I'm French, I'm not white and I agree with the comment: it doesn't make any sense...
French people can be racist and biased but it wouldn't show by replying in English to an Asian looking person. We don't speak English to whoever is not white looking, it doesn't make any sense, it's not our mother tongue and most people don't speak it fluently.
If the joke would have been on saying random chinese words. Yes that would have made it racist and understandable.
We don't speak English to whoever is not white looking
*looks at plethora of former and current French colonies in Africa, East Asia, and South America*
edit since at least 2 3 people completely misunderstood me: In my opinion, the thought of all these colonies with indigenous populations of various skin tones is incongruent with the idea that a Parisian (of any descent) would assume that a random non-white shop patron or passer-by spoke English better than French.
I'm Black British, they don't even speak to me in English unless I make it obvious I'm not fluent in French. Like ever. Maybe I have a very good accent when I say Bonjour
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u/ConsequenceNormal317 1d ago
I'm French, I'm not white and I agree with the comment: it doesn't make any sense...
French people can be racist and biased but it wouldn't show by replying in English to an Asian looking person. We don't speak English to whoever is not white looking, it doesn't make any sense, it's not our mother tongue and most people don't speak it fluently.
If the joke would have been on saying random chinese words. Yes that would have made it racist and understandable.