Why do people of color resent being called colored?

Question

It seems a social order that pays no attention to grammar, diction, proper contractions and even less to enunciation would wear this shortcut in speech as a badge of honor instead of taking offence...you got it your way. It saves words and sylabbles isn't that how they speak? Is that only convenient when you say it is?

Niggger was used as a hurtfu demeaning term too, but they call each other that every day.

Answer 1

wow, how about that first answer. interesting, but it doesn't hold water. another term used widely during slavery was n*gger, and that word is used in that community everyday now. they sure have embraced that one. wish I could help ya out further, but I'm just a cracker. (a word that came about because of the slave drivers cracking the whip, not as much of an insult as the people throwing it around think it is, huh?)

Answer 2

I would have to guess its because some blacks associate the word colored to be less than normal. For example, during the 50s & 60s where there were colored only/no coloreds allowed type signs everywhere to point out segregation; I could see how some olders blacks are sensitive to things like that. The colored facilities were poorly kept and nothing like the facilities used by whites. To be called colored, it would seem, was to be called different. Nobody wants to be different in a society where its preached that we're really all the same. Now, I think the label 'colored' just isn't popular anymore rather being than offensive. I don't represent all black people, so I dunno. And for the record, all blacks don't call other blacks ***@#$. Some blacks are sensitive to the idea that when people devoid of color notice how free the word is used, they'll assume the word isn't that bad. To me, it has no real meaning.. so yes, I use it in regular conversation- along with a number of other words that could be used to refer to people of other races.

I was born after the civil rights fight. I can't relate to what my mother/father had to go through. I don't know what its like to try and force someone to give me rights that I can actually take myself. I don't think I would be bothered if somebody called me a colored. I'm 30.. and the older I get, the more I hear somebody call me a girl (rather than a ma'am), the bigger I smile. I'm completely comfortable with myself. I refer to myself as a black woman and hearing somebody called me a colored girl would not make me feel anything less than a black woman. I don't let somebody else's opinion of me form my opinion of myself.

Answer 3

Colored was actually a term originally used to differentiate between biracial and "full" African blooded slaves. It was used to downgrade "full-bloods" (for lack of a better term). It was later that it was adapted into use, ie. NAACP. Later, Black people began to reject any term put upon us during slavery days. We chose our OWN terms to describe ourselves, as opposed to one racists put on us. If you realize that a term is offensive and derogatory, you should respect and not use it, even if YOU feel it's "convenient." You show your own racist views with the wording of your "question" "How they speak?" WTF does that mean. Ohhh, yes, The N word. Maybe some of our less educated youths use it, but no, it isn't license for you to use it. Of course it will cause a problem, and I see from your sentence that don't see anything wrong with it. Well, go ask Nick Minucci about that one, ok?

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/435995p-367337c.html

To the "white is right" jacka*s - you are probably the first dumb cluck to go and lay out in the sun to get tanned, to perm your hair to get a curl that isn't yours, some sort of bee-sting lip product to achieve fuller lips, and stairmaster to get a booty un-natural to you. Think about you and your ignorant little statement. It was a long time before we were allowed by society to see our beauty, so now we embrace it. What's your malfunction?

PS - the word was in play waaayyyyyyy before the 70's!

Answer 4

Because back when my parents were called colored, it was a purposeful insult, and everybody knew it.

Now, how do you take a word that was used to insult for decades, and make it an "acceptable" word now.

If you haven't been there, you cannot relate. You cannot talk about social order if you've never tried to understand all facets of it.

I do agree that a lot of the black generation nowadays, have completely disregarded proper speech, and enunciation.

But there are some of us who take our parents blatant disrespect, and their struggle to make sure we have the basic rights they were denied to heart when we leave our doors.

Answer 5

I think it is because the ethnic minority tends to view any statements from the white majority as offensive if it is made to stereotype them or lump them all into the same group. It is also usually a derogatory or now archaic term used to describe minorities. Much the same could be said of what is wrong with calling a mentally handicapped person a retard. It just isn't socially acceptable to do so in today's society.

Answer 6

Because during the times of slavery, the word "colored" was used as an insult and to validate white people's racism by making black people seem less than human. The word has a lot of ugly and hurtful history.

Answer 7

Because it is offense term to demean black people. If black people don't use that word to express themselves then neither should you.

I think it is sad that in the year of 2006 and through everything we as a country have been through since 9/11 that people like you still can't see a black man for what he is; just a MAN!!!

Answer 8

Are you talking about like American Africans and Asians. Well, then you should know that it was the West who created the Apartheid, which means discrimination in the aspect of color. This happened in South Africa. Martin Luther revolted against this, don't you know?

Answer 9

All these replies saying it was developed as a means to demean... No! It was a replacement for ***** when ***** went out of style in the 70s... Later Colored went out of style and Black was in... I'm not sure what the preferred label is now, African Descent??

Answer 10

That term was started in the old slave days. Why can't people just say Blacks or Asians or Hispanics. I know it takes a little more syllables to say these words, but it's so much more respectable.