what the hell do i say?

[leenie]

recently i was asked to describe someone, their most recognisable feature was that weren't black nor were they white, all i could think of was "half cast"... but knew that was politically correct, so i have been goggling political correctness,....

here are some examples...



The following list highlights words and phrases that can be substituted for the less respectful terms. If you think this is too much work, ask yourself, "If I were in the group being referred to, would I still feel this is too much work?"

Insensitive Words & Phrases                            Possible Alternatives

Black sheep                                             Outcast

"Guys" (when referring to a mixed group)     Friends; folks; group

Acting like wild Indians                             Out of control

Girls (when referring to coworkers)             Women

Manhole                                                     Utility hole

Gifted children                                             Advanced learners

Race    Ethnicity or nationality                          (There is only one race--human)

Uneducated (when referring to adults)             Lacking a formal education

No culture (when referring to parts                Lacking European culture
of the U.S. where the opera and
the theater
are scarce or nonexistent)    

The little woman; the wife                          Your wife; his wife

"Don't go postal on me!"       No alternative; someone in your
                                         audience  may have  relatives who  are postal workers



Old people    Seniors;             "Chronologically Advantaged"

Bitchy or "PMSing"            Assertive

"White" lie    Lie                    (Calling it white does not make it okay)

Flip chart                           Easel (Flip is a derogatory word referring to Filipinos)

Half-breed                       Multi-ethnic

Blacklisted                        Banned

"Manning" the project     Staffing the project


I should have used the word multi-ethnic.... i will know for again

the ones i have highlighted made me laugh, wonder if that makes me racist?

[Derry Dolly]

i think if i used the word "multi-ethnic" people would ask what the hell that meant and id prob end up having to say something like half cast 

some of those are a bit ridiculous..flip chart? utility hole? lol

[leenie]

alternatively...

http://www.pagetutor.com/jokebreak/205.html

some examples

boyfriend...............unpaid sex worker

drug addict.............chemically challenged

drunk...................spatially perplexed

farmer..................exploiter of mother earth

girlfriend..............acquaintance rape survivor
girlfriends.............unpaid sex workers

prostitute..............sex care provider

psychopath..............socially misaligned person

[leenie]

SOME GREAT READING ONLINE ABOUT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS....

I THINK WE SHOULD ALL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR OWN POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IN OUR POSTS!



Politically Correct Little Red Riding Hood

There once was a young person named Little Red Riding Hood who lived on the edge of a large forest full of endangered owls and rare plants that would probably provide a cure for cancer if only someone took the time to study them.

Red Riding Hood lived with a nurture giver whom she sometimes referred to as "mother", although she didn't mean to imply by this term that she would have thought less of the person if a close biological link did not in fact exist.

Nor did she intend to denigrate the equal value of nontraditional households, although she was sorry if this was the impression conveyed.

One day her mother asked her to take a basket of organically grown fruit and mineral water to her grandmother's house.

"But mother, won't this be stealing work from the unionized people who have struggled for years to earn the right to carry all packages between various people in the woods?"

Red Riding Hood's mother assured her that she had called the union boss and gotten a special compassionate mission exemption form.

"But mother, aren't you oppressing me by ordering me to do this?"

Red Riding Hood's mother pointed out that it was impossible for womyn to oppress each other, since all womyn were equally oppressed until all womyn were free.

"But mother, then shouldn't you have my brother carry the basket, since he's an oppressor, and should learn what it's like to be oppressed?"

And Red Riding Hood's mother explained that her brother was attending a special rally for animal rights, and besides, this wasn't stereotypical womyn's work, but an empowering deed that would help engender a feeling of community.

"But won't I be oppressing Grandma, by implying that she's sick and hence unable to independently further her own selfhood?"

But Red Riding Hood's mother explained that her grandmother wasn't actually sick or incapacitated or mentally handicapped in any way, although that was not to imply that any of these conditions were inferior to what some people called "health".

Thus Red Riding Hood felt that she could get behind the idea of delivering the basket to her grandmother, and so she set off.

Many people believed that the forest was a foreboding and dangerous place, but Red Riding Hood knew that this was an irrational fear based on cultural paradigms instilled by a patriarchal society that regarded the natural world as an exploitable resource, and hence believed that natural predators were in fact intolerable competitors.

Other people avoided the woods for fear of thieves and deviants, but Red Riding Hood felt that in a truly classless society all marginalized peoples would be able to "come out" of the woods and be accepted as valid lifestyle role models.

On her way to Grandma's house, Red Riding Hood passed a woodchopper, and wandered off the path, in order to examine some flowers.

She was startled to find herself standing before a Wolf, who asked her what was in her basket.

Red Riding Hood's teacher had warned her never to talk to strangers, but she was confident in taking control of her own budding sexuality, and chose to dialogue with the Wolf.

She replied, "I am taking my Grandmother some healthful snacks in a gesture of solidarity."

The Wolf said, "You know, my dear, it isn't safe for a little girl to walk through these woods alone."

