AIBU to asked if mixed race people are classified as BAME

[redskyatnight2020]

Not that I am pro labelling people but the way but obviously we are all classified by our ethnicity in statistics and health outcomes etc.
My children are mixed British/North African. Would they still be classed as BAME?

"Imo, ethnic minority is anyone (regardless of your ethnicity) whose ethnicity is in the minority where they are but it seems BAME is only used when talking about black (everyone with a certain skin colour)/mixed and Asian?"

That's not right. Otherwise white people living abroad could say were ethnic. It's all in the word "ethnic", rather than minority. To me, "ethnic" means black, African, Asian, etc, not white. When I think of the word ethnic, I think of very coloured and jazzy African material for some reason .

When I think of the word ethnic, I think of very coloured and jazzy African material for some reason

Righto

Ethnic is short for ethnicity...the definition of ethnicity is not 'jazzy African material'

Yes they are classed as BAME.

@Orchidsindoors

"Imo, ethnic minority is anyone (regardless of your ethnicity) whose ethnicity is in the minority where they are but it seems BAME is only used when talking about black (everyone with a certain skin colour)/mixed and Asian?"

That's not right. Otherwise white people living abroad could say were ethnic. It's all in the word "ethnic", rather than minority. To me, "ethnic" means black, African, Asian, etc, not white. When I think of the word ethnic, I think of very coloured and jazzy African material for some reason .

Wrong, thats the problem many have. You're using the word 'ethnic' in the way people use 'exotic'. Everyone has an ethnicity, including white people lumped in one box too. So ethnic isn't just African, etc.

Ethnicity: the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.

So yes white people are just as "ethnic" as anybody else.

I assume you put down however you see yourself.
There is always a ‘prefer not to answer’ option.

@IDontHaveARaceIHaveEthnicity

So yes white people are just as "ethnic" as anybody else.

This.

Minority ethnic groups have a lesser status quo and can be open to racial abuse even if white. So if you are a minority group in the place you live then you can be classed as BAME.

For example, during Brexit a lot of white immigrants in the UK got racially abused too because of their culture and minority status.

I have a mixed race (white/Asian) daughter. When she was younger, she didn't really think about her ethnicity but now she definitely identifies herself as BAME. I think she's right.

I filled endless forms in NZ ticking ethnicity boxes.

There's plenty of things to action in NZ, but adding extra forms for box ticking isn't one.
@PicsInRed

You’re right - my bad, NZ is a poor example of the point I was trying to make. I had read an article a couple of years back that NZ does not collect data on race and hate crimes, but didn’t fact check to see if that remains accurate or applies to other areas of race stats. A quick google would have told me that NZ does collect other forms of race data- some of which has been the subject of research/ action in the wake of George Floyd.

If you ever have to tick a box. Only use it to your advantage.

@AlexaShutUp

I have a mixed race (white/Asian) daughter. When she was younger, she didn't really think about her ethnicity but now she definitely identifies herself as BAME. I think she's right.

She is right.

And yea, absolutely, white people are as "ethnic" as anyone else!

And yea, absolutely, white people are as "ethnic" as anyone else!
I thought it was certain groups of white people. Irish or Roma travelling communities not trying to be rude genuinely asking

I suppose in the UK as a nation, ethnicity would be English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish. All regardless of "race". In Scotland (or anywhere in the UK), it could even be broken down into more ethnic groups.

Then we have Asian, African, Eastern European (seeing as the UK is also in Europe so can't just say European), etc. These should really be broken down - Romanian, Nigerian, Indian, Chinese, etc (like Irish, Scottish, etc) or tick whichever one applies, like Kenyan/English, Japanese/Scottish, etc or English/African/Scottish, etc but it'll take forever and no space in paper forms to write it all down.

But I suppose we have to identify people by their skin colour too, as if that gives people one culture.

This is how I see it. I could be wrong there and of course, it's not my place to tell anyone their ethnicity just as no one should tell me mine.

My above post was referring to how ethnicity could be classified in the UK alone. In African countries, it's different.

I disagree with this, there is very little difficulty for Women these days. I would say woman can do whatever they want, when they want. Its very old fashioned to say women have difficulties these days.

LOL, good one!
... Oh, you're serious, are you?
Bless...

