| | why african american and not black?Page 1 of 2 (1, 2) | | I've dated a few black women over the years and was wondering why in the ethnic search option there's only 'african' or 'african american' as a search option? I find that the majority of UK black women have put themselves in the 'other race' option as they're neither african or african american. It's not a racial slur to say someone is black anymore than it is to say someone is white! At the very least, 'afro-carribean' should be an option! | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/17/2007 5:50:24 AM | | It's just another fluffy politically correct term that is deemed proper in North America. We've had to adjust to a dictionary full of them over the last several decades. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/22/2007 8:09:10 AM | This is funny because I live here in the US and I don't like the option African-American. :) Why can't I just be American and explain the rest to whoever asks. :) I mean I don't see European Caucasion American, or German Caucasion, or Irish Caucasion,,,lol. Just Caucasion not even American,,lol. Can I just be American,,lol.
Oh well, I am just teasing. I thought I would just drop a line. :) I didn't even know that there is an afro-caribbean. So many people of color needing so many titles just because of what part of the world you live in. Yet, caucasion is the same no matter what part of the world you live in. Our world is definitely funny. Just call me an American with a bit of honey and caramel mixed in,,,,lol. Can they put that on here? LOL,,,,just kidding. Hope no one reads this and gets all upset. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/22/2007 8:35:06 PM |
Hope no one reads this and gets all upset.
I'm just filled with, well, hard to explain, gonna bust here, very ticked off, how dare you, how could you, why would you, have you no shame, better have eyes in the back of your head, watch out, but I'll end with this. Your words are some of the most refreshing I've heard in a very long, long time. A person of color, any person for that matter, that only want's to be known as an American? Why, simply because you and your ancestors were born here? You are Unique, and I for one thank you for that. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/23/2007 6:50:59 AM | | yes, but if the section for ethnicity is there then at least have it so that it does cover the ethnic groups properly. It's not just being politically correct, either. As it is, if you're a black person fromany country other than africa or the usa then you're not catered for. I agree that caucasian covers white people. Surely saying black would have the same universal covergage? It's what they put on every government form in the uk when you're questioned about your ethnicity. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/23/2007 8:05:18 AM |
but if the section for ethnicity is there then at least have it so that it does cover the ethnic groups properly.
And who decides what is proper? Unique wishes to be know only as an American but if African-American was taken away here you just know there would be many up in arms. As far as Afro-Caribbean, I gotta plead ignorant on that one as well.
What is it they put on every UK form? You mention only Caucasian and black but what other options are presented? I know pride of our ancestry exists in most of us but even then it can fuel dissent even amongst a common people. Where does one draw the line, even going to the timeline of when to draw the line?
Oriental, China and Japan aren't on the best of terms. Native American, both Eskimos and 'our' Indians can be called that, but are they a common people today?
What's really ironic is that the driver of a truck here with a bumper sticker that says "We don't give a d*mn how Y'all do it up north" more than likely has direct descendants living there, lol. Who knows, maybe one day we'll all evolve into the human race. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/23/2007 8:51:30 AM | This small world is also a big world. Since I have a parent that is not American the terms Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latino are familiar to me.
OP I understand your point and why you suggested the addition, this is a perfect example of how regional and cultural differences are viewed differently around the world.
The choice of "Black" being added may be easiest since some African Americans prefer Black and some of Afro origin from other regions may prefer it also.
Now that's my $.o2 cents from someone who is neither just Black nor just Mestiza.  | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/23/2007 10:17:45 AM | Thanks 4realru for trying to speak on my behalf. However, this is a planet of titles and no one would be satisfied with American or Non-American. There has to be distinction for most people. So simplification is not going to be popular. I mean it just goes on and on and sometimes you just sit back and go wow. I mean I am, according to society's norms, african-american but guess what my great grandfather is Cherokee and my great grandmother was caucasion, and my mom , according to society, is african-american and part Cherokee, lol. So now I need a block that says, AA/NA/Mix,,lol. Oh, that's right I should check the other block.
Well, this is a topic that will always go around in circles for many political and non political reasons so I will keep my 2 cents to myself.