Red Riding Hood said, "I find your sexist remark offensive in the extreme, but I will ignore it because of your traditional status as an outcast from society, the stress of which has caused you to develop an alternative and yet entirely valid worldview. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would prefer to be on my way."

Red Riding Hood returned to the main path, and proceeded towards her Grandmother's house.

But because his status outside society had freed him from slavish adherence to linear, Western-style thought, the Wolf knew of a quicker route to Grandma's house.

He burst into the house and ate Grandma, a course of action affirmative of his nature as a predator.

Then, unhampered by rigid, traditionalist gender role notions, he put on Grandma's nightclothes, crawled under the bedclothes, and awaited developments.

Red Riding Hood entered the cottage and said,

"Grandma, I have brought you some cruelty free snacks to salute you in your role of wise and nurturing matriarch."

The Wolf said softly "Come closer, child, so that I might see you."

Red Riding Hood said, "Goddess! Grandma, what big eyes you have!"

"You forget that I am optically challenged."

"And Grandma, what an enormous, what a fine nose you have."

"Naturally, I could have had it fixed to help my acting career, but I didn't give in to such societal pressures, my child."

"And Grandma, what very big, sharp teeth you have!"

The Wolf could not take any more of these specist slurs, and, in a reaction appropriate for his accustomed milieu, he leaped out of bed, grabbed Little Red Riding Hood, and opened his jaws so wide that she could see her poor Grandmother cowering in his belly.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Red Riding Hood bravely shouted. "You must request my permission before proceeding to a new level of intimacy!"

The Wolf was so startled by this statement that he loosened his grasp on her.

At the same time, the woodchopper burst into the cottage, brandishing an ax.

"Hands off!" cried the woodchopper.

"And what do you think you're doing?" cried Little Red Riding Hood. "If I let you help me now, I would be expressing a lack of confidence in my own abilities, which would lead to poor self esteem and lower achievement scores on college entrance exams."

"Last chance, sister! Get your hands off that endangered species! This is an FBI sting!" screamed the woodchopper, and when Little Red Riding Hood nonetheless made a sudden motion, he sliced off her head.

"Thank goodness you got here in time," said the Wolf. "The brat and her grandmother lured me in here. I thought I was a goner."

"No, I think I'm the real victim, here," said the woodchopper. "I've been dealing with my anger ever since I saw her picking those protected flowers earlier. And now I'm going to have such a trauma. Do you have any aspirin?"

"Sure," said the Wolf.

"Thanks."

"I feel your pain," said the Wolf, and he patted the woodchopper on his firm, well padded back, gave a little belch, and said "Do you have any gaviscon?"

[armaghniac]

recently i was asked to describe someone, their most recognisable feature was that weren't black nor were they white, all i could think of was "half cast"

you should have said mulatto.

[leenie]

recently i was asked to describe someone, their most recognisable feature was that weren't black nor were they white, all i could think of was "half cast"

you should have said mulatto.

i'm a bad person... i laughed at that thinking it was some kinda milky coffee but its not its the correct term!

[pintsofguinness]

I would have just stayed away from their colour description altogether.  Minefield.

[ardmhachaabu]

I would have just stayed away from their colour description altogether.  Minefield.

My thoughts exactly. 

[maggie]

What were u describing them for?
Is mixed race background not an acceptable turn of phrase.
P.s. That big bad wolf post- You have too much time on your hands.....

[Puckoon]

Well yeah - but at the end of the day you should be able to accurately describe anyone - skin colour/tone included.

Id have just said half black.

[ziggysego]

Just start the description with "I don't mean to be racist, but...."

[ardmhachaabu]

Just start the description with "I don't mean to be racist, but...."

... and continue to be racist? 

[rosnarun]

recently i was asked to describe someone, their most recognisable feature was that weren't black nor were they white, all i could think of was "half cast"

you should have said mulatto.

in south africa they say 'neither here nor there'
in ZIM they say  Goffell
not sure if they're complimentary or not

[heganboy]

"of mixed race"

[ONeill]

Excuse me
standing on one leg
I'm half-caste.

Explain yuself
wha yu mean
when yu say half-caste
yu mean when Picasso
mix red an green
is a half-caste canvas?
explain yuself
wha yu mean
when yu say half-caste
yu mean when light an shadow
mix in de sky
is a half-caste weather?
well in dat case
england weather
nearly always half-caste
in fact some o dem cloud
half-caste till dem overcast
so spiteful dem don't want de sun pass
ah rass?
explain yuself
wha yu mean
when yu say half-caste
yu mean tchaikovsky
sit down at dah piano
an mix a black key
wid a white key
is a half-caste symphony?

Explain yuself
wha yu mean
Ah listening to yu wid de keen
half of mih ear
Ah looking at yu wid de keen
half of mih eye
an when I'm introduced to yu
I'm sure you'll understand
why I offer yu half-a-hand
an when I sleep at night
I close half-a-eye
consequently when I dream
I dream half-a-dream
an when moon begin to glow
I half-caste human being
cast half-a-shadow
but yu must come back tomorrow
wid de whole of yu eye
an de whole of yu ear
an de whole of yu mind.

an I will tell yu
de other half
of my story.