American thinking of moving to Australia (living, activities, population)

[Spindle]

I believe Queensland will be the best place for me. I have enough points to qualify for a visa. I need to get my skill assessed.

Thanks for posting!

just be warned: you wont get turned away for a job or anything based on your race, but you may encounter the occassional "white trash" type making a comment.
On the flip side, african girls are a bit of rarity in Brisbane so if you go to clubs, you'll get hit on alot because you'll be seen as exotic (if you're into that).

[Jonotastic]

Any of the large cities you will be fine. However, I wouldn't recommend Perth because I noticed a lot of tension between the natives and "white" Australians. I lived on the Gold Coast, which is a short drive from Brisbane. Either city is nice, but the weather and housing varies greatly between the two. Melbourne is more of a urban environment where Brisbane is more of a suburban environment.

[My2cs]

I am an African who has lived in Australia for the past 12 or so years. Australians are racist to the extent that they don't even recognise their racism. A good case in point is the argument over a sporting stadium in Toowoomba, Queensland called 'N****r Brown Stadium'. Yep. The guy that has been campaigning to get the local council to change the name has been through the wars: death threats against him and his family, and all that. Even the Australian Federal Court refused to accept that there was anything wrong with the name. In Australia, racism permeates most subtly (sometimes overtly) into every aspect of your daily life: employment, education, media, entertainment, politics...even while doing your weekly shopping at your local supermarket. Australians, in general, are backward in their perceptions of and attitudes towards people of non-anglo origin. I mean, just recently, a popular variety tv show (called, 'Hey Hey it's Saturday') featured an act in which the participants wore Blackface...you know, like Al Jolson (sp?) did way back in the 40 or 50s when that kind of ignorant insensitivity towards Black people was mainstream and popular? Well that kind of ignorant insensitivity is still standard operational procedure here 'down under'. When singer/actor, Harry Connick (sp?) Jr disapproved of the act and gave it a score of '0' (in his capacity as one of the judges in this particular installment of the show), his management became worried due to the threats he received as a result. He honoured a few more commitments and then quickly left. That, in my fairly long experience, is the calibre of the people you have here in general. Most entertainers from the US have noticed and commented on the underlying racist attitude in Australia: Lawrence Fishburne, Casey Affleck...to name but two. I could on but really, just do some cursory research of your own and see for yourself. I wouldn't recommend a Black person migrating here from the United States. You'd be jumping out of the frying pan, and into the fire. I'm frantically trying to get out!

[Kangaroofarmer]

[quote=My2cs;11426197]I am an African who has lived in Australia for the past 12 or so years. Australians are racist to the extent that they don't even recognise their racism. A good case in point is the argument over a sporting stadium in Toowoomba, Queensland called 'N****r Brown Stadium'. Yep. The guy that has been campaigning to get the local council to change the name has been through the wars: death threats against him and his family, and all that. Even the Australian Federal Court refused to accept that there was anything wrong with the name. In Australia, racism permeates most subtly (sometimes overtly) into every aspect of your daily life: employment, education, media, entertainment, politics...even while doing your weekly shopping at your local supermarket. Australians, in general, are backward in their perceptions of and attitudes towards people of non-anglo origin. I mean, just recently, a popular variety tv show (called, 'Hey Hey it's Saturday') featured an act in which the participants wore Blackface...you know, like Al Jolson (sp?) did way back in the 40 or 50s when that kind of ignorant insensitivity towards Black people was mainstream and popular? Well that kind of ignorant insensitivity is still standard operational procedure here 'down under'. When singer/actor, Harry Connick (sp?) Jr disapproved of the act and gave it a score of '0' (in his capacity as one of the judges in this particular installment of the show), his management became worried due to the threats he received as a result. He honoured a few more commitments and then quickly left. That, in my fairly long experience, is the calibre of the people you have here in general. Most entertainers from the US have noticed and commented on the underlying racist attitude in Australia: Lawrence Fishburne, Casey Affleck...to name but two. I could on but really, just do some cursory research of your own and see for yourself. I wouldn't recommend a Black person migrating here from the United States. You'd be jumping out of the frying pan, and into the fire. I'm frantically trying to get out![/quote


BTW, It's the E.S "******" Brown Stand at the Clive Berhofer Stadium.

Granted! They could have just called it the "Edward Stanley Brown" Stand, but exactly how is it racist? When it's part of someone's real name and honours the memory, of an important member of a football (Rugby, in this case) team!

[Spindle]

Australians, in general, are backward in their perceptions of and attitudes towards people of non-anglo origin. I mean, just recently, a popular variety tv show (called, 'Hey Hey it's Saturday') featured an act in which the participants wore Blackface...you know, like Al Jolson (sp?) did way back in the 40 or 50s when that kind of ignorant insensitivity towards Black people was mainstream and popular? Well that kind of ignorant insensitivity is still standard operational procedure here 'down under'. When singer/actor, Harry Connick (sp?) Jr disapproved of the act and gave it a score of '0' (in his capacity as one of the judges in this particular installment of the show), his management became worried due to the threats he received as a result. He honoured a few more commitments and then quickly left. That, in my fairly long experience, is the calibre of the people you have here in general.

