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.

Mrs Jay, if I go anywhere in Southern Europe I'm mistaken for a local and have had Brits approach me before now to take their photo speaking loud and slow so the forrin bird can understand :o

I was called 'Chinky' in school but always assumed it was because of my (round) glasses, but then I was mistaken as Chinese by a Chinese waiter in a restaurant in Ibiza. He was chatting away in Mandarin to me, I didn't have a clue, he was actually horrified to realise I wasn't Chinese! I've also been asked what my Native American ancestry is when in the US....

My dad was actually born & brought up in SA although his ancestry is Scottish, when I've told people in the past that he's from SA they've gone 'Oh, that's what it is! I knew you were mixed race but I assumed it was from Singapore or Japan or something....'

There's a photo of me halfway down my profile... I don't think I'm that exotic looking!

lovecat the old lady who spoke to me looked as if she was just chatting about the weather or something

Oh i was called paki at school

Im white scottish,

What stooshe said.

This thread is one big cringe fest. I'm just waiting for someone to rock up and complain how pc gone mad has stopped them saying all the offensive things they grew up with......

And seriously, oriental? Does anyone really still say that with a straight face?

I totally agree stooshe

In what way is it a cringe fest, Annabelle?

Beyondthelimits, interesting about your Turkish friend. Do you know why? All the Turks I know seems very proud of their country.

Must be that exotic Scottish blood, mrsjay :o

Anna, i wont disappoint you then. Ive described myself as oriental. Feel free to get offended on my behalf. I dont give a fuck.

I disagree Annabelle. Nobody has said what's the problem with calling someone a 'paki' if they are from Pakistan (which I have read before) we are talking about using general identifiers like Black and Asian and in my opinion it is PC gone mad to suggest this is not acceptable terminology

Yes Beyond, all the Turks I know are fiercely proud of their heritage as well. I didn't know Iranians didn't like to be thought of as Middle Eastern though

I realise 'Asian' in world terms us a uselessly huge, vague descriptor, but assuming we're talking specifically in terms of UK usage, then it's generally used specifically as a neutral descriptor for people of Indian/Pakistani/Bengali descent or origin.

I suppose the only real vagueness is that seems to be used interchangeably to mean people who themselves immigrated from those countries in the recent past (ie. who are originally from somewhere else), and British people, who are the descendants of Asian migrants, but who are themselves British.

I think there are some pretty dim types around who have some vague ideas about 'PC ness' meaning they may NEVER NEVER never refer to someone's race. I was once berated at my London GP surgery by the woman behind me in the queue for answering a question from the receptionist about which other receptionist had told me something. I said I didn't know her name, but she was the black woman with the cornrows. 'You can't say THAT!' she shrieked. I smothered a laugh and asked why not. She looked at me and said 'You know perfectly well why not!'

Jefferson, in my experience Iranians reject the Middle Eastern label because it lumps them in with Arab countries they perceive as having an entirely different kind of civilisation. The assumption that Iranians are Arabs certainly causes annoyance.

She's the only person I know who really hates where they are from that much, that's why it stuck out. No idea why though.

Must be that exotic Scottish blood, mrsjay

aye must be

*You can't say THAT!' she shrieked. I smothered a laugh and asked why not. She looked at me and said 'You know perfectly well why not!

bet it was because she had bad hair

I do actually agree with curlew that it's probably more polite to avoid referencing someone's skin colour when pointing them out in a crowd - it seems to make their colour their defining characteristic and marks them out as different from the majority.

If there was a large group of white women and someone was asked to point one out they would have to go with descriptors of height, hair colour, clothing etc.

If you watch Question Time Out it is noticeable that David Dimbleby never refers to members of the audience as "The black woman at the back" or "The Chinese man at the front". He will simply say "The woman in the red top on the right" etc.

Question Time Out?! Obviously current affairs for naughty children .

I totally and utterly agree with you stooche - well said that woman.

"not turning everyday conversation into some long winded morse code"

Why use 50 words when one will do?

CC, if im in a group of white women (and i describe myself as oriental/asian) then my colour is marking me out as different from the majority. This is neither positive or negative, just a physical truth surely. There is nothing more to it than i look different and is the easiest way to distinguish me from a crowd of white women. I dont see any difference between that and someone referring to me as the tall one (if im the tallest one in the room, which is usually most of the time). Should i get offended because my height is being referred to?

Or if you were the only blonde in a roomful of dark-haired women. What's wrong with being referred to as "the blonde one"? Surely not offensive in any way.

You would have to try very hard find offence from calling a person of Asian heritage Asian, just as you would a white Anglo American 'Western'.

In fact, unless you were in Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland or Russia and confused someone of Sami heritage with a European, 'Western' seems to be used as a catch all without offence. So what's the problem with Asian, or can only non Westerners be discriminated against?

"The problem is that too many are prepared to get offended on behalf of the supposed minority"

Actually,I think the problem is that some people are defining "a mild preference" as " being offended "I have no problem with using the term black or white. I have a slight issue with Asian, simply because it so imprecise. And I would be amazed if people in those ethnic groups minded. But I would just prefer not to use the words if there is an easy alternative.