Is this offensive?

[cherryolives]

For a white person who is British but born in Kashmir to describe themselves as Kashmiri?

What about the other way around ? If you were born to Kashmiri parents in the U.K. and move back there ?

I don't see where the "offensive" part is and even if it is offensive to someone does that mean they shouldn't do it ? That's the more important question.

@Bluntness100

I can’t see this as being offensive. My daughter was born in Scotland, she lived there till three, moved to England. Is she supposed to say she’s English?

It's her choice.

How is it offensive to describe Joanna Lumley as white British when her nationality is British and the description used in the census is 'White British' for people who are both white (which she is) and British (which she is) ?

My friend (who is Indian, by birth and by family) finds it offensive that a white British person describes themselves as Kashmiri. He thinks she should say she was born in Kashmir but not claim to be Kashmiri.

Joanna Lumley is clearly ethnically not Indian but on the programme she was talking to the Indian woman about spices and food then she said she was Kashmiri which maybe means culturally she identify s as , her parents were also born in India. Your friend might be right in her offence it's her feelings

I’d say in general it’s probably more pretentious/trying to make oneself sound interesting than offensive. I have a friend accidentally born in Sweden as she arrived early who would never call herself Swedish but did in her teen years. However in JLs case I can see that it could be offensive given her family were only in India because they worked for the occupying power and she was born very shortly pre-Independence.

Of course it’s not offensive. How is it offensive?
I was born in Kent to one Welsh parent and one English one. I’d say I’m English .... or Welsh Who cares!

I class myself as Welsh even though I was born in England to Welsh mum English dad. I moved to Wales at the age of 10 and have been there for 25yrs up until this year, when I moved to a different part of England that where born. My mum’s family and my mum, sis, bro are in Wales, my dad is dead and I don’t see his family. My dc were born and raised in Wales up until this year.

I still class myself as Welsh

Plus Kashmir is a very sensitive subject still, 75 years post Partition. I think people equating this to being born in different parts of the U.K. are being disingenuous.

@RudeAF

Plus Kashmir is a very sensitive subject still, 75 years post Partition. I think people equating this to being born in different parts of the U.K. are being disingenuous.

It's probably more akin to a white person in NZ claiming that they are Maori.

Maybe! She wasn’t born in India, she was born in “British India” and I don’t think one can debate this without acknowledging that.

It's probably more akin to a white person in NZ claiming that they are Maori.

Ah 0k fair enough I could see why people could take offence.

*My friend (who is Indian, by birth and by family) finds it offensive that a white British person describes themselves as Kashmiri. He thinks she should say she was born in Kashmir but not claim to be Kashmiri.

Joanna Lumleys family had lived in India since the 18th century, at what point do you become a local. Its very much part of her heritage
I was born in London from Welsh/greek cypriot parents. i identify as a Londoner , although i live close by i havent lived in london for 30 years, bet the welsh and cypriot are very much part of my heritage.

People have zero control over where they are born, lots of people who aren’t white who are born in Kashmir aren’t ethnically Dardic, are they equally offensive for not denying where they were born?

I’m Balti, Gilgit-Baltistan is part of the greater Kashmir region. My son is Balti, he was born in Britain, if he moved to Pakistan would he be expected to deny where he was born?

It's probably more akin to a white person in NZ claiming that they are Maori
Maori isnt a place name , its an ethnicity. Kashmiri is a place name and an ethnicity,

What possible difference does it make what colour you are? Your birthplace is your birthplace.

IMHO that is racist

Would you ask that question of a person with brown skin who was born to South Indian parents stationed in Kashmir, before moving to the UK?

Probably not.

Innaccurate, yes
Offensive, potentially, and certainly not really reading the room, if ethnically White British
"Born in Kashmir" fine

I don't know if it is offensive but I am white British and not Indian so perhaps it's not my call whether it's offensive or not. My Indian friend does. We both watched the JL programme and my friend finds it offensive. He thinks she's British and it's not on to claim she is Kashmiri when she was born there.

I can understand why your friend finds it offensive.

One of my friends was born in Germany. Both of her parents are English, they moved back to England when she was a young toddler (so she can’t speak any German) and they haven’t been back to Germany since. I must admit I’d find it a bit strange if she described herself as being German.

@glugg

Would you ask that question of a person with brown skin who was born to South Indian parents stationed in Kashmir, before moving to the UK?

Probably not.

I wouldn't have thought so, I doubt my friend (who is ethnic Kashmiri) would.

My brother was born in Kuwait and we lived there until his mid-teens or thereabouts. I believe he could have obtained dual nationality if he wanted to later, as an adult - and there would have been many advantages to so doing.
If he had done could he not have called himself Kuwaiti despite his British heritage? Because legally he would have been both.

@bruffin

It's probably more akin to a white person in NZ claiming that they are Maori Maori isnt a place name , its an ethnicity. Kashmiri is a place name and an ethnicity,

Yes, I do know that.

I don’t think it’s offensive, but might be a bit of a reach in describing themselves given they were raised in Britain and have a British passport. Under those circumstances, they are British.

I suppose it would depend entirely on whether she is claiming it as a nationality (or even a regionality, which is an entirely made up word) or an ethnicity.
She's clearly not ethnically Kashmiri, but is it a nationality? If it's like saying "I'm a Londoner" because someone is born in London, then I can't see anything wrong with it - but if it's relating to ethnicity then wouldn't it fall under cultural appropriation?

White people from Zimbabwe are still Zimbabwean (or Rhodesian, I suppose, if they're from pre-Zimbabwe days), despite the colour of their skin. BUt that's definitely a nationality and not an ethnicity.

@SimonJT

People have zero control over where they are born, lots of people who aren’t white who are born in Kashmir aren’t ethnically Dardic, are they equally offensive for not denying where they were born?

I’m Balti, Gilgit-Baltistan is part of the greater Kashmir region. My son is Balti, he was born in Britain, if he moved to Pakistan would he be expected to deny where he was born?

I'd say that was up to your son to make that choice.

I don’t think it’s offensive, but might be a bit of a reach in describing themselves given they were raised in Britain and have a British passport. Under those circumstances, they are British.
Even if you heritage in the region goes back to 18th century