Back on topic: the ethnicity boxes are a mess. Sometimes they mean skin colour, sometimes they mean culture (yours, or your ancestors'), sometimes they mean genetics (which may or may not match superficial traits such as skin colour), ... And it makes no sense using someone's sense of identity to screen them for genetic disease... But it can make more sense when a health issue is correlated to certain social behaviours.
And mixed race people really don't easily fit in the boxes.

The categories themselves are spurious. I'm White Other, from southern Europe. My kids are technically "mixed race" white other/white british. In practice, genetically, we're probably not that far off from your mixed race north african kids, who sound like they look "southern european" (white, but darker, tan easily...)
But me and my kids get bundled with Poles and Swedes, whereas yours would probably be called BAME. Silly labels. Just because some ancestors were born on different sides of the strait of Gibraltar (never mind the fact people of various ethnicities have been settling and mixing on both sides for millenias)
There should probably be a "Mediterranean" ethnicity, quite frankly. The labels are racist, in that they show a very narrow view of the rest of the world (very detailed "us": white this, white that, white "other"; and then everyone else bundled in a single "them darkies")

I am officially BAME but still call myself mixed race, self determination and all that.

Of my two dc the domination of my genes was at play with DD but DS looks totally white.

I know why data is collected, sometimes it is put to good use but which box to tick for me is often not clear.

Just because some ancestors were born on different sides of the strait of Gibraltar (never mind the fact people of various ethnicities have been settling and mixing on both sides for millenias)

Yep.

There should probably be a "Mediterranean" ethnicity, quite frankly.

Yep.

they show a very narrow view of the rest of the world (very detailed "us": white this, white that, white "other"; and then everyone else bundled in a single "them darkies")

And yep.

Yeah
My DS'S dad is possibly from the same country as yours and has one black grandparent but looks white with a tan. I'm still ticking mixed other on the boxes as that's what he is. He knows he's not white but wouldn't call himself black!! He calls himself mixed if anyone asks

So yes white people are just as "ethnic" as anybody else.

It always annoys me on news reports when journalists use the term "people from ethnic backgrounds". That would be .... everyone!

This is interesting. I'm white/North African. No idea where to place myself!! In London I don't feel BAME (I work in a context with a very high number of BAME) and don't even refer to myself as mixed race as I think I pass as Southern European. Growing up in a small town during the 1980s however, I felt very BAME indeed.

I feel that I shouldn't say I'm BAME in London as I benefit from the same privileges as a white person. Outside of London in the 1980s, I definitely didn't. Not sure if this makes sense!! North Africans are a bit of an enigma in the UK I think and are not easily identifiable. I never know what box to tick on the forms.

@Emeraldshamrock

And yea, absolutely, white people are as "ethnic" as anyone else! I thought it was certain groups of white people. Irish or Roma travelling communities not trying to be rude genuinely asking

Ethnic means of an ethnicity. It doesn't mean 'non white'. White people have Caucasian ethnicity, usually

@CodenameVillanelle Thank you I was getting it mixed up with ethnic minority.

Valkadin - so for your 2 DC would you tick the ‘white’ box or the ‘mixed race’ box on forms for them ? Or a different box for each? And when they get older they may choose different boxes for themselves anyway . This is why I don’t like the boxes and labels because it makes no sense once you go down the next generations and shouldn’t be purely in skin colour. As a PP says I suppose it’s what a box is for. Medical - then may be relevant. As I said upthread my dislike of boxes is that without taking a DNA test I don’t even know which ‘mixed’ box I’d tick so I just go with White British, as that’s my heritage I know, and the largest proportion. The ‘mixed’ part of my dad is unknown. If I put ‘mixed other ‘ and was asked what the other is, I’d have to go into details about why I don’t know , and that’s really nobody’s business.

"disagree with this, there is very little difficulty for Women these days. I would say woman can do whatever they want, when they want. Its very old fashioned to say women have difficulties these days."

"LOL, good one!
... Oh, you're serious, are you?
Bless..."

Blimey, fo you really not see this, I feel sorry for you. And for using the word "bless". Perhaps you are the problem. Where I work (massive massive employer) any woman can get to the top if she wants to, and many many do. Sexism is just not there. Absolutely not there. I know this, my colleagues know this, my daughters absolutely know this. Wht do you not?!.