Do you find it offencive when you have to fill in a section giving your race on an official form?

Question

I do and I asked the lady running the course how other people felt about it. I was suprised to hear her say that no one dislikes it more than the ethnic minorities.
Is this true?

Answer 1

I have found it actually racist a bit. You need to tick these boxes even if you apply to work for companies which, on the other hand, make a statement about equality. So, if they declare they do not discriminate on the national/racial/sexual and any other ground why are they still asking these questions about the race, ethnicity, religion etc.? It is a form of hidden racism for me.

The turd in the trousers: nothing wrong with national or ethnic pride - as long as you do not need to depreciate the people of other races/ nationalities/ ethnic origins to make yourself feeling better.

Answer 2

It depends on the form. If its a school form or medical form or any other form that will be used to speak for you in an emergency, then don't feel offended. Some drugs and medications work very differently on different races. So do other procedures.
Census forms and other community forms are also used to tell the local governments what kinds of programs and languages to offer their constituents and provide for the community.
If it's an employment or or other such form then yes, it would be offencive.
But remember, offence is always taken and never given. Why are you upset about telling others who you are? Are you so prejudiced that you believe the information will used against you? Remember, racism knows no race.

Answer 3

I am white, English, and find it offencive to be told I'm 'racist' for wanting to put 'English' "It must be British". This to me is a long way round to all the PC brigade stating that we are racist, because we've had to put British with its association to the BNP. rather than English.

But surely it shouldn't matter what race Creed colour YOU are, all Britains are treated equally. As far as I can surmise the race relations act is a do-gooder petty muck stirring organisation, that occupies all with trivia, ie. 'black coffee' and misses the more dangerous quite occurrences.

I work for a County Council, quote:"If you are an ethnic minority, female, or have a disability then you are guaranteed an interview." It is this type of "ISM." that adds to the ill will of most decent people, and the sooner the moronic PC brigade and race relations idiots realise this then ENGLAND will start to become a much happier country.

Answer 4

I dislike the categories, I also don't see how my race changes anything.

I would of assumed the ethnic minories would welcome the labels as it is essentially entirely for their benefit afterall and are essentially fast tracked through most things due to the nature of the policies set forth to encourage these minorities, ie. Police welcome all 'minorities' including British people with a heritage from the east, gay people and women. I'd say only the male Britain has to be afraid of these forms (for the record, if it counts I'm a female)

You now days have "British Indian, British Asian (Pretty much the same thing?, British African, British this and that.

Should we also have "British Scottish, Brittish Welsh" Surely these sub-categories also deserve to have their place? (Yes I realise Scotland and Wales make up Britain but they're entirely different 'countries') In turn British English, but the majority of these people are white, and don't fill anyones targets unless they are women.

Answer 5

It is offensive - I never answer these questions relating to race, sex, age, marital status etc. It's just pure bureaucracy and I am positive some places use them just to hire "ethnic minorities" to bring their official quota of them up, so that they can harp on about how "ethnic minority" friendly they are. Pure rubbish - and I encourage people not to fill these sections out.

Answer 6

I who is Hispanic and a proud American, find it offensive. It make me feel that I am only half American.

When my children where in school and had to fill out those school form, I would mark other and put in American. I taught my children the they are NOT hyphenated American, just simply and proudly an American.

I feel that having to answer what race a person is only divide us as a nation.

Answer 7

I am white and I do not like filling in that block either. I think it is something non-important... and yes it makes me uncomfortable. It is like they are saying "what race are you so we can get a preconcieved notion about the type of person you are."

The woman who told you only minorities seem to get offended over it is wrong as well... many of my co-workers from my last job would always gripe about that part of any survey, application... ect. that they had to fill out. Of course, I was in the Air Force, and diversity was one of the things I liked about it.

Answer 8

Also the form doesn't cover all possibilities. I remember a South African getting all worked up because they had to tick White because there was no White African choice. She wibbled on about it so long and loud in the end I told her to find the Pedantic African box and tick that instead.

Answer 9

I dont find it offensive,I do find it curious even irrelevant most of the time but I suppose as long as the information is not used in a detrimental way ,its not aproblem

Answer 10

I don't find it offensive but I do fail to see what relevance it has to anything when it is quite aboviously just pandering up to the political correctness nazis who like to count these things and then use the information for their own agendas.