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Compliment or racisim?
DazDevine
Posts: 229
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I'm just looking for views & opinions on a debate I'm having. If a Caucasian Scotsman, like myself, were to compliment an African-American (for example) on the tone of their skin eg, I love you skin tone, would that be considered as a compliment or would it be perceived as racisim?
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I think if it's a bloke you're trying to compliment they might feel a tad uncomfortable.
Personally, if someone said that to me I'd be worried they wanted to make me into a jacket or something. I guess I never got over watching Silence of the Lambs.
um not really no
although thread starter no i wouldnt think that is racist
There's a fine line between a compliment, racism and ignorance/being a complete dumbass.
People always feel the need to comment on my colouring. I don't take it offensively.
However, I do feel a little weirded out whenever people tell me I'm too light-skinned to be from the West Indies. That gets my back up against a wall.
Sometimes I'm tempted to say "Nice pallid complexion you're rocking there, are you allergic to the sun?" but I don't.
^this
Racism is negative DISCRIMINATION based on race. Recognising, and embracing the colour of a persons skin (what ever it may be) is not racism.
If you thought it and said it to every single African person then it might be seen as a preference for a certain type of skin colouring. If you only thought it and said it about some Africans' skin then it's just liking some people's skin tone. If it was the only thing you ever liked about Africans it would be a little odd and could come across as racist.
Slightly off subject but: I was looking after an Afro/White lad of 13 Years. His social worker constantly went on and on about allowing this boy have access to his 'african culture' after a few months of this I felt obliged to mention that although he was 'Black' he also had a White British Mother so was entitled to follow his White British Culture too if he so wished. I was effectively letting the social worker know he was inadvertantly being racist in saying that this by was onething when infact he was the sum of two cultures and colours.
We need to have this post made into a 'sticky'.
Out of curiosity, what race is the opponent?
Never heard it described as co-debater before. I'm used to Affirmative and Negative.
lol olive skin isn't even a race!
Gawd, no wonder she thinks you're racist. You can't differentiate between aesthetic characteristics and race!
So if you said to your girlfriend that one of the things that attracted you to her was her skin tone, she would call you racist?
Also, what's the deal with olive skin? I'm described as olive skinned but I sure as hell aint green and shiny.
OK - the definition of a non racist...is being asked to describe someone as wearing jeans, a hoodie and a red scarf. Racist: a black guy in a red scarf.
Can we not finally be colour blind? If you are born in England and educated in England and work or at least try in England -what the heck does the colour of your skin matter?
I am a sort of pinkish colour and spots. So what - does it matter?
Mr Blobby? :eek:
Don't forget black and shiny ones!
I'm also olive skinned but I'm not green, black or shiny!
You outed me! :eek: