Black People - Coloured People !

[bond]

I live in the South, my mother lives in the North. I say we have black people here, and people from other ethnic origins, my mother says there are coloured people near her. I try to tell her that this is not the correct way to describe people from other origins or countries. I find myself feeling offended by it and I am white, but my mother is not listening to me. She is 69 years old. I just wondered if anybody knows anyone else who uses this word "coloured" and how they feel about it and how to deal with it and perhaps correct that person to be more polite. Or is it still just a word in certain parts of the UK. My mother is not racist per se, but she keeps using that word!

[douglas9401]

I find myself less and less exercised by it all with every year that passes.

[albaqwerty]

When I was born I was black
When I was sad I was black
When I was hot I was black
When I was sick I was black
When I was scared I was black

When you was born you was pink
When you was sad you was blue
When you was hot you was red
When you was sick you was green
When you was scared you was yellow

And you call me colored.
Agra Gra

[alavahalf]

When I moved from Scotland to Manchester as a nine year old .. I do remember seeing the first coloured person I had ever seen in my life apart from the ones I'd seen in an encyclopedia.
That was how black people were described at that time, no offence was ever meant.
This one spoke with a frightfully English accent which made him even more strange, he thought that I was French. I put him right ''Am frae Scoatland am nae French''.. then he would ask someone to tell him what I'd said ?

[Spicerack]

That didn't make any sense when Retro posted it, Alba.

[Smowball]

The problem is very few people are actually black. I know many people who are African, and various other countries. All are v dark skinned and technically you would be meant to call them black, but none really are!

[Mozz71]

//That didn't make any sense when Retro posted it, Alba//

It seems to make perfect sense to me. What do you get about it?

[Mozz71]

I think the use of "coloured" is far more a generational thing than it is a regional one. My understanding is that the word removes the humanity from the description (everything has a colour. They don't want to be an object, they want to a person). Also it is associated with it's use in segregation and Jim Crow laws (coloured only, no colured, etc).

I guess that's why "people of colour" is preferred, as it establishes th at we are talking about a person rather than a table (or something).

[Smowball]

I don’t think there is a word that will please everyone. My friend says ‘dark- skinned’.......

[waterboatman]

What difference does the colour of a persons skin make? I had a very good mate in army days who was black, we used to take the mickey out of each other, I'd call him nignog and he'd call me snowflake, We were the best of pals and would be the first to defend each other, which we did often, especially if anyone else tried it! He was an amazing and very intelligent man, we had a lot of fun together and never a cross word.

[emmie]

you wouldn't get away with that now boaty, it was and is deemed very offensive.

[1ozzy]

Come to think of it.
Haven't seen re-runs of Love Thy Neighbour for ages.

[waterboatman]

Indeed it is emmie, but, as I said, we were the best of friends and insulted each other as only best friends can.

[waterboatman]

That was a good programme oz.

[emmie]

i was shocked to the core when meeting my Aussie friends for dinner, both referred to the Aboriginal people as N*****ers, that really took me back. I hadn't heard that for years and was deeply offended.

[waterboatman]

That was in the 1960's emmie. If we did that today we'd probably both get nicked! :o}

[waterboatman]

I would be too emmie.

[DTCwordfan]

This was written by a pupil at the King Edward VI School in Birmingham - very apropos in my book....

When I was born, I was black.
When I grew up, I was black.
When I get hot, I am black.
When I get cold, I am black.
When I am sick, I am black.
When I die, I am black.

When you were born, You were pink.
When you grew up, You were white.
When you get hot, You go red.
When you get cold, You go blue.
When you are sick, You go green.
When you die, You go purple.

And yet you call me coloured!!

[waterboatman]

I like it :o}

[Mozz71]

Third time's the charm eh DTC? ;-)

[Theland]

The Black And White Minstrels?