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Is it wrong to call a black person coloured?

My dad had a go at my brother the other day for referring to a black person as "coloured".

What's everyone's opinion on this? Is it wrong to say this as we are all "coloured" as my dad pointed out?

I personally don't use term and would refer to a male or female of African/Caribbean descent as black, but could the word "coloured" really be perceived as derogatory?

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Yup.
Reply 2
Yes, it's wrong because black is the absence of colour.
Well they're not colourless are they? :lolwut:
Reply 4
It is considered offensive, yes.

'Black' and 'white' sounds a lot more equal, whereas 'coloured' makes black people sound somewhat different to white people. That's what I've always thought anyway.
It's derogatory in my opinion, because of how the word was used in the past. Black is correct.
Original post by Seanm1994
My dad had a go at my brother the other day for referring to a black person as "coloured".

What's everyone's opinion on this? Is it wrong to say this as we are all "coloured" as my dad pointed out?

I personally don't use term and would refer to a male or female of African/Caribbean descent as black, but could the word "coloured" really be perceived as derogatory?


It's the history of the word that makes it offensive I think, as it was used during a time when racism was rife and signs such as 'coloured only' segregated people. It's just generally better to use 'black' as it isn't associated with such a negative period imo.
My best friend is black and he gets us all to call him dark chocolate... some black people will take offense to certain terms, others wont. Such is life.
Call them black, but really unless it was meant to offend nobody should berate you for it.
The colored guy.......


It's just a way of identifying someone of colour.
I find it ironic that white people call others coloured. I remember this story from years back and this thread suits it perfectly :


The white man said, "Colored people are not allowed here."
The black man turned around and stood up.
He then said: "Listen sir....
when I was born I was BLACK,"
"When I grew up I was BLACK, "
"When I'm sick I'm BLACK, "
"When I go in the sun I'm BLACK, "
"When I'm cold I'm BLACK, "
"When I die I'll be BLACK."

"But you sir."

"When you're born you're pink, "
"When you grow up you're white, "
"When you're sick, you're green, "
"When you go in the sun you turn red, "
"When you're cold you turn blue, "
"And when you die you turn purple."
"And you have the nerve to call me colored?"

The black man then sat back down and the white man walked away...
My mother uses terms like "coloured", "negro" and "halfcaste" - her first husband was a West Indian and my half sister, therefore, is mixed race, so I doubt this is due to any racism on her part, more probably because NI never really had the same racism problems as England (due to being >99% white until very recently), and her seeing these as being purely descriptive terms without the negative connotations they've picked up in other places.

I would hope that people of our generation however would realise that such terms are generally inappropriate except in a banter situation.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 12
I don't see why it should be offensive, if anything 'coloured' is a more accurate description than 'black'. It might have some historical connotations but no more than the word 'black'.
Reply 13
Everything has colour to it, white people included. I've never fully understood why they are refered to as coloured.

Your dad had the right to 'have a go' at your brother, the term coloured is racist to some black people. Black is a better word to use, but I dislike using the word black and white. People can be described without being called 'black' and 'white'.
Original post by TheEssence
I find it ironic that white people call others coloured. I remember this story from years back and this thread suits it perfectly :


The white man said, "Colored people are not allowed here."
The black man turned around and stood up.
He then said: "Listen sir....
when I was born I was BLACK,"
"When I grew up I was BLACK, "
"When I'm sick I'm BLACK, "
"When I go in the sun I'm BLACK, "
"When I'm cold I'm BLACK, "
"When I die I'll be BLACK."

"But you sir."

"When you're born you're pink, "
"When you grow up you're white, "
"When you're sick, you're green, "
"When you go in the sun you turn red, "
"When you're cold you turn blue, "
"And when you die you turn purple."
"And you have the nerve to call me colored?"

The black man then sat back down and the white man walked away...


That's a semantic joke which really has nothing to do with racism.
I think it mainly depends on how you use it. I'd imagine, however, that 'coloured' is a lot harder to use in an insulting way than 'black', although that's probably just how I perceive it.
Reply 16
Original post by The Dark Lord
My best friend is black and he gets us all to call him dark chocolate... some black people will take offense to certain terms, others wont. Such is life.


Call him brown bear.
Reply 17
Simply due to how the adjective was used in past situations, black is the word to use so to say.
Original post by talon1579
That's a semantic joke which really has nothing to do with racism.


in your eyes maybe so.
Reply 19
I hate it if someone calls me coloured. I'm not multicoloured, I'm black. I think alot of the time, people think they're being racist if they say black.

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