I hope you all are successful at getting them to put whatever options you would like to see onto the site. Best of Luck!! | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 5/23/2007 11:02:18 AM | | I think we can all agree that just having african and african american on here, though, doesn't really cover it. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 8/10/2007 1:47:19 PM | | I think an Afro-Caribbean option would be helpful. If one is not African or African American, the only other option is other ethnicity and that really doesn't cover it. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 8/10/2007 1:57:23 PM |
think an Afro-Caribbean option would be helpful. If one is not African or African American, the only other option is other ethnicity and that really doesn't cover it.
choose "other" and deliniate further in your About Me section
unfortunately, the list of variations and other ethnicities would be a mile long if the site were to add every conceivable posibility.
see also: Other ethnicity and Mixed Race are not ethnicities! | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 8/10/2007 7:06:00 PM | it's been a while since i looked, so i don't recall what the options for ethnicity are. but, i would agree that "black" is an acceptable designation. i don't think it is associated with any pejorative sentiment these days, and it is descriptive. and, would do away with some of the subsets i've seen mentioned (which are hard to comprehend...why all the divisiveness? can't we all agree to simplify?).
while we're on the topic, i don't get why "european" is an ethnicity. to me, it denotes nationality, not ethnicity. they're not the same thing... | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 8/10/2007 7:41:57 PM | while we're on the topic, i don't get why "european" is an ethnicity. to me, it denotes nationality, not ethnicity. they're not the same thing...
Again, it's one of those choices that encompasses more than one country, one source would have Europe to include the following list below. You could ask the same of Africa, would you break it down to each individual country? or Caucasian - apples and oranges.
Europe
Albania , Luxembourg(EU) , Finland(EU) , SanMarino
Andorra , Malta(EU) , France(EU) , Serbia
Austria(EU) , Moldova , Germany(EU) , Slovakia(EU)
Belarus , Monaco , Greece(EU) , Slovenia(EU)
Belgium(EU) , Montenegro , Hungary(EU) , Spain(EU)
BosniaandHerzegovina , Netherlands(EU) , Iceland , Sweden(EU)
Bulgaria(EU) , Norway , Ireland(EU) , Switzerland
Croatia , Poland(EU) , Italy(EU) , Turkey
CzechRepublic(EU) , Portugal(EU) , Latvia(EU) , Ukraine
Cyprus(EU) , Romania(EU) , Liechtenstein , UnitedKingdom(EU)
Denmark(EU) , RepublicofMacedonia , Lithuania(EU) , VaticanCity
Estonia(EU) , Russia
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 8/11/2007 5:29:39 AM | i don't get why "european" is an ethnicity. to me, it denotes nationality, not ethnicity.
Europe is not a Nation. Its a Continent.
Its best answered here: Ethnic Group
Europe could be defined as an Ethnicity by "Recognition by others as a distinct Group".
There are so many Things Europeans have in common that are/may be completely different than those in North America.
One can be of the Caucasian, Asian or Black Race, but the Ethnicity could be further defined by stating "European" if that is where the Person was raised/born.
I find that the majority of UK black women have put themselves in the 'other race' option as they're neither african or african american.
Currently we have everything ... Race, Nationality and Ethnicity lumped into the Ethnicity Selection Menu for the Edit Profile and respective Advanced Search.
 | Perhaps in due Time as the Site grows, further Refinements will be added on. |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 8/11/2007 6:19:54 PM | This is my very first post...I felt compelled to add my 2 cents. The term "people of color" was used above, by 4realRU(I am not picking on you, I just noticed it happened to be posted by you), to describe black people, orientals or asians (should fall into that category, some may think), Native Americans, eskimos (someone also mentioned), and then there are Caucasians or white people. Isn't white a color too? We certainly aren't transparent! So I think the term "people of color" should never have been coined, since we all are one color or another. I think it goes back to the gawd-awful days of slavery, but if you think about it, it simply makes no sense to single out anyone who isn't white.
BTW, I am of German-Irish descent, or white when filling out forms, unless Caucasian is on there. So I am also a "person or color", just not black, red or yellow. Go figure. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 8/11/2007 7:35:22 PM | So I think the term "people of color" should never have been coined, since we all are one color or another.
On more than 1 Occasion I have heard African-American Men prefer to be referred to as a "Colored Man".
There have been Debates about Native Indians/Americans prefering to be referred to as
"First Nation" People.
Maybe it could be said that each of us has a Preference as to what Race, Nationality or Ethnicity we feel most comfortable or identify with.
| However, when it comes to the plentyoffish Search Engines, "Definites" are required to make it Function. |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 3/14/2008 9:25:08 AM | I find that the majority of UK black women have put themselves in the 'other race' option as they're neither african or african american
This is an opinion, and I suspect it is a massive exageration, but I think it does go to show the very sad reality of how cut off many people of African ancestory are from that ancestory. Now with the ethnicity listings changed to be Black for people of African ancestory (which all Black people are), they appear to be the only group of people from some planet other than Earth.
