What is wrong with describing someone as Asian?

[ProudAS]

It's what the person is and not being used in a derogatory manner. My colleague felt he had to whisper though when describing another colleague to me.

I fail to see how describing someone by their ethnicity is any different to describing them by their gender.

But as someone pointed out, typically in the UK when someone says Asian they are referring to someone from East Asia (Indian Pakistani etc)

curlew, so would you not use any physical descriptors at all?

e.g. the short lady with brown hair

Duh South Asia obviously. You think I'd know that

Curlew, you are overthinking things. There is nothing wrong with using physical characteristics to describe someone. As long as it isnt negative.

I'm white and Asian.

I don't see anything wrong with using physical descriptions of people if that's the easiest thing. As long as its not negative, eg 'the ugly fat bloke'.

I think people use Asian as to describe an Indian Pakistani Banghladeshi (sp) person I dont think there is anything wrong with that is there?

Motherinferior, how?

motherinferior My DS is white, black and Asian Wonder how people will describe him?

We don't care about that motherinferior. What we need to know is the colour of your scarf!!

My grandad's wife's grandson is quarter Indian, quarter Jewish, quarter black, quarter Native American.... I think with him I'd just admit defeat and describe him by what type of babygro he was wearing....

Mrsjay, it's better than saying someone is Indian when they possibly aren't.

Applepie, mixed race?

Frog I live in a very rural very white area and day to day very rarely come across anyone who is non white, but it doesn't mean I find it odd or surprising that my area is probably one of the exceptions.
Actually that's a lie, Chinese Steve was at playgroup this morning ( so named to distinguish him from white Steve)

Lyra I mean people that don't know him and are describing him. To look at him he doesn't look like he's got any white in him at all. He looks more Asian than anything I think.

Funny how there are always so many people with multi ethnic families and friendship circles on threads like this..........
If you lived where I live and worked for a large County Council for as long as I have you would have likely to have ended up with the same diverse mix of friends.

Can't see the problem with that tbh.

If I was mixed race (or is it dual heritage now) and someone described me as Asian even though i was both Asian and white I don't think I would mind but obviously I'm not so I can't speak for how those who are mixed race feel about it.

it's better than saying someone is Indian when they possibly aren't.

well that is what I was thinking,

lyra.. That really made me laugh.

we should devise an MN acceptable list..

• the lady in the per una waterfall cardigan
• the girl in the ill advised maxi dress
• the toddler clutching the frootshoot

Anyway, back to the AIBU .. YANBU .. Your colleague didn't need to whisper anything.

Living in London, I think Asian is a bit vague, although I've heard my (Indian-origin) next door neighbour describe another Indian-origin guy on our road as such. I've also been looked at in great surprise when I answered my front door to a Sikh gentleman who asked 'Oh! Doesn't an Asian family live here?' :o

However, when a man in our office came looking for a bloke who was sitting on a block of desks amongst several other identical-age, shaved-headed blokes who were all wearing purple shirts (it was their 'thing' on Fridays) and looked at me in confusion when I said 'he's the one in the middle' so I then said 'he's the black guy' - an Indian girl on our bank of desks looked at me in horror and said 'you can't say that!'

So I have no idea... mind you, I've got dark olive skin and I've overheard people refer to me as 'the mixed-race one' before now - well, if Irish and Scottish are separate races I suppose that's right! :o

"curlew, so would you not use any physical descriptors at all?

e.g. the short lady with brown hair"

If I could easily avoid it, no I wouldn't.

Sorry Moogy1a but that is funny Is he actually Chinese? Cos if not then not so funny

So then how would you describe someone Curlew in order to identify them to somebody else

my children are french/american/korean - how would they be described? In this country, they are called Chinese .

I was asked outright if i was mixed race once I have quite dark skin and a woman I know just asked me, I said Oh i don't think so maybe way way back Also a Spanish woman once started a conversation with me I was erm she I think she thought i was a local ,

Worse still, it was assumed that I would bring Chinese food for the China day during international week - why? My kids are given the role of the Chinese children for the "It's a Small World" kind of school play . Being called Chinese when we are not is DEEPLY offensive.