to wonder why people still use this word.

[Creepycrawler]

Half caste

My children are mixed race and my son when to his friend's house for a sleepover last night.
I was chatting to the mum when she used this term about another boy who '' is half caste as well''. Luckily, my son was in the car and didn't hear.
I was recently in hospital and having a conversation with someone who also used the term and I excused myself to go outside and sat somewhere else.

... And it's not just here. Several years ago H' s (Nigerian) aunty visited from Africa and used the term. We were both very uncomfortable and H told her we don't use that word.

Do people really not understand that it's offensive?

There is still a lot of racism where we live now (South Wales) and we get a lot of it at school ( where I work). I don't think this woman made the comment intentionally but surely people know by now not to use it?

Yes, I honestly don't think she was being offensive but was just interested in what people thought as it just seems a very outdated term that my own parents never used.
I agree it's hard to keep up even as parents of children who have parents of different races.

My kids are older now and my eldest (14) is happy with the term mixed race. Her friends use it too. I think she'd tell me if she wasn't.

A behaviour 'expert' consultant used the expression in a teacher training event I attended and when I mentioned to him (not in front of everyone) that it was offensive nowadays, he tried to justify it. I was truly shocked.

The problem is not everyone receives diversity training and may not be aware that appropriate language changes over the years as we progress. It was probably said without any intention to offend. I’m retired now so rely on what words are used in various media outlets. I do think I read though that ‘mixed race’ should no longer be used and a more appropriate term ‘mixed parentage’ is preferred.

Exactly!

I will admit I didn't know it would be seen as offensive 🤷‍♀️
I do now though from this thread.

Even when I was at school in the 90s, that was an offensive term.

Unless someone is told, they don't know. Why didn't you educate her?

Personally not heard that term in a very long time.

I think the issue is that you can cause offence so easily these days and it’s hard to know what the right and wrong terms are to use. As something that might have been acceptable ten years ago isn’t now.

I wouldn't use that word but do say mixed race but someone said that is no longer acceptable?
Would you not be comfortable just saying to your friend that it's not ok to say that or do you think she's trying too be offensive on purpose?

The only people I know who still use it tend to be non white

I think the majority of people want to make sure they use the phrases that those they are referring to prefer when it comes to race and ethnicity. However, that can change and people can be unintentionally out of the loop. For example, here in the USA many Black people dislike the term People of Color (POC) as they say it’s a way for Black people to yet again be looked over or get placed at the bottom of social strata because that phrase can include people from all parts of Asia and Hispanic/Latin people. ADOS is now a term that is used a lot on forms or other categories and means American Descendants of Slavery. This is specific to that group because again, newly arrived immigrants from say, Nigeria, will often be able to join the American middle-class on arrival due to levels of higher education compared to those who are ADOS. In the legal immigration system of course the higher qualified are more likely to be admitted, so a high percentage of African immigrants are doctors, lawyers, engineers or at least have a degree already compared to the ADOS population.

People who are ADOS have complained that prestigious universities can admit students who are first generation African immigrants and come from financially comfortable and intact families, who have a completely different experience than those of ADOS as their ancestors were not enslaved and kept at the bottom of the American social system. Yet the universities claim they have a high percentage of Black students. If you look at those students backgrounds there will still be a small percentage who are ADOS.

Of course there are plenty of people who are ADOS at every level of the American social system, but there is still a significant minority who are more likely to be poor and disadvantaged.

* By the same token most Hispanic/Latina people dislike, or haven’t heard of Latinx, a new term that comes via universities and Gender Ideology. Most who hear it say it doesn’t even make sense when they speak gendered languages such as Spanish. It tends to also be very class based as it’s those who have a college education or are upper class who are most likely in the general population to use it.

https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2020/08/11/about-one-in-four-u-s-hispanics-have-heard-of-latinx-but-just-3-use-it/

I know it's shocking.

My kids have been told to go back to Africa. They've never been there!

Dual heritage makes no sense. There are so many possibilities, and you might not be able to guess that anyone is any mix of any number of races?

My first boss was a quarter Indian, and I had absolutely no idea until his half brother joined the firm. Both had three white grandparents, but my boss was a red-headed, pale skinned, stocky man, whilst his brother was lean, tall, and could be take for fully Indian. But apparently the stockiness was from the Indian side.

"It is very easy to say the wrong word inadvertently."

I accidentally said sloth when I meant lemur once. Hilarity ensued. Don't think I've ever said something racist inadvertently.

I’m quite shocked at that. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone use that term in nearly 20 years.

I think people often use words that were deemed appropriate when they were young, without giving any thought to origin or connotations. It's just a descriptor, not loaded with any intent to be offensive.
Other people think more about the words they use and what those words might imply.
Personally, I think intent is key but then I'm not being described in terms I'd find offensive.
Mixed race seems the most accurate term imo - it cover those people who are not accurately described by dial heritage.
I think dual heritage is a bit odd anyway - surely anyone whose parents aren't brother snd sister is dual heritage? My dh is half Scandinavian - is he dual heritage even though he's white? It's a clumsy description imo.

Weirdly, since I was in school in the 80’s, the only time I’ve been reminded of the term HC, has been on here. Twice in the last 12 months.

HC is outdated. I use ‘mixed parentage’ or mixed race.

Haven’t heard it used for years but obviously some people still do.
The terminology that’s acceptable does change and it can be difficult to keep up. I heard some men of colour speaking who referred to themselves by the N word —- I gasped as that was the height of horrible language to me. As a child my mother would have beaten any of us if we’d used it ( lived in very multicultural area early 60s, we were expected to show equal respect to everyone) but now it’s been reclaimed & is acceptable I’m told.

I’m sorry that you have to put up with this crap OP, and really saddened that your children have to hear it too.

It goes in cycles we've recently had the 'gollywogs are just dolls, my neighbour's brother's swimming instructor's black grandma gave me one from her collection'...

Never heard of 'half caste', but about 12 years ago I used to have a boss of Pakistani origin who used to call mixed race people 'half breeds'... I thought that was so horribly offensive (I'm white btw) I didn't hear this term before then or after.

This isn't meant to be inflammatory, but what is the correct terminology to use?

I've heard both half caste and mixed race used, and I'd hate to cause offence through my own ignorance.

But here I am using 'mixed race'..which seems to be offensive now.

I was called this when I was was growing up. Shocked to hear it’s still going in 2023! It’s awful.

Means the sane thing Spring. 'breed' as in animal.