Every other ethnic group is referred to by geographic origin of ancestors, with the exception of Africans.
I don't care if one is Afro-Carribbean. They are still African in terms of ancestory. I don't care if one is African-American. They are still African in terms of ancestory. I don't care if one is a Black Brit. They are still African in terms of ancestory. And the ethnicity category on this site is consistently referring to geographic origin of ancestors for all other groups.
A 10th generation Irish-American has no problem calling himself European or Irish in terms of ancestory, but after the same number of generations Africans feel as if they have no ancestoral roots. All they see of their history is their immediate family and the country in which they now live. That is sad and shows the lingering effects of the kidnapping and enslavement that brought their African ancestors to their current location.
I think if whites are referred to as Caucasian/White, at the very least the listing for African descendants should be African/Black. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 3/14/2008 9:34:34 AM | | I grew up in an area with a big West Indian and to a lesser extent African community and I have never heard any black person describe themselves as Afro-Carribbean or anything like that. Always just "black" or "African" or "British" or whichever country they might come from. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 3/15/2008 7:18:30 PM | Precisely. Many people of African descent are so cut off from their ancestoral roots that they actually think they are being mis-identified when accurately labeled of African descent. But does that mean a site like POF is supposed to be complicit in that distortion of the truth by acting as if their ancestors didn't come from anywhere on Earth?
I did see on one other site where the labels for people who self-identify as Black were Black/African-descent and Black/Non-African descent. That should capture everyone (including Aborigines who might consider themselves Black, but certainly not African) while also linking Black people to Earth, just like all other Ethnic groups specified on this site. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 3/15/2008 8:20:40 PM | | Even though black isnt an ethnicity, I prefer to use the term "black" than African American. I dont want to get into a deep dsicussion about race, because I know a lot of people are touchy about the subject. But , I definately dont get offended at all when someone refers me to an African American woman. And I also, dont correct people , because I know the next question is whats the difference? and Why not? | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 3/15/2008 9:43:08 PM |
Posted by Peanutbutterjelly: "I prefer to use the term "black" than African American."
I find that fascinating (really). The majority of Caucasians in the U.S. have more or less had it hammered into them that the term 'African American' is PC and the term 'black' is borderline bad. I am supposing that this stems from the perception that the term 'black' is more polarizing a term than African American as it immediately lays a person's racial derivation on the table. It immediately denotes a difference based on race and not national (continental) origin. The term black also has some derivative words that are definitely racist and I believe it is felt that using African American (or African) creates some space thus removing possible innuendo and misinterpretation. I have even seem people corrected for calling a black individual black and were told that the proper term is African American.
I've never really understood the point of the question, "What are you?", that crops up so many times in social situations. I get rather puzzled. I am an American (North American to be somewhat proper). If I answer that way, I get, "No, what nationality?". Again, I have to answer American. I know what they actually mean is, "What is my familial heritage?, but what possible difference does that make? My father's side is German Protestant and my mother's side is Scottish Protestant and they attempted to raise me as a Methodist ... go figure. But, what difference does it make that somewhere in the distant past that my father's family came from Germany and my mother's side came from Scotland? I have no intimate knowledge or ties to either of those nations. I prefer to answer that I am a typical 'American Mutt'. The same goes for making a distinction about race, it doesn't really matter. Nationalities don't really matter. How you treat people is all that really makes a difference. Sorry ... I drifted. | |
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| why african american and not black?
Posted: 3/16/2008 9:09:05 AM | lol, i get a chuckle out of canadians who call themselves african-american...
i like to follow it up with saying that i believe "those people" shouldn't be able to vote :D (I can't vote in the states, why would i support americans voting up here??)
I think the term is still used because of american influence. It really doesn't matter how you describe people in canada(excluding derogotory terms of course; and those exist for every race) and i'm guessing this is the case in most countries. The whole point when describing someone is to be clear and accurate, not political.
Dave Matthews is a white african-american and i'm sure he'd be just as offended as black african-americans when people who've never seen africa associate themselves with it. Isn't the gerenal consensus that we all come from africa anyway?!? how long are we to track our heritage? I'm second generation Canadian and to me that makes me canadian. That's just a humble african-roman-latin-spanish-german-french-trinidadian-french-canadien-canadian's point of view...
ps. i'm pretty sure a few of my heritages were lost in the last 2500 years... that being said, none of the above gives you any idea what i look like.. | |
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