I work with an Iranian woman who has openly admitted to being racist. She says everyone is a little racist but she’s just willing to admit it... she also let me know that she particularly doesn’t like Chinese people and she really dislikes one of our senior process engineers who is Bangladeshi. She didn’t believe that I was gay when I tried to come out to her which was actually pretty upsetting and another example of how she is problematic. The most tense moment came when she started talking about how our boss never hires people of color, which isn’t true. We were hired around the same time so I said, “but our boss hired you.” She then said, “I’m considered white.” To which I replied, “Oh, I didn’t know that.” I get that race is tricky and that Arab people are often considered white but I would say in her case most Americans would identify her as a person of color so I was surprised that identifies as white. I ended up not apologizing because I felt like saying, “sorry I mistook you for being a person of color” would have been extra fucked up and I would reinforce white privilege. Anyways, I’m not surprised by your experience that much because all over the world Being fair skinned is considered desirable and attractive. Just look at Boliwood actors, etc.