Genuinely confused, what is the 'correct' term for someone with dark skin- black or coloured?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

This is a genuine question as I really don't know what is 'PC' regards this. I was describing someone today and called them 'black' and someone said 'You can't say that, it's 'coloured''. To which I said that I was being in no way racist or whatever, it was just a description so they knew who I was talking about!

I am mixed race myself, and descibe myself as mixed race, and I am not racist in any way at all, although I do hate people describing me as 'different'

So just wondering what term I should be using and if we use the 'wrong' term does that insinuate that we are racist in some way? I hope not!

I haven't heard the term 'coloured' used for many years.

I really don't know "afro-caribean heritage" also how far back to you go. I got asked if MIL was tango'd I had to explain no it's her mixed race back ground!

Am sure that it is black.

I worked with a fabulous woman who told me that she would tell anyone who asked that the correct term was 'African'. She took great offense at being called black or coloured. But I suppose, like so many things, that is a personal opinion.

Afro Caribbean can be offensive - should be African Caribbean. Mixed Race is also a dated term,as is coloured. Dual heritage is a phrase I've heard lately too.
Black is preferred.

It is very personal I suppose hurley as I absolutely hate it when somone calls me 'Chinese looking' as I was born and brought up here and have no connection at all with China (I have no idea where I am from as I am adopted).

So I would never call myself 'half Chinese, half British' but equally feel weird saying I'm white. Hence I say mixed race. I don't fit in any of those boxes on forms re ethnicity!

surely it's only african if they're from africa though?

surely it's only african if they're from africa though?

Dual heritage? That's a new one...

So it sounds like there is no 'proper' term, just whatever the person likes.

Black as far as I know, coloured appears to be frowned upon, but not entirely sure why? - (unless you are my DD when she was 3 who liked to call black people chocolate people) [cringe]

African Caribbean describes black Caribbean as opposed to Hispanic Caribbeans or white Caribbeans.

I was a bit about mixed race because doesn't it refer to anyone who isn't wholly one particular "race" such as mediterranean, asian, arabic etc

I live in the Brixton area, and everyone I know round here says Black and White.

It's massively multi-cultural here, and they're just visual references.

I think eyebrows would be raised if anyone said 'coloured'.

Yes I thought that 'coloured' wasnt used, it was my idiot BIL who said that so I was a bit .

my children are coloured (they're definitely not black - well I'm their mother and I'm white as they come and actually I'd be quite p*ssed off if someone insisted they were black...........my exH and his family are black, my children are not), however I refer to other mixed race people as, ermm mixed race..........unless they're from Southern Africa in which case I'll use coloured or goffal (the latter depending on how well I know them

I'd never even heard of dual heritage until I came on MN

So why is coloured considered so offensive these days then?

The term coloured is offensive because it suggests that a description is required for anyone non -white, ie suggesting that white is the norm and anyone else is "coloured". It is outdated but I think the Americans use the term "people of colour" and is equally offensive.

Coloured is a horrible term. My work mate uses 'half caste' which is even worse.

I think Black is fine as an identifier.

I have a good friend who is South African and spent a month with him and a whole group of other folk doing charity work in Namibia. He told us quite clearly that in Southern Africa at least there are 3 distinct groups - Black, White & Coloured. Black and Coloured are different and he says that locals could tell by the hair - something to do with the way it curled or something! Apparently Blacks would be very offended to be referred to as Coloured and vice versa! I would always use Coloured personally as it covers everything - although my husband (and therefore kids) are mixed-race and that's exactly how I refer to them if I have to. (mind you I focus more on the half-english, half-norn irish angle than where my FIL was born!)

except Scurry if you're from Southern African where it is the accepter term for people of mixed race

It wouldn't even cross my mind to call a black person coloured, but I do have to stop myself short when meeting mixed race people to ensure that I don't use the "wrong" term for them.

As far as I know it is usually more acceptable to say black but I know it is common in America to describe someone as being 'of colour.'

The South African definition is hardly going to be a good indicator!

IIRC under Apartheid, the racist S African regime categorised people as white, coloured and black. Think that's where some of the objections to 'coloured' come from.