Interesting post Smudge

I think the issue is that the word has been used differently in UK and US English, and so in different parts of the world there are going to be different connotations. Basically... I doubt many people (black or white) know what "coloured" refers to in South Africa.

That said in all honestly avoiding controversy can seem difficult at times. For example, Will Smith was on a Graham Norton recently and referred to himself and others as "people of colour" which I thought was considered out of date / offensive, as I've ALSO seen black actors in interviews insisting "just say black". :shrug:. Though Will Smith is getting on a bit so maybe he is using out of date terminology?

...Mokka hasn’t said that though, Lime...she has asked how the term is used in South Africa, as you’ve stated it has a different meaning and no negative connotations whatsoever...that isn’t the case in other parts of the world though...and my question wasn’t meant to offend...I truly apologise to you if it did...again I was trying to understand how the term ‘colour’ is applied in South Africa ...if it applied to those of a multi heritage...but obviously it doesn’t...

..I promise I will do my reading up on ‘coloured’ and ‘cape coloured’, ladies...

..yeah and the mindset of ‘no coloured’ which was so frequent of a time, also denoted a white superiority...

There are so many terms that are deemed offensive that it is quite difficult to keep up in these times. Look even at Islamic State, that was deemed offensive so it morphed to "so called Islamic State" and the to daesh. By the time it got to daesh everyone was going who?

It's quite right not to be deliberately offensive, but many will make unintentional mistakes and it does become really difficult to keep up with what is correct and what's not

..yeah I think that ‘coloured’ was just questioned though because it’s widely known it hasn’t been deemed acceptable for decades...unacceptable and offensive terms can be used unintentionally, of course...?...but it’s also important to question when and how they are used, I think...

That some people are happy with, or proud of being called coloured, does not take away from the fact that many many black people in the UK/USA have said that using that term to describe them is offensive. As such, its been widely known for a while that coloured is not a term that should be used for us. I get that it can be a bit confusing at times to know what is and is not offensive as it tends to change a lot and what one black person says could be the opposite of what others say. But still, coloured has been widely demeed offensive so..well I won't use it as I know that.

This does not mean I am trying to erase the culture of those who do chose to call themselves coloured, or that saying because the word is offensive to many means I am saying their culture is offensive or anything. Just that I acknowledge repeated requests from many in the black community that such terms not be applied to them.

This coloured/black/whatever thing is kind of not the point of this thread though. Regardless of what terminology this guy used, I would think that everyone on here (and its rare that we have a unianimus/nearly unanimous thread) would agree that such prejudice, especially in what is supposed to be an emergency situation, is ridiculous.

I know Ammi you meant no offfence,,,but do read up on coloured people..My best freind is coloured and it does upset them to hear coloured is an insult.I moved to Ireland in 1999 and I can honestly say the Irish /coloured culture are very simular:love::love:

These terms were not deemed offensive at all. The multitude of acronyms were to do with different translations of the name like ISIS and ISIL in English or using the Arabic acronym of the name, Daesh.
Adding "so called" was to underline that it was not recognised as a state.
Not a good example, bots.

It is the issue and it was wrong of me to presmume that outside of Africa people would know what coloured meant.


I do get "coloured" is used as an offensive word in the west.It's a community of great people in South Africa...I am the godmother of two coloured girls

After wikipedia

Looks like theres a difference how the term coloured is perceived in these two countries.
It's ok in SA but it is offensive here. Cultural differences.

Not so long ago, it used to be offensive to refer to people as brown....not any more!

we can also refer to people of colour ... its a constantly changing minefield, and I do believe there are still people left who have no idea that using the term 'coloured' is offensive and would be mortified at using it if they did

My grandmother has several "coloured" friends. She thinks it's terrible to call people black. She obviously means no offence. Of course, she's in her 90s... But I suppose those of us who will live into our 90s will also fall foul of the currently acceptable words.

Maybe the days of categorising our friends or doctors by colour are dying out?

Wouldn't that be nice :flutter:

Who even decides what the latest offensive term is.It changes so bleedin often these days.
Is there some grand high comittee making new rules every couple of years?

And how is ‘people of colour’ any better than ‘coloured’.

Yes I should like to know what is deemed offensive these days too, could someone please whitesplain it to me?

I think "people of colour" is mostly an American thing, to the point where seeing "colour" spelled in the correct way just looks wrong when used in the phrase.

:skull:

racism kills x

I know, it's SO difficult to not be racist.

:joker::joker:

It's official... I missed you on here lol

I am amused that some of the people outraged about this are the same people who will say that any anti-Semitism in Labour is over-exaggerated and just a ploy to bring down the party.

I'm amused how some on here can be adamant that Anti-Semetism exists in the Labour party with no evidence (apart from the 0.01% obviously) but refuses to accept racism does..even when it's right in front of you :/