Carol,

Well I certainly agree with you about colonial arrogance playing a part, this experience is also bisected by skin color. For example, no one in the UK knows that your Irish until you open your mouth, say your name, or do some other cultural signifier that lets them know you are not part of the ‘in group.’ people who are otherized by the color of their skin don’t have access to that benefit of the doubt, no matter how minimal that benefit may be.

Black women who travel throughout Italy and other areas where there is a high population of migrant refugees are often mistaken for prostitutes because of the color of their skin. It is often assumed that they do not have the money to shop in stores and so they have entered a store for the purpose of stealing. These assumptions are not something that white women don’t have to deal with when traveling at home or abroad.

I’m glad you’re engaging with the article as it applies to your own context, but please don’t use that context to erase the validity of my life and experiences.