What to people see as offensive ?

[saiwong]

With Lewis F ejected for 'offensive language' and the current climate of people being easiy offended
I would like to know what forum users see as offensive to them ?

Is using the 'N' word a total no no, or only within the correct context ?
I ask this due to a current Doctor Who episode called 'Rosa' that was shown last week used the 'N' word.
Is this offensive ? Is Hairsray the musical offensive for using the 'N' word ? Is 'Roots' TV show offsensive for using the 'N' word ?

I remember when I was very young there was a TV show called 'The Black & White Minstrel Show' where the guys blacked-up.
I didn't notice blacked-up singers trying to degrade black people, but still is this offensive ?


Also when I was young there was Robertson's Jam Golliwog. I didn't see them use it in any negtive way, but still is it offensive ?

So...

Question: Can something be offensive regardless of the context it is used and should just be avoided at all cost or must the context it
is used be taken into account ?

[user104658]

Context matters but it's a little more complicated than you're making out (e.g. Golliwogs and blackface can pretty much be considered to be offensive, it doesn't matter if those doing it don't think it's "in a negative way").

That said, I think there should ALWAYS be room for satire (so long as it is actually satirical, and not mocking).

[ThriceShy]

What I have always wondered is...….if a white housemate was into rap music and started singing a rap song that contained the N word, would it be offensive?

[Northern Monkey]

I’m not offended by anything and if i was then that’s my right.Does’nt mean I should be able to compel other peoples speech.

[saiwong]

What I have always wondered is...….if a white housemate was into rap music and started singing a rap song that contained the N word, would it be offensive?

Yes, there has always been differing views on using the 'N' word.

some have the viewpoint that a black person using the 'N' word in rap music is not racist whilst a white person doing the same is racist.
but shouldn't the answer always be the same ? racist yes or no ?

[Alf]

Yes, there has always been differing views on using the 'N' word.

some have the viewpoint that a black person using the 'N' word in rap music is not racist whilst a white person doing the same is racist.
but shouldn't the answer always be the same ? racist yes or no ?Depends whether you think the laws should be equal to everybody? some people don't think they should and some people do think they should.

[Marsh.]

but shouldn't the answer always be the same ? racist yes or no ?

Depends whether you think the laws should be equal to everybody? some people don't think they should and some people do think they should.

This is assuming white and black people (not to mention other ethnicities) share the same history with racism. They don't.

[pontyboi]

The only time I find racist, homophobic, sexist remarks offensive is if someone is constantly using them to attack, berate or antagonise someone like there would have to be a hate campaign against an individual to make me stand up and say this is wrong. Other than that then **** it let everyone express themselves in whatever way they want to.

Its odd how Big Brother over the years has gone from a ground breaking show where all bets were off regarding political correctness (it simply didn't exist in the BB house) to every year being strangled by its own viewers who consistently make it the most complained about tv show each year even though it is one of the lowest rated in the whole of tv land.

[OldShagBuilt]

i dont find the N word offensive its used every day by people, its lyrics in music etc but it does depend how and who says it i guess. upper class posh people using it to describe a race then yeah its offensive, saying it to a mate in a greeting or rapping it then no it isnt. not everyone see's it that way though there was a video not long ago of a young white girl pulled up on stage to rap along and she rapped the N word as it was in the song...the rapper went crazy at her which is f'ing stupid as he invited her up to rap to that song.

[Alf]

This is assuming white and black people (not to mention other ethnicities) share the same history with racism. They don't.White and Black people don't share the same history on a lot of other things, but I don't think Black people should have to censor themselves from talking about things that's more aligned to the history of White people. Do you?

[saiwong]

Context matters but it's a little more complicated than you're making out (e.g. Golliwogs and blackface can pretty much be considered to be offensive, it doesn't matter if those doing it don't think it's "in a negative way").


I remember reading about the ‘Border Morris’ Morris dancers who blacked-up.
They say this is nothing to do with black people but traditionally was used as a disguise. Is banning this correct ? Are people just seeing something racist when its not anything to do with black people. Are they just banning just to be on the safe side or is this ban justified ?

[Marsh.]

The only time I find racist, homophobic, sexist remarks offensive is if someone is constantly using them to attack, berate or antagonise someone like there would have to be a hate campaign against an individual to make me stand up and say this is wrong. Other than that then **** it let everyone express themselves in whatever way they want to.

Its odd how Big Brother over the years has gone from a ground breaking show where all bets were off regarding political correctness (it simply didn't exist in the BB house) to every year being strangled by its own viewers who consistently make it the most complained about tv show each year even though it is one of the lowest rated in the whole of tv land.

Tbf, BB has always reflected society in that sense. So it makes sense that the latest versions are incredibly strict.

[Marsh.]

White and Black people don't share the same history on a lot of other things, but I don't think Black people should have to censor themselves from talking about things that's more aligned to the history of White people. Do you?

