Black section on MN

[PatricksRum]

I think it would be great if Mumsnet could make a black parents section/ section for black users.

Can we call it Global Majority?

THIS, several billion times.

I'm white, but do agree it would be an excellent idea. Style, beauty, skin care, jobs, opportunities, racism, politics are all topics which could have black leaning.

I’m not trying to derail but to Lookatallthosechickens, SimonJT has posted on lots of threads about racism and has talked about his experience of being stopped by the police while driving (as a person of colour)

Read a couple of pages of responses and too disgusted to read any more (and yes, the ability to be able to stop engaging with racist content is my white privilege).

You've pretty much hit the bingo with tone-policing, what-aboutery, denials of racism etc OP.

There should absolutely be a black topic.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits oh god. What I meant came out all wrong. I know it's no one's responsibility to educate me. It's more along the lines that you can learn so much from real stories here

Like I have a far greater understanding about poverty now and how I can help/make a difference.

I have a far greater understanding about disability now and the importance of (to me) small things. I've learned so much about hidden disabilities, SEN etc etc. It's making me a better person.

I understand more about housing issues, about certain health concerns.

I want to understand the same about blacks people so that I can be a better person. Not be them actively teaching me, but by me lurking on their posts and learning. So it's not an active take for someone.

I'm really not explaining it well. Basically MN makes me a better person!

@MillicentMartha

Similarly, the SN section isn't there to educate people on SN, it's a safe space to discuss issues that affect people and DC with SN.

I think that you can opt in to see SN threads as well can’t you? So there’s not a pile on of NT parents saying why does your 8 year old need nappies? Not knowing what’s been said on threads beforehand and the background of the poster is a recurring problem on all forums.

@PersephonePromotesEquanimity thanks - do you dislike BAME as much as me?

Great a typo above. Sheesh.

OP - I think it's a fantastic idea. It's my role to shut up and support you. You know what you need.

I'd also like to buy from black businesses if I could.

I have black and south Asian family members they mostly pass as white but their parents still experience racism.

I get ya @SciFiScream 👍🏻

I just worry it's the tip-of-the-spear towards a more-segregated society, rather than a more integrated one.

Interesting turn of phrase there... 🤔

[quote WaltzfortheMars]@TanteRose, I just googled forum on Japanese newspaper with word Orinetal. It hit 611 cases.

komachi.yomiuri.co.jp/search.html?q=%E3%82%AA%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A8%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%AB&fq=all&sort=desc[/quote]
Your google search was in Japanese? For the word オリエンタル? So loads of hits for the Oriental Hotel in Tokyo, and the Orient Express...
I don't want to derail this thread but it's completely different to using oriental to describe a person - it's outdated, a throwback to colonialism, inaccurate...need I go on?!
If people (you) really are using it, you should educate yourself as to why it's not acceptable in 2020

@ZombieFan

I imagine if MN was to go down this route, it would have to provide a section for all colours, ... religions, ... ethnicity's, ... races, ...political affiliation, ... gender, ... species & every other sub group of human categorisation?

Shouldn't MN would stay above identity politics?

Actually it’s not a bad idea to have parenting sections for some religions too. As OP said it’s important for people ‘at the bottom of the chain’ to have a place to talk about their experiences and support each other and some religions do face a lot of discrimination. Plus a place to discuss celebrations specific to certain religions (I know we have a Christmas section) and aspects of parenting that may only be relevant in certain religions with different traditions etc.

I will mention that I haven’t looked through every single section so not sure what there is and isn’t already.

Phew. @GingerAndTheBiscuits

I don't want anyone to think "I need this to be a teaching moment" it's more that (open-minded?) people will learn by default rather than than teaching being the intent.

I'm grateful to all those who share their stories so willingly.

No objections from me OP. A black only section in Talk with its own sub headers like patenting, beauty, culture, history, etc- You want it, so why not? If enough other black people like it, it will be a success. MNHQ should at least trial it and see how much interest there is.

I only ask that there be a “read this” permanent post with any rules for we non blacks to follow because, for example, I don’t want to offend by posting if it’s not allowed for Asians.

*patenting should be parenting.

Things like different religious celebrations do come up on Multicultural families, and there is/was a long-running Muslim Tea Room thread I believe in the Religion section.

I'm a white person.

