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How are we supposed to refer to black people?

You call black people black people just like you call white people white people.

Do not refer to black people as 'coloured', 'negro' or 'blacks'. Those terms are seen as being derogatory.

This. Its really not that difficult.

It is important that people use the correct terms and are told when they don't, however I feel it is a bit unfair on Cumberbatch that he's been chastised and been forced to apologise for an innocent mistake. Yes, someone needs to tell him, but there's a difference between innocently and accidentally using an incorrect term and spouting a load of racist hatred, which he clearly hasn't done here.

Reply 41

Eveiebaby

12

Original post by Balloon Baboon

Okay. How about from the Congo.

How would you describe them?

You know there is the word African. Nothing's stopping you use that term......
There's nothing wrong with using black either, but it's not the only way to describe someone of Afro-Caribbean descent. Oh look...there's another one.

Reply 42

Balloon Baboon

19

Original post by Eveiebaby

Certain cultures use the word "******"?
Which cultures might they be?

Are you asking the question because you believe I am wrong?

Reply 43

boods8897

18

My aunt is from Zimbabwe as is all her family. She's never had a problem with people describing her as either African or Black - at the end of the day, that's what she is and she's proud of it!
I say I'm white; why can't I say she's Black?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 44

Balloon Baboon

19

Original post by Eveiebaby

You know there is the word African. Nothing's stopping you use that term......
There's nothing wrong with using black either, but it's not the only way to describe someone of Afro-Caribbean descent. Oh look...there's another one.

And I also said in the post describe the person. How would you know where he or she is from?

Reply 45

GodAtum

17

Asian, African, Indian, Jamacian etc. no issue.

Reply 46

Plastic Face

4

Original post by Balloon Baboon

So if you were asked by a police officer to describe the person you saw, you'd just say it was a person?

interesting choice of example... can u stop thinking that black people are always in trouble with the police!

in this case, i'd have to describe them - though i would do it in a very private place between just me and the police officer - in fact i'd rather write it down than to say his ethic persuasion aloud

Reply 47

Balloon Baboon

19

Original post by Plastic Face

interesting choice of example... can u stop thinking that black people are always in trouble with the police!

I never said they were in trouble.

Reply 48

RFUR1

7

Original post by Olie

This. Its really not that difficult.

It is important that people use the correct terms and are told when they don't, however I feel it is a bit unfair on Cumberbatch that he's been chastised and been forced to apologise for an innocent mistake. Yes, someone needs to tell him, but there's a difference between innocently and accidentally using an incorrect term and spouting a load of racist hatred, which he clearly hasn't done here.

Do you not think Cumberbatch should know better? He should know that the term 'coloured' is derogatory and not to use it, just like you and me know. Wouldn't you watch what you say even more in a TV interview? As you said he clearly wasn't spouting racist hatred but I find it hard to sympathise with him.

Reply 49

Eveiebaby

12

Original post by Balloon Baboon

Are you asking the question because you believe I am wrong?

I want to test your knowledge of culture to see if you're going to make some ill informed comment to be honest.

Reply 50

kopi, ffs

15

Original post by Izzyeviel

By getting to know them.

Every single bloody form I've ever filled in has that... also the police, NHS, work etc

Although thinking about it, it is normally caucasian/white... as though white people don't know what they're called and need to be reminded.

Because Caucasian doesn't mean white, even though it's sometimes used that way erroneously. Plenty of people who aren't white belong to the Caucasian racial group (which is an archaic classifikation system anyway).

Anyway why is this question so hard? "Black" is fine. "White" too. If one of them shifts into not being fine in our lifetime (like coloured has), then we'll hear about it and we can use the new word. All good.

Reply 51

Anna1437

5

Most black people I know seem absolutely fine with being called black. A few people now use the term person of colour but I know some people that literally hate that term! So seriously suggest you only refer to someone using that term if you hear them refer to themselves that way. Good general rule is to refer to a person the way they refer to themselves, some obvious exceptions. Oh and if someone says they don't like the term you've used to describe them just say something like 'oh sorry didn't mean to offend you' and ask what term they'd rather you used.

Reply 52

Balloon Baboon

19

Original post by Eveiebaby

I want to test your knowledge of culture to see if you're going to make some ill informed comment to be honest.

Okay.

The word basically refers to black people. And the point I am making is that it's okay for black people to use that word disparagingly which each other. But if I used it towards a black person, It wouldn't be held well. Why? Because I'm not black? it's still the same word meaning the same thing but because I myself aren't black Its held in a different light.

Reply 53

Eveiebaby

12

Original post by Balloon Baboon

And I also said in the post describe the person. How would you know where he or she is from?

Afro-caribbean also describes ethnicity you know......
I also said that it isn't an issue to use the word black to describe them if they happen to be black, although a little simplistic.

What would you call someone from Sweden? DESCRIBE THEM.
I'd actually describe them as Nordic tbh. Because I can differentiate between kinds of Europeans.

Reply 54

Blue_Mason

10

Original post by Eveiebaby

Coloured is offensive because it used to be a term that the white south African apartheid government leaders used to categorise those who were mixed race and they were not allowed certain privileges. Terms associated with apartheid, really do need to die a death and I think it's justifyably offensive.

Using "blacks" instead of black people is offensive because you are first and foremost talking about people who have many facets of their character, rather than merely being defined solely as a unit of colour. It's dehumanizing.

Negro is just awful. That's what slave owners called their slaves. I can't believe anyone would believe that that isn't anything other than extremely offensive.

I am well aware of the jim crow segretists era, and also the apartied.
It was Europeans who created and associated such horrible negatives with being black.
Tbh I am not a fan of the causual uses of such racial labels,but they're times when I am forced to use them openly.
Negro means black in Spanish.
People on this site just choose to ignore the history and expect you to stop complaint and deal with it.

Reply 55

Balloon Baboon

19

Original post by Anna1437

Most black people I know seem absolutely fine with being called black.

I have friends that would rather be called black than anything else.

Reply 56

vickidc18

15

How about people of African/Caribbean descent PACD.

Reply 57

Plastic Face

4

Original post by Eveiebaby

Afro-caribbean also describes ethnicity you know......
I also said that it isn't an issue to use the word black to describe them if they happen to be black, although a little simplistic.

What would you call someone from Sweden? DESCRIBE THEM.
I'd actually describe them as Nordic tbh. Because I can differentiate between kinds of Europeans.

thats very clever of you to do that. i heard that people from chinese race cannot tell white people apart as easy... white people cant tell japs apart ...all look the same to me anyway...

nordic people got that strong eyebrow look going on...

Reply 58

Balloon Baboon

19

Original post by Eveiebaby

What would you call someone from Sweden? DESCRIBE THEM.
I'd actually describe them as Nordic tbh. Because I can differentiate between kinds of Europeans.