Do you think this is racist?

[Helpmechooseausername]

I was on holiday and had developed quite a good tan (I'm white). I said to someone "if I stayed here for another few weeks I'd be the colour of chocolate" and they said I was being racist. They said that I was saying that someone who is black (I hope that is an acceptable term) is the colour of chocolate and that is offensive.

It's totally stumped me! I was referring to myself, not anyone else, regardless of their colour. I genuinely think I'm not offensive to anyone - I certainly don't try to be - but it makes me feel like this is a very narrow tightrope I'm on!

AIBU to think that what I said was ok, or do I need to rethink this?

Thanks!

Didn’t you ask the person why they considered it racist. ?

No not racist imo

You were not racist.

They were the weird one who made a 'connection' between chocolate and black people.

Was the person white? I don’t think it’s racist

Nope. Not racist.

Not racist but also not a problem. Just shrug and say “don’t be absurd.”

In my opinion no….. but just doesn’t sit right

What’s offensive about being the colour of chocolate?

Is a peaches and cream complexion, offensive?

Of course not.

Your friend or whoever said it is an idiot.

A white person being tanned is seen as desirable whilst someone who is naturally darker skinned probably encounters racism quite frequently.

Agreed, but what does that have to do with comparing oneself to chocolate?

What a wanker. Chocolate comes in all shades from white through all the browns to very dark. There is even naturally pink chocolate to match sunburn!,

I’d have called them the racist one for associating the colour of chocolate as only similar to Black people.

Thanks. It wouldn't have even occurred to me that I was being racist, but it's made me question myself.

The person who said I was racist (my DD - but her siblings agreed with her!) is a teenager and said that if someone had said that at school it would be massively frowned on. Maybe it's a generational thing?

It’s just weird because you wouldn’t 🤣🤣

I think you’ve missed the point here! Whole other thread.

Is it?!

No of course it's not racist to compare your own skin tone to an inanimate object.

Next time your teenagers try and police your speech with totally unfounded allegations just tell them they're behaving like fascists.

Saying you'd be the colour of chocolate is a super weird thing to say... Did you mean milk chocolate or dark chocolate? I've heard people say varnish in that context before but chocolate is just... Odd

I dunno! I guess it was the first thing that came to mind that was very brown!

You will get plenty on here telling you it was racist. Chocolate is brown or white - fact.

Does being as white, as white chocolate sit right with you? I bet it does.

It was a silly exaggeration, but not racist. Anyway, while I wouldn't presume to do so, I've known some black people who at least used to use the word 'chocolate' in connection with 'blackness', themselves. It was clearly meant in a positive way when they did so. I am surprised it is now considered offensive, but then again, everyone is eager to find offence these days.

You're making the comment mean something it's not.

What? Be the colour of chocolate? Some people's skin is the colour of some chocolate!

I went on to say (admittedly I was a bit flustered by then!) that I started off being the colour of raw sausages and I'd rather be the colour of chocolate than that!! 😂

I think you're right that it's a generational thing. It's definitely not racist and I say that as a person of colour.

My year 7 child's friend was being called racist by his mates because he said to a girl at school that her friend was always making her do what she wanted to do & do things first her and treating her like a slave. The girl he said that to was mixed race. Cue everyone saying he's racist, you can't use the S word (!) in convo with a black person.

Whilst trying to explain to my DC that that wasn't racist, he just rolled his eyes at me like I was some racist 80 year old who doesn't know she's also racist!!

I didn't think that much, I thought I was just saying that I'd be brown! Chocolate comes in all sorts of shades of brown and it's all lovely 😂