Sorry, but I disagree. Racial oppression in general isn’t a requirement for being victimized by racism.Example: I’m white, I moved to a new city some years ago, an hispanic nightclub was down the street from me. I got dressed up, I speak Spanish, I love the culture, the music, the people, – and I was denied entry at the door. “All full! You can’t come in!” I was told by a smiling, nervous woman. As I left I turned and saw the line of Hispanic patrons who had been behind me – going into the club. I went back, asked the woman why if the club was full, and she shrugged and went inside. THAT was racism.

In the public mind racism seems to cause a pre-eminent outrage. My suspicion is that it is related to the historical wrongs of slavery, which though widely practiced throughout history and by all races on all other races, was disproportionately practised by whites on blacks – at least as far as numbers and perception are concerned.

Also it is not possible to easily conceal your difference if your skin colour is different, whereas “invisible” difference – for instance sexuality.

It is a kind of fashion, where the benefits of victimhood, whether financial or psychological fluctuate with the vigour with which the victims pursue their cause.

Self induced sensitivity as is clearly on show from the current author lends itself to the “Just get over it!” epithet, which is all very well if you are not bothered by it personally, but if it is an itch under your skin, it just has to be scratched.

Blacks tend not to be enslaved. Gays tend not to be prosecuted and executed – at least in Europe these days.

If Rosa Parks hadn’t been sufficiently upset to not want to sit at the back of the bus, if the Stonewall rioters had not been sufficiently irritated at being mistreated by the police, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Perhaps the super sensitivity of Sharon Pian Chan serves its modern day purpose of progressing equality.

Of course once equality is achieved, we’ll all be back to wanting to be different from or better than the person next to us. Human nature I’m afraid.

No, it is not racist since white people are not racially oppressed. White people (even when gay and/or German) cannot be victims of racism. They can be victim of homophobia or they can feel offended in their national pride. But they cannot be victims of racism, since white people are not racially oppressed.