Page 5 | Is this offensive or not? South Island girl

Redebs · 25/06/2023 22:47

All these people complaining about not being able to use racist words anymore 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

stbrandonsboat · 25/06/2023 22:44

I think, for someone in their 70s, it must be difficult to keep up with what you're not supposed to say now. I'm in my 50s and can't keep up. Offensive phrases will naturally go out of usage as time goes on and younger people don't know them, like the Beirut reference.

Trinity65 · 25/06/2023 22:39

Oh FFS

Bromptotoo · 25/06/2023 22:34

BastetsWhiskers · 25/06/2023 10:52

I was trying to run a comb through my hair very gingerly yesterday (knots) when I was told I looked like a South island girl. From someone in their 70s.

Is this an offensive phrase? I don't even know which south island they were referring to.

This isn't entirely serious, I wondered if it was something which shouldn't be said. And where the island is.

A reference to the plot, cast and appearance of folks in musical South Pacific?

The film itself was a bit before my time (I'm 63) but the record was in my parent's collection and my sister and I loved most of the songs.

Was an explanation sought at the time?

Babdoc · 25/06/2023 22:13

It seems from my perspective- in my sixties - that a lot of people nowadays like to virtue signal by taking offence at virtually everything.
It must be very tedious to monitor everything you say in case it might be misconstrued as cultural appropriation, racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. And however much you self censor, there will always be someone woker than thou, who will get you eventually. That’s how purity spirals work, they end up eating themselves.

Colourfingers2 · 25/06/2023 22:09

Phoebo · 25/06/2023 20:49

If you feel like most of the words you say are racist, then you're the issue and you might not want to open your mouth.

Show quote history

To be honest with you Phoebe I’m half a century old so I’ve long grown too old to give a monkeys about things that don’t pay my bills or support my children especially this pathetic modern obsession in striving to find something to pretend to be upset by in everything. Some things just don’t matter anymore as you become older and closer to death. Wether the mollycoddled younger generations will experience that I don’t know but mine is as did every generation before me that knew what fascism and division was and fought or campaigned against it all throughout the last century.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 25/06/2023 22:08

TreadLight · 25/06/2023 20:54

When you think about it, it is hard to understand where the line is. I'm surprised words like pyjamas and wearing mufti for school are allowed. Similarly describing English as the Lingua Franca seems like one great Micky take.

But English is the world's lingua franca. What's the issue.

Original poster

BastetsWhiskers · 25/06/2023 21:44

Willmafrockfit · 25/06/2023 20:54

you look french?
is that ok?

I'll settle for French 😁

Debate over.

OP posts:

Willmafrockfit · 25/06/2023 20:54

you look french?
is that ok?

Willmafrockfit · 25/06/2023 20:54

how can saying you look like someone from the fiji islands be rascist?

TreadLight · 25/06/2023 20:54

When you think about it, it is hard to understand where the line is. I'm surprised words like pyjamas and wearing mufti for school are allowed. Similarly describing English as the Lingua Franca seems like one great Micky take.

Original poster

BastetsWhiskers · 25/06/2023 20:52

Redebs · 25/06/2023 14:49

But what if it was a racial slur that the OP had never heard of?
Maybe she's asking so that she doesn't accidentally use racist terms herself?
Very reasonable to ask.
Why are you bothered by people checking?

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Well this is it really, it's things like the words uppity or thug which you normally wouldn't associate with anything to do with racism and then apparently it does.

It doesn't matter much but I wondered if it was something I'd not heard of before.

My hair is very nondescript BTW I was taking the combing very slowly in case it tore out a chunk. I'll ask the person what they meant next time I see them.

OP posts:

Phoebo · 25/06/2023 20:49

Colourfingers2 · 25/06/2023 16:59

Is there anything anyone can say these days that doesn’t come under the umbrella of the race obsession?

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If you feel like most of the words you say are racist, then you're the issue and you might not want to open your mouth.

MrsMikeDrop · 25/06/2023 20:47

Babdoc · 25/06/2023 14:49

I think you misheard, OP. The phrase was South Sea Islander, meaning someone with the woolly hair of that region.
My parent’s’ generation would also say “you look like the wild woman of Borneo”, if you came in windswept with tangled hair.
Neither were intended to be offensive, merely an amused comment on your dishevelment!
I also worked with an orthopaedic surgeon who tied a rolled green surgical drape round his head like an alice band to keep his hair out of his eyes. One elderly patient laughed and told him he looked like a Tuareg - again, no insult intended to the inhabitants of the Sahara.

Erm wild women, isn't that a bit like a native. Sounds offensive

itsgettingweird · 25/06/2023 20:31

Immediately thought of the film South Pacific - and washing that man right out of your hair!

No idea why she'd be referring to this unless your very blonde 🤷‍♀️

helpfulperson · 25/06/2023 18:14

Have you ever watched the film South Pacific? It has dated badly but shows the portrayal of South Sea islanders this expression comes from. I can understand why if someone says something like this to you you would wonder if it was positive or negative. I told my children their rooms looked like Beirut and they had no idea what I meant so looked it up.

isadoradancing123 · 25/06/2023 17:35

Oh right, so you need something to be offended about?

Isengard · 25/06/2023 17:33

Colourfingers2 · 25/06/2023 16:59

Is there anything anyone can say these days that doesn’t come under the umbrella of the race obsession?

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Yes, most things.

darkmodeon · 25/06/2023 17:29

Colourfingers2 · 25/06/2023 16:59

Is there anything anyone can say these days that doesn’t come under the umbrella of the race obsession?

Show quote history

Yes plenty of words

Avondale89 · 25/06/2023 17:28

Colourfingers2 · 25/06/2023 16:59

Is there anything anyone can say these days that doesn’t come under the umbrella of the race obsession?

Show quote history

Yes

Colourfingers2 · 25/06/2023 16:59

FlopsiesAngrySandwich · 25/06/2023 14:50

I've heard it before as "hair like a Fiji islander". It's racist.

Is there anything anyone can say these days that doesn’t come under the umbrella of the race obsession?

FlopsiesAngrySandwich · 25/06/2023 14:50

I've heard it before as "hair like a Fiji islander". It's racist.

Babdoc · 25/06/2023 14:49

I think you misheard, OP. The phrase was South Sea Islander, meaning someone with the woolly hair of that region.
My parent’s’ generation would also say “you look like the wild woman of Borneo”, if you came in windswept with tangled hair.
Neither were intended to be offensive, merely an amused comment on your dishevelment!
I also worked with an orthopaedic surgeon who tied a rolled green surgical drape round his head like an alice band to keep his hair out of his eyes. One elderly patient laughed and told him he looked like a Tuareg - again, no insult intended to the inhabitants of the Sahara.

continentallentil · 25/06/2023 14:49

Dunno - they are probably referring to a song or a film or something that you reminded them of. Forget about it.

Redebs · 25/06/2023 14:49

Tomatoblush · 25/06/2023 14:46

So you weren’t offended. But thought you should have been even though you had no idea why.
Oh my lord what a world we live in.

But what if it was a racial slur that the OP had never heard of?
Maybe she's asking so that she doesn't accidentally use racist terms herself?
Very reasonable to ask.
Why are you bothered by people checking?