I don't know about you, but I am certainly uncomfortable (in a way that would probably manifest with loss of eye contact, fidgeting, closed/protective body lang

I don't know about you, but I am certainly uncomfortable (in a way that would probably manifest with loss of eye contact, fidgeting, closed/protective body language etc.) standing up while talking to someone who is sitting down (at least at chair height, probably not on a bar stool). Doesn't matter if it's a stranger or my best friend, though a stranger (especially one with stereotype threat) would presumably take more offense.