie I get called Sir in shops and treated very well.

If I am in casual gear I get followed by security guards.

Seems all the shoplifters of Dublin need to figure out is to wear a shirt and tie and they'll be minted!

seamus · 17-09-2007 11:35AM

Discrimination is only wrong when the person is being discriminated against for something which cannot be changed, e.g. physical disability or skin colour. If someone is dressed like a tinker, then I've no problem with them being treated like a tinker.

People giving you odd looks for the way you dress/appear is your own problem. If you don't like them staring, change the way you appear

I've shaved short hair and a few piercings, and I get no grief anywhere.

Miguel_Sanchez · 17-09-2007 11:39AM

People think I'm smarter than I am because I wear glasses most of the time.

'Here you'll know this' followed by random question that I really know nothing about.

Doctor DooM · 17-09-2007 11:40AM

seamus wrote:

Discrimination is only wrong when the person is being discriminated against for something which cannot be changed, e.g. physical disability or skin colour. If someone is dressed like a tinker, then I've no problem with them being treated like a tinker.

People giving you odd looks for the way you dress/appear is your own problem. If you don't like them staring, change the way you appear

I've shaved short hair and a few piercings, and I get no grief anywhere.

I think my point is more that the people who do this are rather silly to do so.

In my distant past as a retailer I was constantly amazed which customers would unroll a wad of 100 pound notes and have your typical Skangbanger look and be perfectly pleasant, and how tight and nasty the 40 year old business men could be. That certainly learned me not to judge on appearance!

TPD · 17-09-2007 12:12PM

SDooM wrote:

That certainly taught me not to judge on appearance!

1 Character

6th · 17-09-2007 12:17PM

I get it all the time, wimmin smiling at me, the gays winkin' .... its a disgrace!

monkeyfudge · 17-09-2007 12:26PM

A few years back a friend of mine and his mates went dressed up in all their heavy metal gear into the bar at the Westbury Hotel... not a single problem at all... The next night they went into Bruxelles dress in business suits and were hassled all evening...

Personally I hate the way people think I'm either some sort of hippy or really into metal music just because I have long hair...

Anto McC · 17-09-2007 12:32PM

Happened me only recently when i went into a shop, the woman behind the counter just looked at me and without me even opening my mouth, she told me she was calling the gaurds :rolleyes:

Granted i was naked with the exception of one sock and a lampshade on my head but still.

Schism · 17-09-2007 12:49PM

Ye I got looks about the place aswell sometimes just because of the t-shirt I have on but I also get looks if I'm dressed sharply. I think people like to dimiss other people as one thing or another, I even do it. (fckin skangers)

Doctor DooM · 17-09-2007 12:54PM

TPD wrote:

That certainly taught me not to judge on appearance!

I used a colloquialism, so sue me.

Doctor DooM · 17-09-2007 12:56PM

Anto McC wrote:

Happened me only recently when i went into a shop, the woman behind the counter just looked at me and without me even opening my mouth, she told me she was calling the gaurds :rolleyes:

Granted i was naked with the exception of one sock and a lampshade on my head but still.

I think I see your problem here, you should always smile and say hello when you enter a shop!

Dave! · 17-09-2007 01:17PM

6th wrote:

I get it all the time, wimmin smiling at me, the gays winkin' .... its a disgrace!

It's cos of that seksee beard!

layke · 17-09-2007 01:33PM

Terry wrote:

I've been given funny looks all my life.
I don't let it bother me any more.

If someone wants to judge me on how I look, then so be it.

The way I see it is that everyone has their flaws. If someone has a problem with how I look, then that's exactly what it is; their problem.

It doesn't help that you're a bald siamese midget.

faceman · 17-09-2007 01:37PM

KTRIC wrote:

...but when I dress casually I get followed by cops and hassled by old people etc :mad:

ok so we can all relate to your post however this bit made me laugh.

Ive never been followed by the cops due to my dress sense and would worry if you were!! However you *look* dodgy enough to be followed by the cops but not scary enough that old people will hassle you!!

i remember when i started college about 10 years ago a few of us had a pint in a pub in ballyfermot after the first day ended. some old geezer took exception to "students" visitin in his local at 5pm on a tuesday evening. He got up and moved but was very vocal about it. And I quote:

"look at yiz, with your short jackets and your hair cuts. You go down to that college to learn bingo calling. Bingo calling im tellin ya. Yiz...yiz... p****s!"

no joke! I was in stitches!!

Wook · 17-09-2007 03:13PM

whats the point of piercings and the shaves head if nobody would look at you ?

Leon11 · 17-09-2007 03:14PM

SDooM wrote:

I think my point is more that the people who do this are rather silly to do so.

In my distant past as a retailer I was constantly amazed which customers would unroll a wad of 100 pound notes and have your typical Skangbanger look and be perfectly pleasant, and how tight and nasty the 40 year old business men could be. That certainly learned me not to judge on appearance!

qft

Lucas10101 · 17-09-2007 03:21PM

Wook wrote:

whats the point of piercings and the shaves head if nobody would look at you ?

Good point, only that they want people to look at them the way they see themselves in the mirror.

Zzippy · 17-09-2007 03:36PM

I hate when I go to the bar and I'm queueing for a drink, and when its my turn the barman acts like I'm invisible and serves the gorgeous scantily-dressed girl with come-to-bed eyes behind me

/damn wimmins!

John Mason · 17-09-2007 03:43PM

yeah, when i had my head shaved, people wont sit beside me on the bus and i would get followed around shops. now i just wear my jammies everywhere so i can blend right in

cornbb · 17-09-2007 03:47PM

I have long hair and live in Galway so people assume I'm a crustie or a waster. So not true :mad:

Visual Discrimination

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