racist

[stylinsam]

iv just posted a question in film and tv and i used the term coloured to describe the girl from eastenders who works in the video shop so there was no confusion on who i was talking about. and i got a post saying i cant beleive you just used the word coloured. i have coloured cousins so iam definetly not racist what are peoples views on this.

[madham]

Following my comments, I get offened by someone saying p..i or ch..y it enrages me and would pull them up on that.

[unruliejulie]

What a prime example of how a simple question can evoke such a discussion! Natalie, look what you started lol ;-)

[4getmenot]

Is calling a chinese takeaway a ****** racist?

[madham]

4getmenot - absolutely, my friends wouldn't say it in front of me, would cause a row

[raysparx]

Hi styli, Political correctness gone potty,what a load of bxxxxxxs, why can't you say coloured, isn't she coloured then? should it be black? Brown? Negro? what the hell is going on,we all know who you mean, say what you want love, sorry shouldn't have said that (love) should I. please don't sue me,I didn't mean any harm,honest

take care, Ray xx

[stylinsam]

thanks ray babesxx

[4getmenot]

Oh my god they starred my ****** :-) so it must be bad. But I always call them ch*nky chips. And I'm in no way racist. I live above a tandoori, I cant be. :-)

[undercovers]

calling a chinese takeaway a what? i hope you don't call it a ch1nky... cos yes that would be more than a little racist, but i'll try not to enflame the conversation was you you lot do seem to be getting your knickers in a twist today... all natalie said was that you are using an old fashioned term - she didn't call you racist but you've all got over excited.

I also think the term is a bit old fashioned - but language being what it is the coloured has slightly different meanings in the states its acceptable and considered polite (see National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) but in the UK (the south inparticular i think) the term is now not used as a description of people as black is considered more suitable... nothing worrying or (dare I even say it in this company) PC it is simply that due to the constant, and quick, evolution of language.

[4getmenot]

Yer I did call it ch1nky. We all do where I come from, its just short for chinese, the same as we call a kebab shop the kebabby. I will try not to from now on then. :-)

[Kay]

stylinsam, As a kid the only term I knew was "Coloured" I had friends who were black or brown and they never objected to being classed as coloured. Thats my view,dont worry about it:-)

[madham]

I don't think for one minute that 4getmenot is racist - you seem very nice, but I would imagine you wouldn't say it directly to someone who is Chinese.

[undercovers]

i hope you don't call it a ch1nky... cos yes that would be more than a little racist (much worse than coloured as at some point this word was considered to be the correct polite description whereas ch1nky has always been an insult levelled at the Chinese or Asians in general).

All natalie said was that you are using an old fashioned term - she didn't call you racist but you've all got over excited, be calm again or people will be screaming PC gone mad or hours.

I also think the term is a bit old fashioned - but language being what it is the word coloured has slightly different meanings in different places; in the states it is still considered polite (see National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) but in the UK (the south in particular i think) the term is now not used as a description as black is considered more suitable... nothing to worrying about it is simply that due to the constant, and quick, evolution of language.

[unruliejulie]

My sis- in -law is half chinese and i must say, i have slipped up once or twice when talking about having a ch1nky. I realise as soon as i've said it, but its more of an affectionate, shortened version of the word chinese to me. I don't see what is offensive about it really. I was brought up with it from being a small child when my mum and dad used to say it.However, i do now consciously stop myself from saying it in her company although she has never said anything. She knows absolutely NO malice is meant by it. I think thats when these terms are deemed racist, when they are made in an offensive manner.

[alfiebrady]

{sigh}

I had hoped that this thread would end, once it had been established that no-one had been making racist comments, intentionally or not, no-one had been offended, and no-one had thought that someone had made a racist comment, etc.

But since it seems the thread has widened out from an individual's comment to the old 'political correctness' chestnut, and also on to another term...

I'm sorry, I find it hard to believe the poster thought the question was necessary, but just in case - yes, I find it offensive. I'm Chinese. Obviously, I can't speak for everyone who is Chinese. Some won't mind. Some will. I fall into the latter camp. I apologise if I'm going on one now, and I may lose any reason in writing this because I'm steadily getting more furious as I remember whenever I've had to put up with casual racism. Casual. Nothing nasty, mind. Just a joke, innit? Just a shop-owning, takeaway-running ****** who will serve up the chips, take your money and laugh at your funny jokes. Oi! Bruce Lee! Woo-ah! No riots, no respect, is that the way it is? 'political correctness'? Yeah, right.

[kick3m0n]

just have to say that I don't think for one second Natalie was being offensive, or suggesting that anyone was being racist (infact, why that would be the immediate conclusion from her post, I've no idea??). natalie is lovely and has posted on hee for so long, and I never remember her offending anyone at all. Like me, her reaction to seeing the word "coloured"was one of mild amusement at such an old fashioned phrase being used. It's like a couple described as "courting": it sounds very out of place and old fashioned these days.

Anyhoo, to avoid such sticky situations, why not just avoid using skin tone as a descriptor when you are talking to or about anyone? If you remove the word "coloured" from sams post, the question is still absolutely crystal clear, and anyone who watched EE would know the answer. I've never needed to use skin tone to describe someone, whether they be black, brown, pale blue (Scottish lol) or pink - and we are all coloured, not just those with darker skins. It would save you all searching for that elusive term that offends no one if you just dropped it out of your way of thinking altogether. Just a thought guys. not meaning to stir up any trouble or criticise anyone. xx

[Ward-Minter]

Here is what you call a COLOURED man.

[unruliejulie]

LMAO @ WM. You are in fine light hearted form today WM. Thanks for the laugh!

[Scarlett]

The thing is, "black" infers totally black, whereas they may actually be mixed race, and "mixed race" infers that you know that they are- which may not be true, and may also be seen as an insult- ie- neither one thing or the other (I have seen it done). And "Asian" also infers that the person is 100% Asian. They may actually be British. Or mixed race. Or black, if one parent is African. I don't know- it's a mine field. I have actually ended up saying "That girl with the dark hair" to describe someone, rather than say "the black one". Until we get a poll on here, asking black/Asian/mixed race people what they PREFER to be referred as, or what offends them, we are never gonna get it right.

[parkesquay]

I have to say that I get annoyed when 'colour' is labeled the same as racism. They are 2 different things but can be, but not necessarily so, related. For example it would be more or less true to say that all Nigerians are black/brown but that didn't stop extreme racism whereby nearly 1 million Ibo tribesme were wiped off the face of the earth by a different tribe. Can't get much more racist than that. India has its caste system. Got nothing whatsoever to do with colour. The examples are endless - just look at present day Somalia. In Angola there are some 20 million land mine(one for every Angolan) controlled and laid by warlords all of the same colour. etc, etc.

The inhabitants of these and many more countries know it is racism/tribalism and within their own area they are all the same colour. We are nearly all racist to one degree e.g. I don't like it when Wales beat England at rugby whether the players be black or white.

The liberal interpretation of the 'Racism Act' has served to only emphasize differences and whilst we needed a kick up the backside it has now all gone very silly.

[*ALFIE*]

Its common sense - just say Black referring to a jamican/african and Asian referring to Pakistani/Indian, forget all the small talk !