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I am rural, conservative, white male from a very non-diverse part of the country. I don't think I am a racist, but I fully admit that I am ignorant to these things.
I ask because I was lurking on a thread on a closed forum for professionals (doctors), in which someone inadvertently used the term "colored people" and got blasted for being a "bigot".
Now, here is the root of my lack of understanding:
1) The NAACP specifically uses the term in their very name (possibly outdated term?), and
2) Gayle King, news anchor on CBS news, used the term "Person of Color" at least three times on the morning news broadcast on Thursday, January 28, 2021 (obviously, this just happened the other day).
So, is "colored people" not offensive? And that particular thread became a fiasco for no reason?
OR is the chronology of the term ("colored people" vs "people of color") very important in the offensiveness of the term, for some reason?
OR is this one of those things where a person of a certain ethnicity not confined to the same rules concerning derogatory terms of their own ethnicity (i.e. Gayle King is African-American), as compared to people of a different ethnicity? (See the "N-word" punch line that Jackie Chan uses in the movie "Rush Hour", as a reference)
I think the reaction to that phrase has varied over time, with region, and even person-to-person. I.e. no definite answer for all time, all areas, and all people.
A better question might be what is the best and more universal term to use these days. Then you can just focus on the best choice, rather than researching past ones.
Hopefully someone non-white will stop by and contribute to the conversation. Or at least, point to a good reference.
Why would it be? White people aren't offended when we are called white. Look at the background of this website that is white, have you ever seen a white person in your life?
I'm forever tanned, living in Tucson. Thus, you could label me a Colored person, and I won't be offended.
All this worry, stress over political correctness today is going to drive some people red with rage.
Off topic? One night, at work, I greeted one of the Black/colored workers with: Howdy-Do-Do? She looked at me like I had slapped her across the face. And, in response: I find that very offensive! And? Was it the extra Do to Howdy-Do-Do or was it the Howdy?
I understand that terminology changes over time. And sometimes, things just don't make logical sense, like why "colored person" is offensive but "person of color" is not. My preference would be for the group so designated to pick a term and stick with it. But, failing that, at least, please don't get upset when some people, with no malice, don't get the memo and change their phraseology fast enough.
To answer the question asked, "colored person" sounds a bit old-fashioned to me, but not offensive. "Person of color" kind of rubs me the wrong way, though I really can't put a finger on why. I'm white, by the way, so my opinion is that of one who is not being designated by any of these terms.
I've never understood, and still puzzled by it, why "Blacks" were so accepting of that label, and not Colored, instead. I've worked with Black people at nursing homes, and they tell me even if you're half-colored/black, or even one quarter Black, the Black label is used and they're very accepting of it, like in the case of Obama, who's half-white, half-black. I've actually met very few Black-black people in my lifetime, most of them various shades of brown, so Colored people would be more descriptive, it wouldn't be so much of a lie.
They're even describing Kamala Harris as Black and that's even more of a puzzlement to me. Colored, but far, far from Black.
"Colored People" was a very offensive term for a while, and I find it intriguing we've now gone back to "People of color."
What is the difference? You tell me.
I suspect it's the "people-first" movement, which states that if you put the word "colored/black" first, that becomes the emphasis, the most important thing.
If you put "person/people" first, it emphasizes that these are people first of all, and their color/race is secondary.
So "person of color" is OK, but "colored person" is not.
I find the difference minor at best, and highly inconsistent. It's still OK not only to say white people, but also Asian people, black people, native people, and so forth. Colored people is not okay to say.
I have friends who are very adamant about people-first in other spheres. One has a daughter who is NOT a "Downs syndrome child," she is a "child with Down syndrome." Another is not an "autistic person," she is a "person with autism." And that distinction is very important to them. On the other hand, the one whose child failed the hearing test at birth has a "Deaf child" (capital D), not a "child with deafness." So you kind of have to guess what people what to hear, and heaven help you if you get it wrong.
I am rural, conservative, white male from a very non-diverse part of the country. I don't think I am a racist, but I fully admit that I am ignorant to these things.
I ask because I was lurking on a thread on a closed forum for professionals (doctors), in which someone inadvertently used the term "colored people" and got blasted for being a "bigot".
Now, here is the root of my lack of understanding:
1) The NAACP specifically uses the term in their very name (possibly outdated term?), and
2) Gayle King, news anchor on CBS news, used the term "Person of Color" at least three times on the morning news broadcast on Thursday, January 28, 2021 (obviously, this just happened the other day).
So, is "colored people" not offensive? And that particular thread became a fiasco for no reason?
OR is the chronology of the term ("colored people" vs "people of color") very important in the offensiveness of the term, for some reason?
OR is this one of those things where a person of a certain ethnicity not confined to the same rules concerning derogatory terms of their own ethnicity (i.e. Gayle King is African-American), as compared to people of a different ethnicity? (See the "N-word" punch line that Jackie Chan uses in the movie "Rush Hour", as a reference)
Thanks for any help in my understanding...
It's outdated. The NAACP uses it for historical reasons. They debated whether to change it or keep it as a reflection of their historicity; the organization was founded back when the term was in use. That's basically the only exception considered acceptable. The acceptable term is the one Gayle King uses: people of color. This has a broader designation, though, than Black people. It includes all people of color: Asians, non-White Latinos, and Native Americans.
That may sound like mere semantics; you may ask, "what's the difference between 'colored people' and 'people of color'? The problem with the term "colored people" is that it has baggage associated with it. It was used by bigots, it's reminder of the Jim Crow era, it's a reminder of a lot of things certain people of color want to leave in the past.
So, OP, to get along, just...go along. If they much prefer you to say "people of color", go with it. Do people the courtesy of honoring their wishes. Small gestures are meaningful, and can do a lot to show respect (as long as you don't mess up in other ways, haha).
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