Is Minstrel a racist term?

[sammie96]

We have recently adopted a cat who came with the name Minstrel. It is black and white.
I’m not entirely comfortable with the name so want to try and change it but my children are adamant it stays the same. They obviously aren’t aware of ‘The Minstrel Show’ and it’s racist association and until I looked further into the name it is also a term used for a certain sexual act! How can I explain all this? AIBU?

Aren't minstrel chocolates the ones with all sorts of centres? Malteasers and raisins and stuff? Otherwise yes, it suddenly seems an insensitive name for chocolate too

No, you're thinking of Revels. Minstrels are like larger versions of chocolate M&Ms or Smarties. Crisp shell filled with Galaxy chocolate.

motoko - yes, I think there were several posters getting our chocolate mixed up! Minstrels aren't, and never were, black and white, it transpires. So not an insensitive name, which is a relief.

Never heard of that.

My cat definitely knows his name but if yours doesn't yet and you aren't comfortable with it change it before he does. He won't mind I promise. Tell your kids he's YOUR cat now and needs a new name to be part of a new family. Let them choose it but be prepared for something pretty daft.

A proper cat has at least three names anyway. Hehe.

If the kids like the name then leave it, why add any racism to the name when they don't know it like that? Galaxy has a type of chocolate called minstrels, the chocolates that do have both milk and white chocolate are now called "vice versas" so no racism there either. Why bring the racism of the word back when it has many other meanings and the children won't understand the racist undertones, regardless of the colours of the cat. Or suggest shortening it if you are that worried.

I'd have thought it was named after a minstrel (singer) or the sweet

A proper cat has at least three names anyway

One of ours (we have five), is called Miss Scampi Von Monkeyface! Scampi for short.

Django Rheinhardt was a jazz guitarist, not violinist!

Yep change the cat's name, OP.

If it was a chocolate coloured cat it would be fine I think.

But asking your little black and white minstrel to come over for a cuddle - no.....

My nan rescued the neighbours neglected cats about 20 years ago, both black and white. One was Minstrel, the other was Shearer so the colouring 100% came into the naming (they came with those names fwiw.) Minstrel only died last year at the ripe old age of 22 . Anyway, most people wouldn't make the reference to the Minstrel show. I wouldn't have known what it was had my nan not told me.

The previous owners were aged approximately mid 50s and I think it’s definitely been named because of its colour and the black & white Minstrel connection. It was quite an experience going to collect her. Their feelings towards gay/lesbian people were obvious when I made an innocent remark

FFS- and the correlation between this couple's age and their racist, homophobic views is ......?

FFS- and the correlation between this couple's age and their racist, homophobic views is

That they'd be more aware of what the Black and White Minstrel show was than a 19 year old couple?

FFS- and the correlation between this couple's age and their racist, homophobic views is ......?*

The correlation between their age and the racism implied by the name is that the show was on primetime TV, on on of the 2 or 3 channels during their childhood, as it was in mine. The same era as homosexuality still being pretty taboo. Most of us 50 somethings aren't homophobia or racist... but we wouldn't call a black and white cat 'Minstrel'.

They may be more aware, but will not necessarily hold those views. Those of us of 'a certain age' are not always homophobic or racist. OP was making the point that they held their racist/homophobic views because they were in their 50s (although, mysteriously, that post appears to have completely disappeared now).

Yes, Errol - I remember the show well. And would not call my black and white cat 'Minstrel' as I am neither a racist nor a homophobe. I was wondering why the OP was making the connection between people being born at that time and them being automatically racist or homophobic. Ageism possibly creeping in?

(My apologies - I do appear to be having some problems with my PC at the moment - the screen is leaping about all over the place, so I'm sorry if I disappear for a while. Will have to restart it).

Id be interested to know if black people might be offended by this... If so, then change the name... if not, then it's a fuss about nothing...simply a cat's name making a mildly humorous and silly reference to an embarrassing show from our past, that in hindsight was insensitive rather than grossly offensive.

Give it a new name. You don't have to stick with the old one. They soon get used to it

People over 50 are definitely not homophobic and racist as a result of their age . Or the even older ones

When I was young, all black cats were called Sooty (pronounced with a 'u' ) and all white cats were called Snowy. The rest were called Tiddles or something. Total lack of imagination

Felix is a good name for a black and white cat.

I was wondering why the OP was making the connection between people being born at that time and them being automatically racist or homophobic. Ageism possibly creeping in?

I didn't infer that from her post at all. More that a 50 something would know the show, so the name was less likely to be innocent, and one who had made a homophobic comment was quite likely to also be a racist.

Hmm, but I did. I got the inference that the homophobic/racist views were perceived to be synonymous with the age of the couple.

I've had a few black and white cats. Their names were Sophie, Norton, Tibby (I was very young at the time), Cleo and Phoebe.

Tibby is a proper cat name. Nearly as good as Tiddles.

Sylvester (as well as Felix) was also a cartoon black and white cat (used to chase Tweety Pie)

I have to shamefacedly admit that we have an all black cat called Sootie. Named by DD2 when she was 10... after kitten went up the chimney and trod black soot everywhere. Usually known as Soots or Sootie-Malootie though.

I expect the ones in my childhood were named after Sooty and Sweep as they were very popular then. And because they were Soot coloured.