The comments on this thread from white people show exactly the institutionalised nature of racism.

When the black lives matter protests happened, many of us vowed to educate ourselves better about what institutional racism is and how we can make sure that we as individuals and organisations are a) at a minimum not part of the problem and b) actively helpful in dismantling racism.

I was slow off the mark but I've now watched a documentary and read Why I'm no longer talking to white people about race (which I highly recommend). I also found Little Fires Everywhere on amazon prime helpful if distressing in understanding every day institutional racism, even though it's fiction. I'm fully aware I've not scratched the surface and I've got many miles and miles to go, but at least I can see the racism from multiple users on this thread now.

Just because you "don't see race/racism" on a forum doesn't mean it doesn't exist here. In fact the fact that you don't see it is part of the problem.

A black person is asking for a section of mumsnet that would be helpful to her and other black people. Black people on this thread are literally telling you that they find mumsnet white-centric and that they would like this space. Black people having their own section of this forum has ZERO impact on your enjoyment and accessibility to and of the site. If you're a white person bleating that this is seggregation, that you don't see any racism, that this shouldn't happen for any reason, then just sit the fuck down and shut up. This isn't about or for you. It doesn't affect you. Listen to the black people on this thread and try to imagine what it's like to have white people bleating that you're not even allowed a tiny corner of mumsnet because they, white people, have decided it shouldn't be allowed.

Do your damn homework.

-

I've been looking for a study group for reading and discussing how to be a better race ally. I've come up blank so far. If anybody would be interested in an ongoing thread on here, or if you know of suxh a group i could join, please let me know.

Absolutely there should be. Not least so Black people can get away from the infuriating and offensive whataboutery that infects every single thread about race on here.

[quote KatyMac]@PersephonePromotesEquanimity thanks - do you dislike BAME as much as me?[/quote]
KatyMac - I have never once in my life used the phrase "boils my piss" - but that about sums it up.

Have just been explaining to MN - so might as we'll share it here - how I'm always pointing out to younger members of my family that use of the term "Ethnic Minority" is a great way to make members of the global majority feel small and unwelcome, even when England is their own country.

Also, IMVHO, your suggested board name might avoid alerting an entire Internet of racists to the space.

@EasynowPatrick

Very similar to the 'Black Lives Matter' vs 'All Lives Matter' dichotomy I've seen time and time again

Someone says the former and there's always someone (usually a white person who hasn't bothered to read beyond the general headlines in the Daily Fail) who counters with '...err... but all lives matter'.

Completely missing the point 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

@TanteRose, yes, I did. And not all the comments are about hotels or trains, as you can see the first comment is asking to find" Oriental Artwork". Some people are using Oriental as their usernames. You can see that if you can read. Anyways, if the word Oriental was so offensive in Japan, why does the Hotel use that word to represent name of the Hotel?

@Pertella

I just worry it's the tip-of-the-spear towards a more-segregated society, rather than a more integrated one.

Interesting turn of phrase there... 🤔

I can't be bothered to be faux naive and pretend I don't understand what you're getting at so you can make the accusation of racism.

The tip of the spear is an idiom that exists in English, particularly used in military English. In actual fact I used it as a direct translation of the French expression "fer de lance", because I have a habit of mentally jumbling up my languages as I think.

Congratulations on your wokeness, you have thought about black people and spears, where as I did not think about the colour of anyone's skin, nor associate it with spears, but I'm clearly the racist.

Absolutely great idea!!

@mumsnet can you let us know when you will be starting the Black section please? If not why?

The section would be appreciated by many people.

For example..Style and beauty often define beauty as an English rose,no suntan etc..just not relatable for people of colour!
We need a black section... why is this even an issue... should have been started long ago.

Mumsnet need to keep up with the times and cater for all of Mumsnet community.

[quote lookatallthosechickens]@ElizabethMainwaring I'm sorry, who are you?

I think the fact that another poster is running all over the site claiming that there's some kind of skin colour verification process in place because he didn't like what happened when he got called out by a Black woman (that's me, by the way) for being racist in a thread about Black music is pretty fucking relevant to why a section of the site devoted to Black users is important.[/quote]
Why are you lying about what you said when it's easily proven that you did dispute the idea that Simon might not be white and said he needed to prove it? I read that thread open mouthed at your ignorance and here you are continuing it