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.

[caz21]

There is always someone going to take offence at what people say! human nature and you cant please everybody. For what its worth i dont think there is anything wrong with using the word coloured. You'd probably get slated whatever you said! dont worry! x (i prob will too now!) ;o)

[andrea_h]

I agree with you both - I can't see anything particularly offensive about it , but apparently the term should be 'black' or 'mixed race' or 'asian' as these have more of an identity than just coloured!!

A xXx

[miss_me]

i think its so weird...i have black friends and i used to say coloured and they told me they didnt care but some people do. My boyf is black and has mixed race kids, and apparently they cant be called mixed race as it is not politically correct, it is dual heretitary. Yet my other mixed race friend is very clear that she is mixed race and NOT black. Apparently mixed race implies a dominant race (how i do not know!) But i guess if your talking bout someone who is half english and half greek then you wouldnt say mixed race, which is in fact what they are, mixed between different races... I find it all very confusing as different people have different opinions, I know that my boyf does not really care what people refer to him as as long as it is not in an offensive manner. The term coloured is usually used by older people and is a generation thing but i would say that it isnt the correct word to use as we are all coloured.

I think its sad that we have to be so careful what we say in case we cause offence, usually because a term has been used as offensive in the past by narrow minded people.

[kazzianne]

Dont worry about it Sam.You cant say the right thing the whole time.Anybody on here who know's you would know you didnt mean any offense.x

[4getmenot]

See I've always thought that the word black is offensive and always use the word coloured. Cant please anyone nowadays :-) Dont worry yourself about it.

[Champagne]

You usually use the terms that you�ve grown up with. I remember growing up thinking that the term �half-caste� was socially acceptable. A friend of mine used that term too and she was chastised for it because it�s considered offensive in today�s standards. When you consider that programmes such as �In Sickness & In Health� were on TV in the 70�s/80�s you realise just how much times have changed.

[4getmenot]

And my mate went to see coloured people who were all calling eachother ****** and when she said hey whats up ****** (she is white by the way) they had a major go at her.

[4getmenot]

That should read n*gger

[stylinsam]

i agree with 4getmenot i thought black was more of a racist comment than coloured

[smudge]

I don't think you were being at all racist on your other thread - I wouldn't worry too much about it stylism.

[alfiebrady]

Unless there was a deleted post which I haven't read, no-one's called you a racist. The first answer went like this:

"I can't believe you just put 'coloured'!! Even my grandad doesn't say that anymore and he's 76!!

Yes, Chelsea is the girl who works in the video shop (she went out on a date with Grunt)"

(my italics)

It doesn't even seem as if they were offended. They've gone on to answer your question. At most, they've made a comment on what seems to be to them, an out-of-date phrase.

[unruliejulie]

Sam ,why are you worried, go and read WM on tv and film, eastenders!!!! Should make you feel better. I thought the term mixed race was "brought in" to stop the use of the word half- caste which was deemed offensive. Now THATS wrong. Where does this PC crap end! I wouldn't mind but its not usually the people being mentioned who have a problem, its the silly white do-gooders!

[andy-hughes]

Use of language is an individual, and cultural aspect of life, and as has been advised, it is easy to offend people unintentionally. I think if you use the word 'coloured', people know what you mean, and it is perhaps being a little over-sensitive to pick you up on it.

4getmenot - this may seem like double standards, but believe me,. it's the way things are. Black people have re-claimed the word n**ger from its use as a racist epithet, and a lot of youngsters use it amongst themselves as a term of affection - it's a way of reversing the hate and predjudice to take a word and use it like 'friend'. However, as your friend found out, it is only acceptable among black people - if a white person uses it, however innocently they are trying to fit in with their peer group, it will not be appreciated!

Again, it is a simple cultural difference, but this is one worth knowing, and remembering.

[spaced]

stylinsam, I wouldnt even bother worrying. Probably some jumped up idiot who takes anything as offensive and trying to get a reaction. Coloured, in my books, is not offensive. Dont dwell on it mate!

[unruliejulie]

No, alfiebrady, you're quite right, she wasn't called racist, but its such an emotive subject that you can feel incredibly guilty if no intention to offend was meant in the first place.I think Sam was just a bit worried in case it WAS racist.

[smudge]

Another interesting read which may help.

[4getmenot]

alfiebrady thats exactly what I put on the tv post. I have always found Natalie1982 very helpful and I'm sure she didnt mean to cause offence :-)

[stylinsam]

im not worried about anything i was correcting anybody who thought that i was been racists iv just asked for peoples views thats all

[smudge]

Hey, the sun's just come out - besides life's too short!

[madham]

I am mixed race. I normally use the term mixed race or black, but I also wouldn't take offence to coloured. I would see it as someone who doesn't want to offend anyone and is worried about using the term black. I think it's fine, ignore them.