Is describing someone as 'black' rascist?

[hillbilly]

Just that really.

Reminds of a Shapi Khorsandi sketch where she describes a chat show host describing a man, '...yes the man, the man with the face, on the neck...'

I don't think it is. I described someone the other day. We were talking about an incident as I said it was 'jeff from E section' my colleague didn't know who I meant so I said 'the black chap'

We all wear uniform and there is nothing distinctive like height build etc. I was not racist by saying this and it was relevant.

It all depends on context. I wouldnt describe someone as black if it wasn't relevant the same as I wouldn't say someone was blonde/dark/tall/fat unless it is needed. Sometimes I will talk about a colleague and the person I am speaking too might not know their name so I might say 'she has blonde curly hair' or whatever.

This question was always in my mind. I was told by a black person that saying the word black is racist in any context and the word coloured should be used.

I was really surprised about this and felt very ignorant as it had no logic for me. I personally thought that coloured would be very insulting. What does coloured mean? You are born white, yellow, brown and you were coloured black?

So I could never bring myself to comfortably say coloured and neither black. So I always avoided both...

I really wish a black person could educate me properly in this as I and my children never ever would want to be unintentional racist.

I was also told that Jaabaar. As far as I could work out, half of the people I knew thought it should be 'coloured' and the other half 'black'. At which point I gave up and decided that as 'black' is what it used on all the forms/questionnaires/etc, I'd just use black.

As for when it should/n't be used - provided that you are using it to simply describe - rather than with a negative inflection - it should be fine.

'I really wish a black person could educate me properly in this' - unfortunately, no one black person can speak for every other black person in the world and give you a definitive answer as to terms which nobody would consider racist. Cultural differences, age differences and personal preference all play a part when it comes to words or phrases which people prefer to be used,

Lol no it really isn't. I'm mixed race - White mum black dad.
Racism is not stating the obvious - if someone is black they are black it always makes me giggle when you see people squirming trying to describe someone without saying the word black.

OP assuming you are White, would you consider it racist if someone called you White? It's honestly no different.

Racism would be if you didn't want to talk to the person because they were black not describing them as being black. Also if you were generalising "those blacks across the road must be thiefs" lol probably a crap example but it's gone midnight & I'm on MN while nursing my bubba trying to keep myself awake.

Please dont worry about stating facts

Ps describing someone who isn't black like me who is mixed may be .... Well more ignorant than racist but I'd avoid that all the same

jaabar tbh I don't think you can be unintentionally racist - yes there are terms which are preferable but if you were to use another word accidentally as a descriptive term it would be pretty easy to tell you didn't mean to cause offense

It's the biggest descriptive as it covers the whole body!! If you are describing a black person within a group of white people, but try and do it by saying they have black hair, no one would really understand what you meant! In that context, it's exactly the same as blonde, ginger, tall, short etc.

The only thing I wouldn't presume would be 'Indian' as opposed to 'Asian'

I think the racist thing would be implying they are somehow inferior (or superior) based upon their blackness....

Surprises me to hear that about a black person preferring "coloured", it certainly isn't the preferred term in the UK.

Depends entirely on context, I agree.

Not if it is used as a statement of fact, no. I know someone who still uses the term 'coloured' and that makes me cringe.

We might cringe at "coloured", but perhaps one day soon it will be the next generation who cringe at our terminology, that we try to update but sometimes use the specch habits that were 'correct' when we were in our prime.

It is intent that matters.

That's true Meditrina - it's actually someone in their 40s, but I don't think it is ill intentioned. I just worry it could offend.

I don't think intention is all that matters. If you, with no ill intent, are talking in a restaurant about the "coloured man" who has started at your work (for example) you are still making the black family sitting next to you listen to a word that is offensive to them.

I think we have a duty to try to keep abreast of what terminology causes offence. Yes, it changes, but we are happy to keep up with change in other areas, so why not the area of equality?

I'm white, and have the luxury of not having had to experience racism for most of my life. But two years ago I moved to a country which is only 2% white (and I don't know where those 2% are hiding).

Since moving here, I am thoroughly sick of being called white ALL the time, when it's not the least bit relevant. I get it pointed out to me several times a day, and there is really no need. It comes into every conversation I have. And it's freakin enough already.

Having experienced this, I'm not pointing out anyone's race ever again unless it's absolutely necessary. Not that I ever did. When people point it out, I always have to wonder: "and why do you think it's relevant - what stereotype have you just placed me in in your head?"

I'm not a sensitive person, it just grates after a while. Just my two cents.

Giving my age away here.

I was brought up by my parents not to say "black" because that was rude. The correct term then was "coloured".

Time moves on. I was at university and my black friends insisted that "black" was the correct word and they fought long and hard to have that acknowledged.

Time moves on. I did a counselling course and I was told that the correct expression was "Afro-Caribbean". I asked my black friends about that and they insisted that they still preferred "black" - especially the one from Sierra Leone.

I think intent matters more than the actual word used.

Although "coloured" makes me cringe now and I did unteach my parents about that.

Erm. No.