Most racism and sexism appears mildly offensive to those who are racist and sexist. If you watch a non-US television station with subtitles (or if you understa

Most racism and sexism appears mildly offensive to those who are racist and sexist. If you watch a non-US television station with subtitles (or if you understand the language), you may be very surprised to see the amount of racism and sexism (depending on the country) that occurs regularly. It's easier to see it when it's outside of our own culture. It's often very hard to see the significance when it's coming from the people that we identify with. I was not at the JavaOne talk but the statement made is clear. I understand why these statements can be made. If a technical person is boring and goes on enough dates, it is easier to blame the opposite sex rather than blaming himself or herself. If a person is comparing women to space aliens, that probably says it all. It's easier to say that 'they' are space aliens rather than admitting that dating makes him feel like a space alien. He could have easily made his point without reference to a space alien. He could have said: explain it to a nontechnical person or explain it to a child. These points become more clear, if we focus on the point on hand and the best way to express it in a non-offensive way.