Yeah, it's probably not the first thing to ask. The woman I quoted actually came from a city, and had moved to the country, and didn't like being asked because of the assumption that minorities tended to live in the city - rather than it being anything to do with her ethnicity.

It's a really common thing for people to ask though, for everyone of all races - I mean, I'm always intrigued to know where people on Medium come from, especially if they're in the UK, as I like to know if they're anywhere near me.

I guess it's one of those things that we shouldn't ask everyone, because for some people it might have another, more offensive, meaning.

So no, it's not satire, the reports that the countryside is racist have been coming along for years, with pushback on both sides, and I wondered what people on Medium thought about the issue.

EDIT - I'm currently editing a magazine article on chickens, and the first thing the editors and readers want to know is where the people I've interviewed come from! It's in our DNA, I think. I've got interviewees from Australia, Canada, UK, and USA.