chelsea

[stylinsam]

who is chelsea out of eastenders is it that coloured girl who works in the video shop?

[smudge]

Yes - which is why I mentioned the old News Reels Drusilla!

Although someone on the other thread who is of mixed race, said they don't mind the word 'coloured'.

[zara 4]

Hey,stylinsam,maybe if you just say'That girl in the video shop who isn't white',,,nah,,,someone would shout racist at that too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zipadeedodah]

Nobody has called stylinsam racist. As Drusilla says, I've heard several times that 'coloured' is not really an acceptable term, and I know of people who regard it as offensive. Although, I don't actually know what is a correct term to use. I think it was more just commenting on an old-fashioned term.

[kick3m0n]

I 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 liek a couple described as "courting": it osnds 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. 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

[smudge]

He, he, kick, I still say 'courting' - but then I am over 40!

[kick3m0n]

it's a nice word tho Smudge, isn't it? I kind of like it's old faashioned connotations. can't say the same about the word that caused this whole bru-ha-ha. xx

[unruliejulie]

What about wireless then! My Mum still says that!

[kick3m0n]

lol Jules...so does my mum!

[littleoldme]

So...ahem...she IS the girl in the video shop then, yes?

Honestly, stylinsam, you ask a straightforward question....;-)

[smudge]

My husband still says wireless unruliejulie!!!!

[luckyboy]

31 replies to a run of a mill question about a soap character who happens to be .....

I'll skip that one in case it offends someone..

[natalie_1982]

Laurence, Grunt is the nickname for Grant. He grunts and mumbles rather than speaks doesn't he? NB I have grown up and got a life, thanks indeed for the pointer.

Tw*t.

Stylinsam, I am so sorry hun! I really just thought it was amusing comment that's all. I didn't mean to insinuate that you were racist at all. I, personally, find the term 'coloured' offensive, but as I am white I guess I am the most easy to describe. I do, however, tend to not describe somebody by their skin tone, as kick3m0n pointed out, we would still know who you meant just by asking who the girl in the video shop was. If I have to refer to someone's skin tone then I say black, mixed race, dark mixed, light Asian, etc etc. But then I live on an estate where there are more non-white people than white, including my own family, so I guess I am more exposed to how people react to these terms.

Either way I am so so so so so so so so so sorry I made a little posting yesterday afternoon and have come into work to this this morning! What a kerfuffle.....

[kick3m0n]

Hi Nat...how you doing babes? what a furore you caused, without even knowing it...lol ;o) xx

[SurreyGuy]

laurence2, I think you're being rudely harsh on natalie_1982!

One of my ex-girlfriends was black and a short while after I met her, I asked her if she liked to be called "coloured" or "black". She said that she viewed "coloured" as an insult, further stating that she was not a combination of red, white, pink, green, yellow and blue!

[natalie_1982]

SurreyGuy, my neice (my husbands sisters daughetr! might explain why she is black and I am white!) is five and if anyone mentions being 'coloured' or 'black', she likes to tell them that she is "actually" brown, if you look properly!

Hey kick3m0n - enjoying the lovely weather? I'm well thanks, been out at meetings since 10 and just got back. I hope sam has just missed the post and is not p*ssed at me. Just goes to show, how things can be taken differently when written down to talking to someone.

[stylinsam]

hey nat im sorry for taking this post the wrong way got a bit confused along the way xxx

[SurreyGuy]

Natalie1982 - strangely enough I DId actually ask my ex why she liked to be called "black" when (as your niece rightly says) she was brown! In reply, she sais, "I dunno, I just do"! :o)

BTW, no need to thank me for "fighting yr corner"! :op

[sarah_03uk]

Well aren't I pale pink/fawn then rather than 'white' ?

[ghostface]

using the term 'coloured' is seen as offensive rather than racsist... a bit like the older generation who called mixed race people half-caste!

i'm sure stylinsam didn't mean any offence...

it ain't political correctness to get these things right...

i would say 'black' or 'mixed race' depending on the person's ethnicity...

[dawnI]

I'm half caste, hmm the term coloured doesn't really bother me, its better than some names I could mention. But it is often used by people who are trying to make a point of prooving their not being racist and so can often make you think they are. My boyfriends aunt discribes me as 'coloured' to people almost as if shes apologising for me. Black is more user friendly as its so common place nobody even notices and its how black people describe themselves.