Can any BAME musnetters help me see perspective?

[indianbackground]

First I’m also only a bit upset (no fuming or major drama.

Im in England. Part of my job includes asking people, usually by phone about recording ethnic origin. If people aren’t sure what it means I might say “I describe myself as Asian Indian” or “for example that could be white British or white English”

It bothers me when people say “I’m white - you know normal” or “well white English/British, so normal”. I know it’s just a turn of phrase.

Does anyone else not like this type of thing that conflates being normal, or being British with being white?

No

I get what you mean, but I would ro take it to mean normal as in most common,not that being brown/black/Asian/ or whatever is abnormal.

It’s a racist turn of phrase. I’d be concerned if anyone was ok with it tbh.

I've never heard anyone describe being white or British as "normal". Forms often include "white British" as a category. I don't think anyone claiming to be "white British" is saying they don't think non white people cant be British??

Normal means normal it doesn’t mean common .

@isthistoonosy your example is you putting an innocuous meaning on a quite offensive phrase.

If you want to start a thread about all the racist people in the U.K. you'll have to do better than this.
What are you expecting?

I struggle with that question, also what nationality I am. Not because it's complicated, but because it doesn't feel at all relevant or appropriate. I get that's my 'privilege'.
However no part of my personal identity is white or British.

I'd tick freckley, middle aged or welsh with no hesitation.

When I lived in Singapore, I'd have put my hand up to 'westerner'.

I would just reply: "okay you have the choice of....." and list every single option on the list.

Er.... Not sure why you're shocked white people in the UK see themselves as normal.... I've never heard a white person refer to another white person as white. Ie - you know dave - the white guy from accounting... And it's why we say "people of colour" ie not the same colour as us white people.

Not sure any of this is surprising.

Should have written, not saying this is OK.

Sorry to rain on anyone’s parade but what does “normal” mean?! It makes no sense. Especially with race

So absolutely you have it on recorded record people saying 'white' 'normal'?...

Who are you speaking to? Unfortunately it's the sort of thing lots of elderly people (say 70±) may say. I'm a HCP dealing with the older generation and have heard this sort of thing, but of course not from ALL older patients.

I've never heard anyone say normal in this context.

Some people say normal when they mean most common.

It's not really OK for people to say this though.

This is very odd, rude, racist and unnecessary. I’m white English (very much so, I’ve traced family tree back far in both sides) I would never say I was ‘normal’. For a start I’m definitely in the minority globally! Secondly all people are normal. Either way these comments are not ok.

But in the context you’re talking about there’s probably little you can do without making your job harder. Know it’s not ok, and vent separately where you can.

Sounds like the recipient of the question is embarrassed by it - and/or doesn't want to make a thing of race - so they dismiss it by saying normal ie 'nothing special'.

Or, possibly, 'same as most other people round here'. Not normal as in 'white only'.

Unintentionally racist at a very tight squeeze, assuming that person is both white and lives in a majority white area, hardly unusual.

I'm really surprised that people say this on a regular basis. It's a very strange thing to say, and yes it's racist.

Of course it's racist but playing devil's advocate they could be worried about using politically incorrect terms?
Everybody is normal because your life is the normal .

I’ve done surveys and had people say this in relation to their religion if I’ve given them examples like Church of England or Catholic - they’ve said “just normal Christian I suppose” so on that basis I wonder if people doing it with race are just saying normal to mean common or ordinary.

Technically racist, yes, but if someone lives in a very white area of Britain then "white" would equate to "normal" as in "commonplace" or "not unusual for round here".

I live in a town with a total BME population of 1.3% (stats from last census). It IS unusual to see a non-white person here due to the local demographic, but that's not to say we're a bunch of racist twats as we're not. If you've asked someone about their ethnic origin when they weren't really expecting it, e.g. in a telephone survey, then they're probably not really thinking about their answer in any wider context and, seeing as the only time this question is usually asked is in a job application or for the census, they might not even be confident of the right term for the category they fall into.

Racist and ignorant, it constantly amazes me what people come out with and then get all shocked/surprised at the suggestion it's racist. That one seems just bewilderingly obvious to me.