but she doesnt like being referred to as black. She is from Zimbabwe and her great grandfather was white married to a black woman so she is mixed race colour. She wants to be called coloured not black because the coloureds dont like the blacks and the blacks in Zimbabwe dont like coloured or white people. She calls herself half cast not mixed race. I dont know where I stand with what to refer to people as now. It seems that I will offend either one group or another. Mixed up world I know but what do you think.
2007-11-25 00:00:12 · 19 answers · asked by Booboo 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Of course I dont just refer to her as black, I do call her by her name!!!! but if you have a blond friend have you never mentioned her hair colour in passing conversation. ? She has no issue with her colour but with all the problems in Zimbabwe that is how they refer to each other because there is segregation among the blacks.
2007-11-25 00:09:52 · update #1
What is wrong with most of you who have replied to this. Is it wrong to mention someones colour? Is it now taboo? My friend and I were talking about Zimbabwe and that is how it came about. Are we not be allowed to discuss issues in her country between blacks and coloureds ? I dont mind if someone describes me and mentiones my colour. She is my friend, I respect her and her colour. When I see her I dont greet her as "Hello black friend". Get a grip and read what I have actually said.
2007-11-25 02:52:53 · update #2
I don't like to be called late for dinner.
2007-11-25 00:07:08 · answer #1 · answered by stinky 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Why dont you just refer to her by her name, Let her be the one to say what she is or isnt. It shouldnt matter to anyone else really. I am mixed and it never really comes up in conversation. MY wife is Asian and our daughter is always mistaken for some other mixture but again it doesn't matter. So she might be of White and African decent and for what ever the political reasons are she refers to herself in some other way. In time we will all be mixed anyways.
2007-11-25 00:14:54 · answer #2 · answered by Lance R 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi,it seems the best thing would be to say a person from wherever and try not to mention any "colour",then no one can say you are doing the wrong thing,Just say your friend is South African, from Zimbabwe,and leave it to her to sort out just what colour or cast she is.
2007-11-25 00:07:56 · answer #3 · answered by her with the mad ginger hair 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Tell her that in America, she will be referred to as black because that is what people will refer to her as (alteast those that don't know her by name) when they descirbe her. They will not notice the fact that she has white ancestry in her background. I'm 1/4 irish 1/4 indian and 1/2 black. But, I am as people see me. And that is black. And I don't mind it. Sounds like your friend may be a little confused and, somewhat, ashamed of her ancestry.
2007-11-25 00:20:30 · answer #4 · answered by Autumn 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"Peoples is peoples"
I don't know why it's such a great concern, i find if you refer to them by the Continent they come from you can avoid any unnecessary insults, (like calling a man from Pakistan an Indian), Just call them Asian, or South Asian, it's more sociable in my mind. So just say your friend is from Africa, or Zimbabwe, refering to people by skin colour just encourages people to call you racist even if you don't intend to be. In my mind skin colour is descriptive, not insulting.
2007-11-25 00:08:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I have never had to refer to my friends by the colour of their skin.
2007-11-25 01:45:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's Zimbabwe, this is the U.S.
It's best she doesn't live in America. If she has a problem with whites or blacks here, then she will have a SERIOUS problem living in the U.S.
2007-11-25 04:34:31 · answer #7 · answered by Popsqually 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There are some situations in which it is best to just say nothing at all because you just can't win either way. In the US calling someone "colored" is considered out of date and SOMETIMES is considered offensive. It is probably best just for you to call your friend by her name or nationality instead.
2007-11-25 00:24:25 · answer #8 · answered by Paul Hxyz 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If she is ur friend you should respect her wishes.. just call her by her name.. and avoid any race or color related convo with her... people have their own preferences and she is intitled to hers.. who are u to say what she can or can't be called.. she can be as red as an apple and want to be called green.. so what..? And knowing that it is a cultural difference should really make you want to respect her wishes.. I'm sure you want her to respect ur culture.
2007-11-25 00:23:06 · answer #9 · answered by *Shayla* 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
She probably doesn't want you to talk about her colour. You don't go around calling your white friends "white", do you?
2007-11-25 00:04:43 · answer #10 · answered by Andrew L 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Who cares...I have an "ex" friend who is none other than you guessed, white and she doesn't like being called white because she sits her nasty behind in the sun daily and gets dark.
She hates being referred to as white because she's no doubt cancer ridden and almost as dark as me.
I bet my story beat out yours...blah..
2007-11-25 00:46:16 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