This is the first line in an ad in the China Post today. My first reaction should have been :shock: , but I guess since I’ve been here long enough it was . Now this is something that would never fly back home, but someone thought it was ok to do here.
How do you guys feel about this kind of stuff?
A. What can you say, you’re in Taiwan now.
B. Those racist bastards! :x
C. Isn’t it nice of them to let me know that Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, etc. can’t work there before I walk in the door.
Luck of birth my man, seriously though you should apply there just for spite. Then get all in their face about some silly thing. Threaten to call the FAP or do some other silly thing. People like this need to be messed with.
To your questions:
A. Yes you are, welcome to Taiwan.
B. They are but would never admit it and would deny vehemently any suggestion that they are/were, instead saying that’s how things are with their twisted logic.
C. Saves you time hoping for a job you’ll never get. Honesty like this only comes from friends and people who really hate you.
D. Ditto
When dealing with this much entrenched reinforced stupidity, you just have to take it day by day. I try not to let it get to me, but it does. For something like this, it must be worse for you. Things are changing if ever so slowly. The girl I’m dating says strange illogical things to me that she hears in the media. It kind of makes me glad that I can’t speak or read Chinese well enough like Turton says on his website.
I liked the Mr. T version of Tealit. How did you do that?
Ignorant bastards. Thanks for pointing that out Miltown, I’m going to go buy a copy so I can call and give them shit. Taiwan just recently passed a law that theoretically bans gender discrimination in employment, but as you pointed out they’ve still got a long way to go.
I don’t see how you can call it racist. The ad doesn’t say that non-Caucasian candidates won’t be considered. I suppose the word “Caucasian” will be un-PC to even mention one day. Get a grip people!
Funny, monkey. Blueface, I never suggested they were stupid or developmentally disabled – I said ignorant, as in lacking knowledge. And, having just gotten off the phone with the lady I stand by that.
The job is teaching kindergarten/elementary school kids in Tamshui. After I told the lady I wished to apply for the job, she asked where I’m from, how long I’ve been in Taiwan, if I taught kids before. Apparently I passed the first test because she scheduled an interview. I then said “oh, one other thing. The ad says caucasian but my parents are mexican and I have dark skin, would that be a problem?” No, no problem she says, just come on in for the interview.
I think when she put caucasian in the ad she meant native-English speaker, in the same way some locals refer to all foreigners as americans out of ignorance. Maybe she only wished to discriminate against non-native English speakers. Living in mono-ethnic Taiwan she just lacks the understanding or vocabulary to put it better. I could be wrong – maybe if I show up and my skin is too dark she won’t hire me. But in any event I won’t show up for my interview.
Anyone who wants to speak with the lady, Silvia Tsai, should give her a call at 8631-0855.
That’s my point – they’re not genders. As far as I know Taiwan law only prohibits employment discrimination based on gender. Discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, etc., are all perfectly legal here.
I disagree with Soddom that "anti-discrimination laws don
Surely this isn’t the first time you’ve seen this kind of thing Miltownkid.
There’s descrimination based on age, sex and race every day. You should highlight the others too. A quick look today’s China Post online classifieds revealed 3 positions that descriminate based on sex and the two that descriminate on age.
How about us poor Aussies who at times can’t even pass the phone interview because of our accent.
I didn’t mean to imply that the laws shouldn’t exist, but the Taiwanese don’t seem to have much faith or understanding that there are laws in place here to protect them.
Construction noise is a big issue here that people should report because there are laws governing the times when construction can take place in residential areas; but how few do? Likewise, two Taiwanese personal friends of mine were abused by their employers but tolerated it because they thought they had no protection as part-time workers. After calling the labour ministry, we found it more than willing to take action.
Unless people are prepared to fight back, the laws aren’t much use. I find many Taiwanese have a kind of put-up-and-shut-up mentality.
It’s strange though. I’ve always associated caucasain with white guy, but I guess the definition has changed over time. Some googeling has opened my eyes (again) to all of the confusion surronding racial issues.
I am not shocked by these things because I spent 6 months looking for a job and got turned down at the last minute by each school despite my resume that screams experience and qualification once they learned of my ethnicity. IACC was one of them. They’re pretty notorious for not only putting out ads like this, but actually being serious about the “caucasians only” part as well.
But Imani, would you want to work for IACC? I did and I think you’re too good for them!
Of course this sort of crap is offensive, but on the other hand I’ve just spent some time job hunting again and been really infuriated at how much time I have wasted with people that either wouldn’t hire me or I wouldn’t work for.
I wouldn’t even be in Taiwan if IACC had been honest with me (and the school they wanted to send me to) in the first place. As it was I arrived for the ‘confirmation interview’ at a job for which I was ‘pre-approved’ to be greeted with absolute horror: “Oh my god! He’s got long hair.” And I left a job to fly here for this?
If people are up-front about their expectations then we can do a bit of screening of our own to avoid wasting our time pursuing jerks that we would never be able to have a good working relationship with. If an employer is stupid, racist, bigoted, just using you for PR, dishonest, or one of a hundred other negative things then that’s their problem.
Personally I don’t reply any more to ads that don’t tell me enough about the job to make it sound attractive. I’ve been very selective, and now have more well-paid work for reasonable people than I can really handle. Let those other fuckers wither and die for lack of teachers.
. Now this is something that would never fly back home, but someone thought it was ok to do here.