Would you associate Urban with black?

[braceforcorrection]

We are making a group at work, can't say what the group is but it's for men living in the city/built up areas

One white woman said "can't call it urban as than it will look like it's for black men".

Aibu I thinking that's quite weird

Like @gregletand @DdakjiI’m from London and don’t make that association. Diverse, yes. Specifically about Black people, no.

I think asking on MN, which does skew a certain demographic way might not be asking your target audience what the word means. If you actually want to recruit urban people, it seems that for Londoners at least (and we’re pretty urban as well as urbane ) you’re fine.

I don't think the OP is based in London.

What is a road man? Why would such a man have his hands in his pants? Does ‘pants’ here mean underpants?
🤔

If I think of urban explorers I think of people exploring urban areas. I suppose it depends on the context.

Wot Do U Call It?
Song by Wiley ‧ 2004

… Do you do garage music mate?
You got any of that Urban?
(Urban, urban, urban)
House, do you do Garage?
Ga-ga-ga-garage
Wot do you call it?
Garage?
Wot do you call it?
Garage?
Garage
Wot do you call it?
Urban?
Wot do you call it?
Urban?
Urban

https://www.bcu.ac.uk/research/media-and-journalism/sir-lenny-henry-centre-for-media-diversity/representology-journal/representology-journal-vol-2/the-problem-with-urban

It depends on the context. If you were talking about an urban area, no, but if it was Urban culture maybe.

If you're setting up a group and hoping men of all backgrounds will attend, calling it Urban would be a mistake, even if you disagree with the thinking.

You can probably Google that, but you sound far more ill-informed in that post than I imagine you're trying to tell OP she is.

Why do urban men need their own group? 🤷‍♀️🙄

@Ddakji Same.

There is definitely a very particular lifestyle that is being sold in London. For instance, many of these new luxury apartments have many communal social areas and they advertise their socials in the local area. We get the invites saying things like "RiverView Apartments are having a gin and wine mixer this Saturday. All welcome, please register your attendance".

I'm not sure they actually want me and my neighbours showing up though. I just think they assume we are part of the "new" crowd due to where we live.

I think this type of city gentrified living might be quite specific in terms of their service and product needs.

How funny I was just drafting a comment on this!

When I worked in fashion, urban fashion was basically things made popular by famous black people. Yes, white people engaged in that - urban fashion was in trend and popular with all groups of people but the trend was definitely synonymous with fashionable black people.

So in response to the OP, I do think you’re being naive. I’d say urban has different meanings but it can be a loaded term/have hidden meanings.

Jeesus

As someone who lives in London, there isn’t much about my life that would be considered “urban” though. I’m really struggling to see the overlap where you think city folk=urban.

I have either lived in an expensive, luxury/contemporary apartment with concierge etc or my own house in a nice area - neither of which would be marketed as urban. I’d say urban would be block of flats in a more undesirable area that doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles nor as hard on the budget.

Secondly, I really struggle to think of aspects of my life that might be considered urban. Maybe the fact I’ve been on the tube before or something? But I don’t agree that city life is synonymous with urban, especially as it’s actually more expensive to live in cities than not - so city dwellers tend to have degrees, high paying jobs, social circle consisting of professionals, expensive interests etc.

What in gods name does that say/mean???

What an extremely narrow view of what being a Londoner is.

This is a really weird post.
Urban in the sense of 'of a city/built up area' doesn't have socio-economic connotations.

Urban in the euphemism-for-Black sense is concerned with a very specific 'gritty' lifestyle (which is why it is problematic)

Absolutely no-one thinks that being a city-dweller in itself makes you poor.

It strikes me as the flip side of the equally bizarre “you aren’t rural if you live on a farm if there’s mains electricity or a shop within 30 minutes drive” thread.

Loads of people who felt “rural” exclusively meant “living in a remote backcountry wilderness which doesn’t really exist in England” (it does exist in parts of Scotland and Ireland, I grant you).

Wow. Every day's a school day, this is news to me

You could go full farm and call them "city slickers," "yuppies" or spits hayseed contemptuously "townies."

Urban living could work, OP.

”Urban” on its own is a well- known euphemism for black. (Although clearly not universally understood that way as this thread shows.)

I don't really take a poll of 164 MNers with a close result as conclusive when it comes to this topic.

There is a whole load of information on the Internet that shows you how and why it is linked. You don't have to rely on the poll.

You better believe it!

well ... exactly!