Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've heard people describe others by weight "the big guy in IT" and hair color "the tall blonde in HR" and no one cares. If those are fair game, I don't see why using skin color on its own would be inappropriate.
It was better than saying "the fat f*** in IT" or "the blonde bimbo in HR". As others have said, you were using it as an identifier. It's not like you used a derogatory term or made his blackness the subject of anything. You were just confirming it was him using your most efficient identifiers.
All I can think of is using African-American instead of black in a professional setting. By the time you finally get used to using the phrase African-American it will be changed to something else, so you will somehow always be politically wrong.
yes it was stated in a way that was less than professional.
I would have used Lead in questions...allowing the person who actually SAW them to formalize the description....
I recall being written up for stating the caller had a jamaican accent...because guess what?? he was from jamaica! But Never did I present that he was of a certain skin tone. I was written up ( i kid you not) for making a racist comment in our work place!
Dang 18 years later and that write up still gets my goat....
Not all "black" skinned people are African Americans... or wish to be associated with Africa if their "recent" ancestors didn't come from there. Many "blacks" have come from south America /brazil for example or the Caribbean
I work in a very white collar field/ corporate environment. I'm also not a fan of being overly PC, but in the work environment, I would have referred to him as an "African American man/gentleman" and not a "black guy." I realize that's pc, but that's the environment I work in.
I have many black friends, and outside of work I (and they) would have no problem referring to someone as a black guy. As you can see, many blacks here say they don't have a problem with what you said. I would have still been more formal/ PC in the work environment though, but that's just me.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
