This is a snapshot of an article in Diversity Inc...I can't believe people actually said such things to these people!

Here are our readers' unedited reports of "compliments" they have received:

The two off-handed compliments that I received, which left me utterly dumbfounded/stupefied, were as follows:
1.  You sure are articulate for a Black person.
2.  You hair is really long and pretty.  Is it yours?  I didn't know Black people could grow hair. 
--Adrienne Sims

My message if for my daughter's "compliments". My daughter is Korean and has lived in the U.S. since she's 5 months old.  Invariably people listen to her speaking excellent English, and blurt out, "Oh, you speak English!"  The other double "compliment" she receives because we are also Jewish, is, "Jewish AND Asian, no wonder you are smart!"
--Linda Amendt

On revealing that I am a person with a disability I was told "wow, you don't even look like there's anything wrong with you"--Janet Fiore"You have green eyes and light skin...so are you ALL Black?""I'm going to Florida on vacation.  Hopefully when I come back, I'll be as dark as you.""You don't look like MOST Black people."--Tracy DenmarkI have been told by many people "You are too pretty to be a lesbian." While it seems nice on the outside, are they implying that all lesbians are ugly?--Stephanie TrevinoI think the most offensive compliment I ever heard was, "For a gay guy, you sure do a lot of work." At the time, my job consisted mostly of heavy lifting. Were they trying to imply that as a gay man, I shouldn't be able to lift so much? Or did they mean that I should've been sitting around gossiping? They never could explain what they meant.--Ray MatyjasikThe most offensive compliment I received was during an internship in Springfield, Illinois.  A fellow intern told me that I should be really thankful for Lincoln because if it wasn't for him "my internship would be in a field!"--Ashanti FilesOne comment I will never forget, is the time a woman of African heritage said: "Because whites don't usually connect themselves to an ethnic group they have no concept of others who want to celebrate and embrace their heritage or ethnic background. Thanks for allowing me to share!" As a proud descendant of Irish and French immigrants, I was flabbergasted this woman had no idea that White people are just as connected to their heritages as any other group of people. The bigger affront, though, was her complimentary "Thanks for allowing me to share!" comment, as she assumed I would simply accept her thanks, and not be offended by her ignorance of my heritage and the extent of my connection to it.--J HarryThe most offensive compliment that I have received is being called a "Squaw".  Being a Native American, when someone uses that word it makes me cringe.  My elders have a story -That the White man made this word and it is to mean "female genitals".  Not sure if other tribes use or say this word or if it has the same meaning. That has stuck with me since I was a little girl and now I am 41.  I do educate others who seem to be misguided in history or culture knowledge.  --Mary Goose