AIBU to think that if someone called me a 'white bitch' I would not find that racist

[Brigantia]

I've been reading the 2 asian guys chased me thread and I'm a bit confused.

If someone said to you 'white bitch' would you think that was a racial slur?

I wouldn't ..I'd just think they were arseholes

I'd be more concerned about the 'bitch' bit

[Latara]

I agree with MrsDeVere she's put it better than I can.

[BrevilleTron]

Thank you Mrs Devere. You are very succinct

[Latara]

I also agree with Damnautocorrect -

''Any reference to any colour used as an insult is racist''

[Tavv]

Yes it's racist.

[Goldenhandshake]

Op yes it is racist.

I disagree with those saying that because the UK is predominantly white, there is no insult by attaching the word 'white' to the bitch insult.

There are many areas in the UK where you can be white and be a minority, I was a minority in my school, and was insulted for being white on many many occasions, the school was majority afro-caribbean origin. I have been called a bitch, slag, hoe, tramp, skank etc, all with 'white' thrown in there too, on far too many occasions the insults came about purely because I am white.

Bringing anyones skin colour or ethnicity into any insult is racist.

[QuintessentialShadows]

ChanelTunel Wed 02-Oct-13 22:13:05

Me too. I had Scandinavian thrown in to the mix. Being Scandinavian is not an insult, but added together with bitch, or C..t it is.

Have to laugh at this one. To call anyone 'ya Scandinavian' anything,sort of sweetly dilutes the insult.



Although, in reality I am not so sure.... Having my mad asbo neighbour spit in my face while ranting "you effing scandinavian cu*&t" I doubt she chose Scandinavian to sweeten the insult! pmsl

[LackingEnergy]

The colour of my skin is irrelevant as to whether I'm being a bitch or not so bringing it into the convo isn't necessary. Unless there were other bitches of all different colours and the only way to identify me, assuming they didn't know my name, was to point out my skin colour then fine 'Oi white bitch. Yes you next to the pink bitch' would be fine, annoying but meh would I actually give someone like that the time of day? Nope as I'm deaf and blind when it comes to idiots wanting my attention

[fluffyraggies]

I would feel like 50% of the insult was aimed at my colour if someone was calling me a white bitch. Colour prejudice = racism.

I don't think it matters what country you're in, and which colour the indigenous populations skin colour is! A racial insult is a racial insult.

If i was in China and called someone a yellow bastard i think the person would be justified in feeling they'd been racially abused. If i were in the UK i would feel racially abused if i were called a white bitch.

I wouldn't expect a German person to accept being called a nazi just because they were being called it in Germany!

(and i know 'nazi' isn't a race - but neither is 'white' or 'black')

[GatoradeMeBitch]

It wouldn't hurt me. White people haven't been abused, enslaved, discriminated against and treated as lesser beings because of the colour of our skin, so calling a white person 'white' as part of an insult has no sting to it. Being white was the genetic lottery win for centuries, it's like insulting a wealthy person by calling them a 'rich bastard'. So what?

Men calling me a bitch would make me angry though...

[frumpypigskin]

Of course it's racist.

If a black woman gets called a 'black bitch' is it not racist because she is black?

It's the fact that the insult is related to race that makes it racist not which race is being referred to in the insult.

[thebody]

mmm I think if you DONT see it as a racist) and quite horrible remark) it's probably because you feel being white is probably superior so it's not an insulting racist remark.

it definatly is.

[GatoradeMeBitch]

I realise you're trying to bait thebody but no, it's not because I feel whites are superior, that would make me a racist.

It's the fact that black people have been hurt far, far more historically be racism, and they still are more likely to be the victims of racism.

It's like sexism. Call a man a whore and it won't affect him in the slightest, though he may like to make a fuss about it. That's all crap that women have been dealing with, and it resonates still. Same thing with racism. It's offensive to tell black people to suck it up because whites get racially abused too. It's not the same.

[curlew]

"mmm I think if you DONT see it as a racist) and quite horrible remark) it's probably because you feel being white is probably superior so it's not an insulting racist remark."

Eh? If you don't think the word white in this context is racist then you're a racist? How does that work???

[Snatchoo]

It sounds like you are being deliberately obtuse OP.

Just because you are white, doesn't make it not racist. Just because it doesn't bother you, doesn't mean it's not racist.

[zatyaballerina]

It's intended as an insult and is racist.

yabu

[thebody]

no I am not 'trying to bait' excuse me. I totally disagree with your post. it is racist as it mentions skin colour coupled with a derogatory remark so it's racist.

I seriously have better things to do than to 'bait' on mumsnet. grow up.

[thebody]

curlew it's offensive. I had a black boyfriend and grew up in handsworth in the 80s, rampant racist times and was often called a white slag/ bitch/ blood clot by black people while my bf was beaten to a pulp by a white gang for going out with me.

we need to be absolutely clear in these things.

references to colour coupled with a vile remark is racist.

[AintNobodyGotTimeFurThat]

It's not an insult per se to be called 'white' but when it's put with an insulting word and the word white is emphasised, then it is being used to be racially provocative, at best.

You could argue that calling someone a black bastard isn't racist, because the person is in fact, black.

It doesn't really stand up, to be honest.

I would be offended, either way. But I'd also think they were an arsehole to the greatest degree.

I was in College and had someone who was Muslim, not quite sure which country he was from as he didn't specifically state it ever to me. I remember him saying to me and one of the girls I was chatting to that we were 'all white bitches and should die'.

I thought that was very rude.

I reported him, but alas if I had called him a p* bastard or a Muslim extremist or something, I would've got a right rollocking. Rightly so, because it would've been very rude. But I think he should've received that same amount of punishment for what I would've got, iyswim.

[musicismylife]

Calling someone a white bitch is racist. It does not matter whether there are no notable historic connotations, it is still racist. I am black and have members of my family who are white, as well as close friends. I would feel saddened if they told me that someone had called them a 'white bitch'.

And do you know why I would feel sad? Because I would know what it would feel like, even for a milli-second, to be pulled up on racial grounds.

History has shown us that discrimination was par for the course. But humanity should show us that it is NEVER acceptable.

Whether the person it was aimed as shrugs it off, is neither here nor there, it is the fact that a racial slur has been used on them.

I think people assume that 'white' (hate that term) people just shrug off being insulted because of their race and that when a 'black' (hate that term also) person is insulted it must cut deeper.

Just as I have gone batshit on threads like this, defending my right to feel hurt by something I have perceived to me to be racist; I would not try and tell someone of another colour that they cannot feel equally hurt.

Remember the golliwog thread?

[tethersend]

Pairing an insult with a person's skin colour is racist, no matter what their ethnicity.

People will be hurt by these comments- how much so depends on many different factors- history, personal experiences, context, gender issues to name but a few.

I am not saying that a black person automatically is more hurt by a racial slur than a white person. I am saying that, aside from the victim's feelings, societal perception, that is, what is signified by the word or insult is different depending on its context. And the overarching context which everyone is aware of is that white people have oppressed other races for centuries.

It's too simplistic to say 'it's the same'. It isn't, for a whole host of complicated reasons.

To those who argue that it is, would you also agree that calling a man a 'slag/slut/whore' is exactly the same as calling a woman one? The insult still pertains to sexual activity, but it is not the same.

[JamieandtheMagicTorch]

Of course it's racist

It's been said to me and it was upsetting. Worse than just being called a bitch. Misogyny plus racism is worse than misogyny alone

[pumpkinsweetie]

Anything wording starting with black, white, asian and a swear word or rude word added to the end of the sentence=racism!

Racism in this form should not be tolerated or normalized just because you are caucasian.