While studying at a local coffee shop minding my own business, the following incident occurred.
Random guy: You seem exotic and different this is a good advantage you have.
Random guy: for me to take out on a date
Me: In another word, you find me attractive because I donāt really look like what my ethnicity leads you to believe I should look like?
Random guy: No, I mean you look different
Me: you used the word exotic, did you know
Exotic, in its most basic form, means to belong from somewhere else, stemming from the Greek exotikos (āfrom the outsideā).
Me: exotics for me has a racist connotation, you are safely labelling me as inferior, non-native and distantā¦
Random guy: āHm ⦠Well I meant it with a positive connotation, should have checked the history firstā¦How about I buy you dinner and we further discuss thisā¦
Me: No, Thank you. Because at the end of the day, exotic means a foreign fruit, a bird, the last time I checked Iām a person. Iām person that is to be treated with dignity and respect. You can go have dinner with a exotic fruit or bird.
Random guy: you didnāt have to be rude about itā¦
Me: Iām not rude, Iām simply educating your privilege a dominate culture on this geographical area. Last time checked you approached meā¦
Moral of the story, donāt use the term exotic unless you mean fruits or birds or other animals⦠Not a person..