To think skin colour matters WAY more than people like to admit

[daysayso]

I am involved in marketing campaigns - I won't say what because it's outing but let's say I recently worked on a campaign where the service being provided had absolutely nothing to do with race (so it wasn't makeup or hair for example).

Yet the vast majority that responded were people of colour (Same as the person featured in the ad) and it made me think how much your life chances are still dictated by your skin colour.

People like to consider race more than they like to admit even in spaces where it has nothing to do with anything, people just seem to feel more 'comfortable' with their own.

I felt for the first time in a long time my success will in part depend on my skin colour because for whatever reason the majority of white people that saw this ad decided it wasn't for them on the basis I'm someone of colour.

Please no arguments I'm looking for a mature conversation and if you find the topic sensitive you need not respond

Just looking for others experiences really

Oh boy, I thought Mumsnet had matured beyond this puerility.

i don’t see colour as a defining thing. I won’t automatically think oh she’s black, she’s white, he’s Asian as the most important thing. Sorry if that offends. But it’s not the way I see things.

I’m sure that’s very convenient for you

I think that's exactly the point though, you can't change your skin colour but a white person will have certain things easier than others might. That's not to say we can't all have bad days but as a white person you don't have racism or micro aggressions to deal with on top of all the other hard stuff. To say it doesn't matter kind of dismisses the things that people of colour face that white people don't. It's why equity is more important than equality. We could all equally be allowed to run a race, the distance might be the same for everyone, but if certain people have more hurdles than others then it's still not a fair race regardless of entry criteria saying its for everyone.

Factually that is not true. How do you think they know what ethnicity someone was just from the bones of someone on these archeological digs?

Maybe while people don't here but what if they lived in Africa or Jamaica. Would they be subject to racism there .

This is a good example - not the same sector but similar in that it's a professional service if you see what I mean

@Sarah0611 it's not racist, that poster has no idea what they're talking about

But you should see colour. Being colour blind makes you blind to racism.

@eldora that's exactly the point of my thread I didn't get it either I found it baffling hence why posting

Respectfully - why is it an issue to simply view another human being, as exactly that - a human. Why do we need to look at someone and label them 'black' 'asian ' person of colour' rather than just a 'person'

Hey! No, convenience has nothing to do with it for me. Being mixed race I’ve had quite a few racist comments in my life and since then, I’ve never looked at a persons colour. It’s not something I do. Now don’t get me wrong I appreciate different cultures. I love that. But I don’t define someone from the colour of their skin.

I do see colour. I don’t define someone from their colour. I said that in my post

No... because if you're a person of privilege (in this case due to skin colour) then you can't be marginalised against? Plus just think of the history that white people have left in Africa and Jamaica- there's a difference in someone hating you for no reason other than you look a certain way, than because your ancestors have abused their privilege and all white people still are benefitting from that today without taking full accountability or making meaningful amends?

Thank you. I agree.

@Countingdowntodecember I think with babies, they recognise their caregiver and they respond positively to people whose skin colour is the same. They don't actually know that they themselves are black or white. They are just recognising familiarity.
I also think it's natural to identify with people who remind us of ourselves. People are tribal - in evolutionary terms we haven't been civilised for long enough to have eradicated the instinct to identify with people who look like us.
I guess advertising works by showing people who remind us of ourselves and therefore convincing us that the product will enhance our lives. Which is why it's important to see diversity (not only in colour but class, occupations, health, appearance etc).

@BeachTree @Sarah0611 I think people find it offensive because it's as if you're ignoring the issues people of colour face - almost minimising it (not saying you are but just explaining why some find it offensive)

Also people are proud of their heritage so often aren't asking for it to be ignored - but also not be a negative either or stereotyped because of it

Because saying you don’t see colour is harmful to people of colour.

People of colour experience racism of a daily basis. Saying I don’t see colour is saying ‘I don’t see racism that people of colour face’, and therefore you don’t see the experiences of racism by POC.

You need to see colour to understand the experiences of others and he,p make a difference.

Colourblind?
What like Darius?

OK but I understand it is wrong to label people. If I referred to someone as black ( simply using black as an example) then I would be seen to be wrong /rude / racist. We hear all the time that people shouldn't be labelled, yet from reading this thread it appears (to me) that people who are not white, do in fact wish to be 'labelled' This is not easy is it

I don’t think that I’ve ever felt that. My subjects at school, career, hobbies etc don’t feel as though they were informed by the skin colour of other people doing them. Which life decisions do you think that you have made which you did based on skin colour?

😂😂😝

Hi lovely, your message is confusing. People don’t want their heritage ignored yet do not want negativity or stereotype? So what do people want?

a little bit of background here. My dad who is mixed West Indian was adopted. Raised by white parents. Next door neighbours moved away from them as there was a ‘black boy’ next door. He was racially abused as a teenager. Even went to prison as he defended himself against bigots who were racist against him.

I identify as white although I have mixed heritage. I do understand what goes on although I have not experienced it myself.

If having a skin colour where privilege comes to
You, your parents and children with ease then it is very easy to think in these very basic terms. When I say privilege- I don't mean excess or riches. "I didn't choose to be this colour". But
Now you are "this colour" would you choose to be black?🙄

The “acceptable” description changes regularly, mainly so that those at the vanguard get to sneer at everyone who’s not yet got the memo.

Look, for example, at “coloured.” It’s now seen as horribly racist, yet there is still the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People” operating in the US.