Interesting post, though on a side note, I think some of the backlash was because it was seen as a bit of enchroaching Americanism, something many Australians oppose - at least, some of the opinions I heard were geared that way. The negative association of blackface is a part of American history and isn't taught in Australia so many Australians couldn't distinguish between a white person (there was only one full-blooded anglo person in that group, though) putting on black paint to look black and a black person putting on white paint to look white. Take for example the word "Kaffir." I have seen the word used many times even on this forum in the religious section (describing a non-believer), but during apartheid south africa, it was used in a derogratory way against the blacks similar to the "N word." I mean, in Australia it is regarded as social taboo to pull the skin around your eyes sideways to mock those of east-asian ethnicity but it's quite common in American media. That said, I thought Harry Connick Jr handled the incident well and yes, the original poster should be aware of these sorts of things.

[Kangaroofarmer]

Originally Posted by Spindle

On a side note, I think some of the backlash was because it was seen as a bit of enchroaching Americanism, something many Australians oppose. The negative association of blackface is a part of American history and isn't taught in Australia so many Australians couldn't distinguish between a white person (there was only one full-blooded anglo person in that group, though) putting on black paint to look black and a black person putting on white paint to look white. Take for example the word "Kaffir." I have seen the word used many times even on this forum in the religious section (describing a non-believer), but during apartheid south africa, it was used in a derogratory way against the blacks similar to the "N word." I mean, in Australia it is regarded as social taboo to pull the skin around your eyes sideways to mock those of east-asian ethnicity but it's quite common in American media. That said, yes, the original poster should be aware of these sorts of things.

^This is the problem. As Spindle mentioned, Australian's have a different set of cultural taboo's. We know not to do the 'slanted eyes' in regards to Asians, or to mock traditional Aboriginal dances, but we don't have the same knowledge of "blackface", so it isn't really part of our set of taboos - That dosen't mean that it's right of course, but it dosen't mean that it's wrong either - It's just a different undertanding of things.

It's a little unfair for Americans to critisise Australians for racism, when there's a number of racist things that are accepted in American culture, that Australians might find as being ignorant or insensitive, but we don't feel the need to speak out about it!

[minibrings]

Originally Posted by Kangaroofarmer

It's a little unfair for Americans to critisise Australians for racism, when there's a number of racist things, that are accepted in American culture, that Australians might find as being ignorant or insensitive, but we don't feel the need to speak out about it!

Excellent point 'roo man. I always laugh when Americans call Aussies racist.. when they aren't able to decipher that its not necessarily racism, its a different culture (despite some similarities). And what was that expression "pot calling the kettle black".. anyone that says racism does not exist in America must be smoking something..

[mukwamauta]

To the original poster, my2cs is right on the mark. If you go to Australia, on top of dealing with racial issues, you will also encounter strong Anti-American sentiment ( e.g. Google the term "seppo") and comments. Do a search on this forum. I think it is a case of major inferiority complex, ignorance, and jealousy all coupled with tall poppy syndrome. After all, if Australia were attacked and somehow could not defend herself, I know they would run to Uncle Sam and call themselves America's biggest ally. They are a very small country population wise. I think Florida's or Texas' economy is bigger or about the same. I always laugh when Australians go into denial mode(a classic way of avoiding the issue and keeping the status quo) about racism. Some will call it a different "culture", twist the topic, say racism also exists elsewhere (as though that makes it right) etc. BUT "never admit" seems to be the national motto. America may be racist but for the average person of color, America is better. It is not even close. I prefer "politically correct" America to an Australia where non-PC is increasingly used as an excuse for racial supremacy.

[Spindle]

It's a little unfair for Americans to critisise Australians for racism, when there's a number of racist things that are accepted in American culture, that Australians might find as being ignorant or insensitive, but we don't feel the need to speak out about it!

I don't have a problem with American's criticising Australians of racism and it's certainly valuable having an opinion such as My2cs' as he/she will see it from an african-american perspective which the original poster will most likely relate best to. I can certainly understand why the Aboriginal lawyer wanted to take down the sign of the stadium. I also don't think Americans deny there isn't racism in America, either - just go to the politics section of this forum and there's a handful of threads on it already. I just think the whole blackface incident was a cultural faux-pas.

If you go to Australia, on top of dealing of with racial issues, you will also encounter strong Anti-American sentiment

lol. You'll get that whether you go to Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany, England, France, China, etc.

I always laugh when Australians go into denial mode(a classic way of avoiding the issue and keeping the status quo) about racism. Some will call it a different "culture", twist the topic, say racism also exists elsewhere (as though that makes it right) etc. BUT "never admit" seems to be the national motto.

that's a pretty universal trait. I noticed when living in the US that Americans don't like otuside criticisms of America just as much as any other person

[TrueDat]

As an African-American who has travelled to Australia several times (but never lived there) with no problems, I don't doubt there may be a level of insensitivity in media images of Africans and African-Americans and strange reactions from some locals that might put off many Americans. But I've heard equally troubling stories from Africans/African-Americans traveling in China, Japan, and Europe as well -- but that necessarily wouldn't stop me from visiting, or perhaps even living there, if the opportunity arose. Just look at what happened in "sophisticated" France in a recent edition of French Vogue in which a Dutch model appeared in blackface.

Is French Vogue's blackface shoot outrageous?

But few think that all French people are racist but, when something similar happens in Oz, it seems it's easier to paint all Aussies as racist. I'm not dismissing the poster who had negative experiences; he/she has lived in the country for more than a decade so his/her experience trumps mine. But, for the original poster, I wouldn't let that stop you from exploring the possibility. Do you have a job lined up and enough funds saved to survive the transition? These days, that would be more of a worry for me than potential racism. In any case, if you can go down for 2-3 weeks to get at least get a taste of what it's like there, that would be highly recommended.