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AIBU?

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Original poster

To have gone right off Benedict Cumberbatch

529 replies

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 27/01/2015 04:22

I read today that Benedict Cumberbatch has had to apologise after using the phrase "coloured actors". Coloured? Seriously?

He did apologise and said that he knew it was wrong, but the fact that it was in his head in the first place is what's so troubling. I am older than him and have always known that "coloured" is an offensive term. Yes, I am aware that it wasn't considered so until the late 60s, but it hasn't been acceptable in his lifetime.

What was he not thinking?

OP posts:
squoosh · 27/01/2015 13:19

I think in America 'Asian' means Chinese/Japanese and they say 'Southern Asian' for someone who is Indian or Pakistani. Whereas in the UK 'Asian' usually just means Indian/Pakistani.

BoredAdminGirl · 27/01/2015 13:21

He clearly didn't intend to cause offense. "Coloured" is about as offensive as "white". Neither word is an accurate description.

Ridiculous

Theboodythatrocked · 27/01/2015 13:28

Huh Dianne Abbott is a massive hypocritical pain in the arse and I hope that offends her.

If people see racism in a remark as normal as this they are twats.

Coloured is offensive and person of colour isn't?

How ridiculous.

squoosh · 27/01/2015 13:29

If a black person tells me they find the term 'coloured to be offensive then that's good enough for me.

jonicomelately · 27/01/2015 13:30

I don't agree that this is 'ridiculous.' He was speaking on a U.S. talk show and the word is hugely offensive there.

Namechangeyetagaintohide · 27/01/2015 13:33

I can completely understand coloured being offensive.

I don't understand person of colour not being.

Theboodythatrocked · 27/01/2015 13:35

Words and customs are different everywhere and people can cause offence by mistake.

He apologised. To bang on about this shows a lack of sense, humour and humanity.

Bit like racists and bullies really.

Get a bloody grip

bobbyjoe · 27/01/2015 13:35

Okay Stars - I've idea why you're highlighting my post. Others have mentioned the blackboard stuff. Even if there was no legislation - can't be arsed looking as not that interested - it went round by word of mouth so people were wary about saying it. People have actually said they worked for various government departments and were told not to say certain stuff like black coffee. What is your point? There is nothing I want to say that I can't say. What are you on about?

squoosh · 27/01/2015 13:37

Theboodythatrocked a lot of people on the thread also agree that he didn't intentionally cause offence. People aren't 'banging on', they're discussing.

Caronaim · 27/01/2015 13:38

This is an absolute minefield. I work in SE London, where certain groups take offensive if you DO NOT use the word "coloured"! it goes round in circles. 2O years ago it was unacceptable, 10 years ago it was "in" then it went "out" again, now it is being used by some people to describe them selves.

I am surprised to see people on this thread object to "colour" but think "Caucasian" or " olive skinned" or " mixed race" is ok. These are all big no nos at the moment where I work.

Cobain · 27/01/2015 13:40

He tried to speak of an injustice in his industry, well he will not be doing that again. People afraid to speak out in case one word comes out of their mouths thats offensive. Thirteen pages on one word and very little on the point he was making.

Namechangeyetagaintohide · 27/01/2015 13:42

That's interesting caro

I've always referred to anyone with more more than one ethnicity as mixed race.

MrsMcColl · 27/01/2015 13:42

I don't have a problem with referring to people the way they wish to be described. Shouldn't that be the bottom line - use the words that the people they refer to prefer? Rather than saying that it doesn't matter?

jonicomelately · 27/01/2015 13:48

Blimey. I I know the word is highly offensive in the US and the fact BC doesn't, given his superb education and the fact he's conducting an Oscar campaign, is really shocking. No doubt he's really sorry and that should be an end to it but I am honestly flabbergasted at his naivety. God help his agent trying to secure his next Hollywood role.

BarbarianMum · 27/01/2015 13:49

Yes, agreed but it's a bit more complex than that isn't it? Because it isn't like across the world get together annually in pre-arranged groupings and agree a list of acceptible terms then publish it. So different individuals in different countries will have different ideas about how they'd like to be (collectively) referred to. And over time consensus grows and terms shift. Same as the acceptible terminology for other marginalised groups. So yes we should all make efforts to be respectful and keep up to date but I can't get mortally upset about someone who slips up and apologises especially when it is clear from the context that they intend no offense.

Quangle · 27/01/2015 13:50

I think that goes without saying MrsMcColl but I guess that he was trying to do and got the wrong title. As others have said, coloured not ok, person of colour ok....

I think Cobain has a good point - it inhibits people from talking about it at all for fear causing offence by using a term that has exactly the same meaning as another term and is equally neutrally framed in terms of grammar but choosing the bad version not the good version.

BarbarianMum · 27/01/2015 13:50

..isn't like people across the world...

fancyanotherfez · 27/01/2015 13:51

I would say my children were mixed race. They aren't 'dual heritage', as their dad is Polish, English, Scottish and Welsh, so more quintuple heritage. When I heard BC say 'coloured' I did think it was a bit off, but then didn't think anything more of it. He clearly was mortified and as others have said, what terminology do you use in America? My mum is Indian. She used to be offended by being called 'Black' when that was the term used for Black and Asian people. Yes, language is important, and I'm sure BC has learnt a valuable lesson, but his more important message about diversity in film and television has been lost, and, unfortunately, he would probably have made a bigger impact saying it than a black actor who would just be accused of having a chip on his shoulder.

MrsMcColl · 27/01/2015 13:52

He may have intended no offence, but he WAS ignorant (as jonicomelately points out). I think he realises this now!

jonicomelately · 27/01/2015 13:52

And I totally agree with MrsMcColl If the word you are using offends the person you are trying describe, it's offensive!

squoosh · 27/01/2015 13:52

And I've said I'm not mortally upset with Cumberbatch either BarbarianMum, I think he made a mistake that's all. I was responding to people who say that it's nonsense for black people to be offended by the word 'coloured'.

Quangle · 27/01/2015 13:53

Agreed Barbarianmum.

Amazingly enough, I managed to have some sympathy for George Bush when he called the Pakistanis the P word. He was thinking Afghanistan, Afghani so why not Pakistan, Pa**. And in the US that word is not used as an insult. It's one of the UK's own special racial insults so he wouldn't know. He had to apologise too.

wreckingball · 27/01/2015 13:55

Yes certainly use the words that people prefer, but what do you do when one person of colour says they want/don't mind being referred to as black and another on this thread said she refers to herself as mixed race, there doesn't seem to be any one word that is totally ok.
And it does seem to change with fashion, one word today may be tomorrow's racism depending on how it gets used.

jonicomelately · 27/01/2015 13:56

On the point of not knowing what's now deemed as offensive, I recall being told during my professional training in 1993 that 'coloured' was an unacceptable term.

Theboodythatrocked · 27/01/2015 13:56

Squoosh but the thread was the op going off BC because he used a certain phrase.

It's ridiculous. No offence was intended.

Words and phrases are like fashion. They come into favour and out.

Who would think that it would be fashionable and acceptable for young black men to refer to themselves as niggers? That would have been hugely offensive to their grandparents. And yes i didn't star that word as that's just daft.

It's not words that are so so important but the intent.

Some people are just the professionally offended and they are generally not those of colour or black but middle class white folk whose level of angst over issues like this borders on patronising. We all know people like that. They are tedious.

My ex was black. His brother was half cast ( their preferred terms) call people what they want to be called and you can't go far wrong in my opinion.