Is It Acceptable To Call A Child By The Hair Colour?

[OldChestNuts]

A friend's child just returned from a school residential trip. The children spend this week at a residential place with outdoor activities etc. One of the activities provider called my friend's child by the hair colour when he call other children by their names. Obviously the child is upset and told the parent when returned home.
I don't think this is acceptable to call any one by their hair colour. What do posters think?
Bear in mind the child is ethnic minority background. So the child as the parent is the person behavior being racist.
I personally don't think it is a racist thing, but I would not call someone like that especially people have name to refer to.

[Gettingonabit]

Please tell us what he was actually called. We will have a better opinion if we would also consider it to be racist.

[bednobs]

That article has zero to do with being called by your hair colour though, so how on earth is there any relevance?

[goodgoalie]

People with the name Clark(e) aren't called 'Knobby', they're called Nobby, perhaps because clerks in London used to wear 'nobby' hats, a type of bowler hat - hence 'nobby clerks'.

[Peter Pedant]

well even Prince Harry gets called Ginge
I always think it is better than penis-brayne, durr ( yes a boy was nicknamed durr and was not the brightest)

but if the hair colour was - - fuzzy, or calling the sikh child: the mad-mullah

I mean god one put up with Rosie ( surname Rose)

[Sqad]

It wouldn't bother me one iota, but today one has to be careful what on says........
Ginger....
Blondie..
Speckly....
Donkey c.ock
Chalky
Fatty.....

All taken in good faith.......I think.

[OldChestNuts]

The child was referred to a Black hair coco. Yes he is black ethnic background.

[OldChestNuts]

If the issue with the new calling was ended at the activity venue, then I think the gcikd wouldn't have bought it up with the parents. The child bought it up when the other children had copied the activity helper in the play ground. So it is not a nice thing.

[barry1010]

Racist, without a doubt

[meaghan72]

That is disgraceful! The person who called the child that should be reported.

[Ringlet]

Yes, calling someone a black hair coco is definitely disgustingly racist. The term "coconut" to describe a black person is a racial slur with a double whammy - it is suggesting that the black person not only is to be scorned for being black but also has white person values. That is, a coconut is "black/brown on the outside, white on the inside".
Definitly a vile racist comment.
I would report this without hesitation.

[naomi24]

What’s a coco?

This reminds me of people taking offence when they’re called a black ***. They’re not offended by the bit they should be offended by - the actual insult - the *** bit - but by the word ‘black’ …. when in fact that is accurate and not an insult at all. All very strange.

[MissTerious]

My friends father always called me Lofty and I hated it. At -
15 I was very conscious of being
very tall and skinny. So adults should think!

It's why I chose my old AB name! But I wish I was tall and slender again !

[wolf63]

Is it possible that the helper was unable to remember the child's name and just used the first description that came to mind?

Or was it used throughout the weekend - which isn't acceptable?

[meaghan72]

naomi24 I think if you were anything other than a white female you would understand why calling someone a black haired 'coco' -meaning coconut- would be offensive.

[meaghan72]

Wolf seriously? That would be acceptable because they could not remember the childs name? Would the person have called a larger than average child 'fatty' and got away with it? Or Spotty, Smelly?

[barry1010]

naomi, in your example what the insulter is really saying is 'not only are you a female dog, even worse you are a BLACK female dog'.

Similar to the idea that being fat is worse than having no named father. 'You fat ***'.

[burlyshirley1]

^ No of course they wouldn't have got away with it, because everyone is offended by something or other today and promptly calls the 'hate police' to report it, even if they are fat and smelly !!! And while the police are dealing with said 'crime', real criminals are getting away with allsorts ...

[davebro]

I doubt the phrase "black hair coco" was used.

"Hey you - black hair coco" nah

[naomi24]

Meaghan, I might be offended by being called a coconut but no black person should take offence at being called black. In doing that they’re denigrating themselves and their heritage. There’s nothing wrong with being black … is there?