Racist Politician

[icowden]

IWhy is 'coloured' any worse or better than 'person of colour' for example, clearly names meant as an insult have always been meant that way but for example half caste is now wrong but was never meant as a slur.

In the US it was because segregation referred to any non-white as "coloured" so it carries some racist hand baggage. In the UK it is more that it's just a bit archaic, and also does carry a little bit of that racist hand baggage. Terms tend to get reinvented once they are being used as pejoratives. We used to use handicapped a term which implies limited function. In America they like "people of color" but over here we don't. The least racist term is to describe what you see. I'm white, he's black, she's brown. You will often hear comedians such as NIsh Kumar refer to themselves as "brown".

Most of the time in the UK though we tend just to use people's names.

 

[BoldonLad]

Look, if you use a term that’s outdated or unwelcome but with obvious good intent the worst that is likely to happen is that someone might gently explain their preference. You may even learn something helpful or interesting.

Oh yes? I have seen some of those helpful and informative explanations on this forum.

 

[matticus]

In the US it was because segregation referred to any non-white as "coloured" so it carries some racist hand baggage. In the UK it is more that it's just a bit archaic, and also does carry a little bit of that racist hand baggage. Terms tend to get reinvented once they are being used as pejoratives.

If you keep banning discarding terms with "baggage", you eventually run out of sensible terms. I'm sure calling people "brown" - which you say is OK because brown people do it* - will run into trouble at some stage.
I only want to ban one thing - The Language Police.

I understand the intent behind discarding "handicapped", but history has shown it just moves the problem along to the next aisle. Doesn't solve anything.

[*the word nigger shows how flawed this approach tends to be. ]

 

[Ian H]

The important thing is to remember that you're referring to people, fellow humans. You won't go far wrong if you let that guide you.

 

[matticus]

The important thing is to remember that you're referring to people, fellow humans. You won't go far wrong if you let that guide you.

Sounds so simple, doesn't it? And growing up, I thought it was - I got on fine with black/brown/yellow friends.

The problem comes when others decide how far wrong you have been.

 

[Ian H]

Sounds so simple, doesn't it? And growing up, I thought it was - I got on fine with black/brown/yellow friends.

The problem comes when others decide how far wrong you have been.

Are you saying that's why you've lost all those friends you grew up with?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Are you saying that's why you've lost all those friends you grew up with?

...even his imaginary one....

 

[matticus]

Are you saying that's why you've lost all those friends you grew up with?

Unless this is some kind of joke, it seems like quite a nasty dig. I shall delay judgement, the floor is yours for clarification.

 

[Ian H]

Unless this is some kind of joke, it seems like quite a nasty dig. I shall delay judgement, the floor is yours for clarification.

I was merely referring to your use of the past tense, but humour may have been involved.

 

[oldwheels]

I remember Ainsley Harriet the tv chef saying he preferred to be called black as that did define him but that was perhaps only his personal opinion.

 

[matticus]

I've just seen a study by British Cycling about diversity, and it states that BAME (and "minority") are now both dis-approved. It waffles a bit about alternatives, without giving any actual useful guidance!

 

[Craig the cyclist]

Yes, BAME fell out of favour well over a year ago now.

I guess it wasn't in the Guardian, so most on here didn't notice.

 

[Craig the cyclist]

No, my mistake, it was discussed on the 8th of April last year in The Guardian. I guess the only conclusion then is that people don't actually care as much as they say they do.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/08/bame-britain-ethnic-minorities-acronym

 

[Bromptonaut]

No, my mistake, it was discussed on the 8th of April last year in The Guardian. I guess the only conclusion then is that people don't actually care as much as they say they do.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/08/bame-britain-ethnic-minorities-acronym

As that article points out the impetus for removing the term BAME seems to have come from the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.

That report has, to put it mildly, not met with approbation from minority communities. Even some members of the Commission dismissed it as a token move.

It's then been seized on by the culture wars brigade....

 

[theclaud]

Sounds so simple, doesn't it? And growing up, I thought it was - I got on fine with black/brown/yellow friends.

The problem comes when others decide how far wrong you have been.

If you insist on taking every discussion about language as a personal criticism based on the way you might once have used a word, you're bound to spend the rest of eternity in a massive huff.