To not know if describing a person as coloured is politically incorrect.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

Was talking to a friend today and I mentioned I had met one of his colleagues (but I wasn't sure who). He said. Oh was she a coloured lady?

I said yes and we each knew who it was I had met. I was a bit taken aback as you don't really hear the word coloured used anymore. But it was probably the best way to describe her (kind of Mediterranean / Indian).

Was I being too politically correct for being at the way he described her?

My mother explained to me why "coloured" was unacceptable over 30 years ago! Actually, nearer 40 years ago.

"Also, I think earlier posters have pointed out that it has been used as a racist term in SA and Southern America."

It turns out that in SA 'coloured' is the correct term to use (indeed several major institutions use it in their names), but not in America.

The other issue the presenters faced of course is that not every group likes to be identified with the word 'black'. Coloured is the acceptable compromise so as not to offend the non-black but non-white footballers.

If 'coloured' is good enough for Nelson Mandela, then its not something to get offended about.

I cringe a bit at 'people of colour' to be honest... but I probably don't know all the thinking behind it. I wouldn't risk saying 'oh do you mean the lady of colour?', definitely!

I remember mumbling that awful playground 'eeny meeny miney mo, catch a nigger by its toe' when I was little - in fairness, I did think the words were 'catch an igger'. Anyway, my dad was horrified and told me not to say it, and I didn't again.

Doesn't mean he was being ridiculous and calling a little child a racist. or that because I said it as a child it's acceptable - I was unknowingly using a racist term and I was told that I was, and so I stopped. EVEN THOUGH it used to be Ok to say nigger - EVEN THOUGH my mum's primary school uniform was actually called 'nigger brown' and that's what you had to go and ask for in the shop.... my parents had worked out by adulthood that it's not an ok word, and they explained to me it wasn't and I didn't and don't use it.

Why for fuck's sake can't the same be done with 'coloured'?

Ok. What I really really really don't get is why it is so important to be able to use the word "coloured". We can discuss it til we're blue (see what I did there?) in the face, but there are people who don't like it. It doesn't make any difference either way to you but it does to them, so just don't use it!. Scots people don't like being called Scotch. So don't call them Scotch. I don't like being called ginger, so call me a red head, not ginger. Black people don't like being called coloured, so don't call them coloured. It's called having good manners.

It is not at all widely used, thats utter bullshit. The vast vast majority of people are kind, well mannered, and try not to cause offence.
Unlike like the non-PC stalwarts on this thread, bravely standing up for their right to be twattish.

"The vast vast majority of people are kind, well mannered, and try not to cause offence. "

Ha ha! Given your insulting performance on this thread, that's the pot calling the kettle coloured if ever I saw it.

Well if the kettle was insisting on using outdated and offensive terms despite repeated reasoned explanation as to why they may be considered so, the kettle is a fucking idiot and deserves to be called so.

Love,
Pot.

Dear Ming and Whatme,

Sometimes you use words that have changed meaning and it makes you seem racist or perhaps just old fashioned.

I hope you don't mind me pointing it out, it's a shame to upset people needlessly,

HTH,
LL

Do people actually like looking stupid?

And for those of you who insist on your right to say "coloured" please will you tell me what stops you saying "nigger"?

I made a pact with myself that I would stop reading threads discussing racism since that risible 'AIBU to be pissed off because black woman was offended at my dd calling her chocolate face' because it was depressing reading the comments by all the THICK racists that came out the woodwork on that thread.

I cannot believe that this is even a discussion. Of course it is offensive. It has been offensive for years. It is not as if it was acceptable last Tuesday and some people haven't heard the news yet. It has been offensive for my entire life - over 30 years.

HOW can people argue that point? Wilfully obtuse would describe them (but they wouldn't understand what obtuse means).

Um, no. I said the vast majority, I didn't say me. And I don't unintentionally insult people, I do it on purpose, to those who deserve it.
You don't see the difference?

Let me check I have understood this, one should never use race/ethnicity/colour as a descriptor.

So if you have one black person in a group of white people you can't point them out by using the word black? So you spend describing eye colour, height clothing.

Surely if you are trying to describe a person you pick out the points about that person which most obviously differentiates them. So the black person, the fat person, the one with the red hair.

I know that it is what is inside that counts blah, blah, but if you don't know someone you need to describe them by appearance surely, and in a predominantly white group a black person would stand out, as would a white person in a black group. I totally fail to understand how using skin colour as a descriptor could possible be racist?

Nobody said that.
They said don't use colour as a descriptor unless necessary, and don't be a twat about it. Nothing wrong with saying "the black woman" to differentiate in a whole crowd of white people, but you don't say "coloured woman". Like you might say, the woman with the red hair, not "the ginger woman".

It's generally a good idea to describe people more accurately than "the black woman", since its reductive and overly appearance focused (not to mention the implications of being used to being "the other", which is a whole different matter).

Funnily enough we had a similar conversation at home. DW was talking about someone as being the 'black one' in the group and DS pulled her up on it and said "that's racist". DW said that she would have equally described someone as the 'white one' or 'the red-haired' or 'freckled' one if that was the way in which they 'stood out'. Maybe it's a bit of a lazy description but her argument is that often one would go for the quickest and simplest way of describing someone as a way of differentiating them from others.

And let it be known that DW is not racist.

How on earth did you come to that conclusion Itsallgoingtobefine?

Have you actually read the thread, itsallgoingtobefine?

We are talking about whether it's ok to describe someone as "coloured".

It isn't.

Sorry. I have read the thread, but my question was in response to posters who suggested that you should never use "coloured" or any other reference to skin colour when describing a person as that was always racist.

You should have read it a bit more closely then, as no-one said that.

The only person who said anything remotely like that- and it is not very like that at all-is me. I said something like "Saying "The black woman" is fine, but "The woman in the green t shirt is better" because it's always better to avoid using personal characteristics as descriptors if possible" basic good manners again.

itsallgoingtobefine, it is fine to make reference to someone's skin colour when describing them, especially if that is the most obvious identifying feature in a given situation.

But it's never fine to describe someone as "coloured" because the term is offensive.

It shouldn't be necessary or relevant to discuss the actual colour of a person's skin.
Three quotes from early on in the thread that illustrate my question...

" Maybe then you could have focussed upon job title, location or acheivements rather than trying to describe the person based upon their skin colour. Not being snippy - just something you might want to consider for the future if you find ethnicity and race uncomfortable to deal with"

"Okay, you met her in a work context but found out absolutely nothing about her? So if you met me you could say 'she's tall' or 'she has big glasses' there are several things you could say about me without having to resort to guessing my skin tone or heritage. I can't believe that skin colour was the only defining feature of this person - not possible!"

" It shouldn't be necessary or relevant to discuss the actual colour of a person's skin."

Oops, C&P fail, you get the gist though :-)

Oops, C&P fail, you get the gist though :-)

To those who cannot grasp the concept of language and ideas changing - I personally don't like my children reading the Enid Blyton books I had when I was a child because the sentiment expressed in some of them is racist and reinforces stereotypical ideas about people generally. I also think (and hope) that if you buy her books now, those parts of them have been changed so that they do not cause offense. Why do you think that is?