Depends if that history involved black people enslaving white people?

Unless there is a direct comparison you're thinking of?

[OldShagBuilt]

saiwong its banned because stupid white people much like the gollywog, i dont know any black folk who find it offensive myself.

marsh they did indeed... europeans were kidnapped and sold as sloves to what is now south africa long time before it was the other way around. there are a few different slave trades...only 1 is black people being used as slaves as far as i remember. but hell slavery still exists look at the poor countries being paid peanuts and over worked in factories

[pontyboi]

Tbf, BB has always reflected society in that sense. So it makes sense that the latest versions are incredibly strict.

True, but BB really shouldn't have caved in to the snowflake generation. Its what made the show more and more restricted and ironically less relevant.

BB gets such flak for anything and everything where as shows like Love Island are celebrated universally for people sh@gging on tv.

Don't get it.

EDIT: Come to think about it does Love Island even come with a warning of sexual content like BB does?

[OldShagBuilt]

lets hope netflix gets BB

[pontyboi]

lets hope netflix gets BB

How many people will actually watch it though? Baring in mind official figures cant even pull in 1 million viewers and that's on a free to watch service. Are enough people willing to pay £5.99 a month purely for BB? When shows like Orange Is The New Black, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and House Of Cards are being cancelled I cant see BB being very attractive to a company such as Netflix.

[ThriceShy]

Depends if that history involved black people enslaving white people?

Unless there is a direct comparison you're thinking of?

Plenty of white people have been enslaved.

[Marsh.]

True, but BB really shouldn't have caved in to the snowflake generation. Its what made the show more and more restricted and ironically less relevant.

BB gets such flak for anything and everything where as shows like Love Island are celebrated universally for people sh@gging on tv.

Don't get it.

EDIT: Come to think about it does Love Island even come with a warning of sexual content like BB does?

Ugh, don't get me started I detest most of the modern reality shows.

[Marsh.]

Plenty of white people have been enslaved.

That wasn't what I asked.

[Marsh.]

saiwong its banned because stupid white people much like the gollywog, i dont know any black folk who find it offensive myself.

marsh they did indeed... europeans were kidnapped and sold as sloves to what is now south africa long time before it was the other way around. there are a few different slave trades...only 1 is black people being used as slaves as far as i remember. but hell slavery still exists look at the poor countries being paid peanuts and over worked in factories

I never said slavery existed in only one form. I also never said slavery no longer exists in the present.

[ThriceShy]

That wasn't what I asked.

I didn't claim it was.

[Marsh.]

I didn't claim it was.

So you decided to ignore the post you went to the trouble of quoting to answer a question nobody asked?

Ok then.

[Vicky.]

BB is just mirroring society in general I think. People sometimes appear to look for offense, and think they have the right never ever to be offended. But the only way to make it so noone would ever be offended is to segregate every human from everyone else really. I mean, unis have ****ing 'safe spaces'..people are questioned by police for thought crimes...its basically 1984 come true really. So..quite fitting for BB :p

Having said that, I still have no idea what Lewis said so can't really comment besides thinking the way they have showed this is crap. I think context tends to matter more than words..in general.

[ThriceShy]

So you decided to ignore the post you went to the trouble of quoting to answer a question nobody asked?

Ok then.

I wasn't answering a question.

[mr rochester]

Lewis constantly using the c word was offensive to me. They didn’t seem to mind that but I hated it.

[GoldHeart]

What I have always wondered is...….if a white housemate was into rap music and started singing a rap song that contained the N word, would it be offensive?

Already happened ,Ziggy said the N word in BB 8 when singing a rap song ,I don't think it was aired and apparently BB just told him not to say that word . He apologised and Brian said he knows he's not racist .

[Maxxie.]

What I have always wondered is...….if a white housemate was into rap music and started singing a rap song that contained the N word, would it be offensive?

I mean I don't mind when I hear people do that in everyday life, but in the BB house it would certainly rake in a few ofcom complaints and imo would warrant an official warning, even if it were a black housemate probably.

[Maxxie.]

How many people will actually watch it though? Baring in mind official figures cant even pull in 1 million viewers and that's on a free to watch service. Are enough people willing to pay £5.99 a month purely for BB? When shows like Orange Is The New Black, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and House Of Cards are being cancelled I cant see BB being very attractive to a company such as Netflix.

Pretty much everyone who watches tv has netflix these days anyway, or at least some sort of streaming service.

[Marsh.]

How many people will actually watch it though? Baring in mind official figures cant even pull in 1 million viewers and that's on a free to watch service. Are enough people willing to pay £5.99 a month purely for BB? When shows like Orange Is The New Black, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and House Of Cards are being cancelled I cant see BB being very attractive to a company such as Netflix.

After 7, 5 and 6 years respectively. None are ending due to unpopularity.