That consultant said this word...

[Ozwizard]

I went to the hospital to see my results from my consultant. Result of this is that I will have to have surgery that has a six to eight week recovery time. As he was explaining my condition he said that it is very common in " Negroid ladies"!!
The nurse in the room looked at me and shifted uncomfortably in her seat! And I took a second to register if he really did say that. Then I did a nervous laugh and said to him " you must not use that word" he said "what, that is what you are" " what is wrong with Negroid"? I said " stop, use another word". He said " oh I didn't know that Negroid would offend you"
Aibu that he should not have said that word?

Perhaps the doctor was concentrating on treating the OP for whatever reason she was there for than his terminology.

Alice - your post made me smile. I think you're right.

And there went the Godwin!

It's an old-fashioned term certainly, but one I've come across regularly as an archaeologist, along with mongoloid, caucasoid and australoid. If your health problem is to do with your bone structure then I can certainly see why he would use it, although if it was me I would probably try to avoid it as the "negro" root has connotations.

Perhaps he thought it was more polite than saying black people. "African" can cover a whole range of races. It's hardly the crime of the century, but if I was his manager I would probably have a quiet chat about it with him.

Please make a complaint. This is so inappropriate.

Caucasian is used as a term a lot in medicine. I think it's odd he used this but he was using it in a descriptive way I think and certainly no harm meant.

My health issue is gynological. It's his insistence on using the term after being asked to stop.

I used to work with white Irish Travellers in London. They experienced constant, institutional and "social" racism all day every day. From teachers and pupils at the school I worked in (where the vast majority were from BAME groups) to the GP's surgery to the council and people in the supermarket.

The meaning of the word aside, he was wrong to continue using it when you categorically asked him not to. And the comments about a potential future partner's desire for children is completely out of line. You need to complain about this doctor.

I won't go deeper into the racism discussion as, to be brutally honest, I am white and have absolutely no concept of racism and its effects. I wish you well with your forthcoming surgery and am hoping for a speedy recovery for you.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the term negroid per se, but he should have stopped when you'd made it clear that you were unhappy. I'd disagree strongly with the idea that white people cannot experience racism - that's ridiculous. What about white Irish travellers? I've seen groups of Asian and black men making horrendously racist comments towards white women and girls. Yes, white people have "enjoyed" an unjust privilege for aeons, but that doesn't mean that racism doesn't exist for them. OP the consultant's subsequent comment should warrant a complaint on your behalf.

The English dictionary defines the term as both offensive and dated.

However I have been referred to as Aryan by an obstetrician in the past.

Madam - are you seriously saying the "persecution" you have experienced as an English person from some Scottish people gives you any degree of insight into racism in the UK?

I am white and have been on the receiving end of a racially motivated attack in the UK and, of course, people will draw on stereotypes when they first meet me - my accent, the way I'm dressed etc.

What I haven't experienced is people making assumptions about my intellectual capacity, work ethic, morality, criminal tendency, skill sets, employability, tastes, etc. just because I am white.

He is the consultant that will be carrying out the surgery that is needed. It was already upsetting to me that I will need this surgery. For him to make light of it because maybe Mr Wright could come along is insensitive. His bed side manner needs adjusting. I can only hope that he will keep his silly comments to himself when he does his ward round after my surgery!

"Some doctors find it hard to stop talking in very clinical terms."

And some patients complain when doctors patronise them with simpler language. I'm happy with my doctor talking about my womb, but some want their doctors to say uterus.

His bed side manner needs adjusting

You can say that again. I hope the surgery goes well

"Apart from anything else they are rubbish descriptors. All they tell you is the colour of someone's skin. They tell you nothing about their ethnicity.

Some one whose mother and father are from St Lucia are likely to present with issues not common to someone recently arrived from Ghana."

Black and Afro-Caribbean also include people from both of those countries.

Madam - are you seriously saying the "persecution" you have experienced as an English person from some Scottish people gives you any degree of insight into racism in the UK? confused

I really don't see why it can't give me slightly more of an idea than I had before.

It's possible to have slightly more of a clue without considering myself anywhere near going through the same thing as a black person in Britain.

Or are you saying that having experienced it, I should not attempt to use my experience to give me empathy? I should say "I'm white so I will NEVER be like those black people and can't identify with them at all."

That doesn't sound right. I thought to combat racism it helps to see all people as human and capable of the same feelings?

Black is often used to mean "non-white" so this disease may not be at all common in Asian for example. He is trying to be more specific than black without knowing the exact country of origin of the patient surely.

IME only people from exceptionally white and/or uneducated communities think that 'black' can refer to e.g. South Asians, and even then they quickly realise that this is not the case if they venture out of said communities. I would expect a doctor to have broadened his horizons a bit.

I say this as someone who came from such a community and grew up thinking my one Sri-Lankan(?) primary school classmate and my one mixed-race Afro-Caribbean(?) primary school classmate were of more or less the same ethnic background (which was quite honestly probably conceptualised in my head as 'not white' with a considerable hint of 'Other'), because they were both referred to as black.

I think you should complain, OP. As you say, regardless of whether or not the term is objectively acceptable as medical terminology ( I have no idea) you asked him to stop using it and he ignored you. Furthermore, the comments about " not being able to give a man a baby as a token of your love" are entirely inappropriate and must be addressed.

I find it interesting that on the one hand he insisted on using a clinical term for your ethnicity. Then he went on to paint some weird figurative picture abou "Mr Right", love and a baby. That's inconsistent. If he was consistent he would simply have said "I am sorry but you will be infertile.

It's also deeply patronising ( could be linked with racist/sexist assumptions re the intelligence of black women?) to think you need him to spell out the meaning of infertility with a stupid story.

And there went the Godwin!

Oh godwin blah blah blah

I used Nazi Germany as an example of white on white racism. Perfectly historically valid thing to mention.

I didn't compare anyone on the thread to a Nazi.

I hate people using "godwin" mockery to shut down debate.

Any forms that I have had to fill in asking for my ethnicity does not have the word Negroid or Negro on it. Why? Because it is offensive and unnecessary. Just because the consultant is in a medical setting it does not excuse him using it three times.

He also said that he is letting me know that it's unfortunate for me that if I was to meet MrWright who would treat me like a princess, take me out and buy me nice things fall in love together that I will not be able to give him a baby as a token of our love!!

Wooooooooaaaaaahhhhh. I missed that. What the actual fuck.

"Black does not mean non white I have never heard of an Asian person being referred to as black???"

It does happen, whether you have heard it or not.

Yes Jessie I did find it patronising. It's like he took himself off into a romantic fantasy world of what could possibly happen to me should Mr Right come along. And that this is what women are for to please a bloke who has been nice to her, taking her out treating her like a princess. So she should return the favour and sire him a baby!! I please myself and although not an ideal situation it will be for the good of my health. Of which he should have put across the reality of the situation in medical terms not romantic terms!