What kind of white?

Question

When filling out an 'equal opportunities' form (usually when applying for jobs etc) in the UK, there are several classes of race, such as;
Black (African)
Black (Caribbean)
Black (Other)
Asian (Middle East)
Asian (Indian)
Asian (Pakistani)
Asian (Eastern - Chinese / Japanese)
Native American
Latino
WHITE.

Why is there only one type of white listed? A white applicant could be west-european, east-european, nordic, american, australian, etc. etc. All resulting in just as much cultural and geographical differences as the different 'classifications' of black or asian.
Is this not reverse racism?
Could someone who works as HR or personnel please explain why this is?

Answer 1

I don't know the answer, but it's a great question. Well done that man! That's the sort of question that needs to be sent into a national newspaper!!

MICKEY D - He's not being PC and saying that we should have different types of white. He's just pointing out that we seem to have some need to sub-classify non-whites but not whites. It should be either all one way or all the other.

Answer 2

I don't think you are going to get a good answer to this question, which is, by the way, a good one. I do know that many "white" people in America would have a hard time checking the list as they are the great-great-grand kids of Italian, Spanish, Irish, English, Greek, Scots, French and need I go on? This kind of classification as a whole is fairly mind-boggling. Why "Black"? is that a skin color or an indication of heritage from Africa? Does it account for admixtures from many sources? "Asian" sort of makes sense because it refers to a geographic area. Native American has some meaning also, as would Aborigine in Australia. Latino is way too wide a spread -- Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, etc. probably don't like being "classed" together as their cultural histories are so different despite a long distant ancestor from Spain (and are the Spanish Latino?). And what exactly is white? Albinos are close to being white. But most Caucasions are more pinkish and shades of beige.
Bureaocrats and surveyors like little check boxes and they don't want to be accused of favoritism. I think the whole issue of national heritage is no one's business but our own.

Answer 3

having come from south africa,who has had a prolific fight against racism, i find your question amusing.
when enrolling my kids at school ,the staff seemed confused as to which block to put us in.
in rsa , to help stop racism, no colour is mentioned on any of its forms,as previously done. even the id system was changed ,so that the numbers reflecting the race group previously was changed only to reflect citizinship status.

it is fair to explain ,which country you come from,or which nationality, but in this day and age what has colour got to do with it, if we are supposed to be living without differentiating ourselves by colour.

good question.

Answer 4

Do you really believe that you are being marginalised or are you just another white boy who thinks its clever to revers the agenda. Point of fact, racism is not something defined by colour it is defined by your attitude as a human towards others and by how much respect you have for yourself. Who gives a ****, those forms have been brought in by the government departments of western countries which are historically resposible for most of the worlds racism and genocide - rip it up and have your own ideas not just some querky PC flip think that you read in the guardian or whatever middle class periodical you subscribe to. Please.

Answer 5

That is a good question...I have never seen a form like that though. But then again, I live in the states......here's how ours goes (I think at least, though I may leave some out) :

Caucasion
African American
Native American
Asian
other______

Sorry I didn't really answer your question, but I thought I would just tell you how it is here.

Answer 6

no it is about ethnic monitoring, more white people receive jobs than black people it is just to monitor equality to ensure that recruitment is fair and we don't turn away a employee because of the col or of there skin
it happens even now
some people don't see past a colour of someone skin

Answer 7

Here in US it is usually listed as Caucasian/White. I believe Caucasian is inclusive of many different classes of the white race.

Answer 8

Got to be one of the best Qs ive seen, Ive wondered this very same thing. I am a pictish celt.(.UK).. Never seen that on any dam form.....

Answer 9

I have no idea. Maybe its because white people are actually a lot more diversified, due to large scale immigration since the middle ages. Seems like white people are never content where they are (ha ha).

Answer 10

I puzzle over what to 'classify' my children as. One of their grandfathers is from Pakistan, so that makes them one quarter asian (and my husband half asian). Seems like people can be pigeon-holed as far as it goes, but true diversity can never be pinned down.