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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Hate the terms black and white

82 replies

Whatisinaword · 10/06/2020 21:16

The terms white and black were created hundreds of years ago to describe differences in skin colour and superiority. A lot of people identify with being black or white, but there are not many people who actually have black or white skin. The terms also don't cover people who have heritage from multiple continents.

I think everyone should be able to identify however they want and this is in no way criticising the BLM movement, but I am uncomfortable that everyone should be expected to accept the terms white and black and be identified as such by others.

OP posts:
Adoptthisdogornot · 12/06/2020 01:29

Brown and pink in this house. White and Black are loaded social constructs, and my children haven't learnt them yet.

Donkeytail · 12/06/2020 01:37

When dd was younger she was with me when I was buying foundation. She asked me why I wasn't buying pink foundation to match my skin, she wasn't wrong I am pretty pink!

SharonasCorona · 12/06/2020 05:22

I’m South Asian and I find a bit weird that people generally describe someone as black or white but not brown. E.g. if someone asks who you spoke to, you wouldn’t say ‘she was brown’, but would say ‘she was white’ or ‘she was black’.

PlanDeRaccordement · 12/06/2020 08:21

Oh sorry Pothole. Didn’t mean to misunderstand you.

Mamaof2cuties · 12/06/2020 08:22

Plan, thanks I understand what you mean.

I do like srownbkingirl describes. Outside Africa, I'm African etc. There are so many ethnicities worldwide that no one will be able to identify which part of the world others are from if in another continent we go down to that level. Like I didn't know "Han" is an ethnicity. Maybe that's a good thing. Europeans tend to identify themselves by their country in my experience more than others.

Breastfeeding, you are indeed correct. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way in the real world. Hopefully one day soon.

Mamaof2cuties · 12/06/2020 08:29

@Adoptthisdogornot

Brown and pink in this house. White and Black are loaded social constructs, and my children haven't learnt them yet.
I think you nailed it.
bojkaboom · 12/06/2020 09:06

I quite agree with OP though I use the terms white, black, brown, PoC, etc. I use what I'm told is the 'correct' term.

I truly appreciate other PPs mention of different cultures and ethnic groups, such an interesting read that really got me thinking and have sparked some interesting discussions. So I'm thankful for this thread because of it.

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