August 2006 Weddings
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F/U the word Mulatto

I heard someone use it in normal conversation today. ?She is?Haitian (but goes to school in the U.S.). ?She used it while describing race relations in Haiti. ?Since she herself is mixed, I assume that Mulatto is the proper term in Haiti.

I think I will ask her about it tomorrow.?

Re: F/U the word Mulatto

  • Was there some controversy in regard to the term?  I guess I missed it.
  • I know its antiquated but I've never heard of it being thought of as derogatory, But I guess I've never thought to use it either. I don't like assuming what race people's parents are I guess. But then again I am a super PC white girl who can't even say "coffee, black" in public w/o feeling weird.

     

  • We had a conversation about it shortly after we came to A07. ?I remember the discussion revolved around whether or not it was an acceptable term.
  • It is almost impossible to keep up with what terms are and are not acceptable.  And I've found that a term that might be acceptable to one person isn't always acceptable to others. 

  • I understand people in other countries use it. When I am in Brazil, and am referred to as a "Mulatto" I cringe but understand. I have different standards for people in this country.
    "HOW many US citizens and ranchers have been decapitated in Arizona by roving bands of paperless aliens, and how will a requirement that I have papers on me make that not happen?"courtesy of SueSue
  • imageelenaforbusher:

    It is almost impossible to keep up with what terms are and are not acceptable.  And I've found that a term that might be acceptable to one person isn't always acceptable to others. 

    Do you refer to people as Mulatto's?  

    "HOW many US citizens and ranchers have been decapitated in Arizona by roving bands of paperless aliens, and how will a requirement that I have papers on me make that not happen?"courtesy of SueSue
  • imageMeredithE:
    imageelenaforbusher:

    It is almost impossible to keep up with what terms are and are not acceptable.  And I've found that a term that might be acceptable to one person isn't always acceptable to others. 

    Do you refer to people as Mulatto's?  

    No, it wouldn't even occur to me to do so.  But I will admit that I didn't know it was considered offensive.

    My statement refers more to my sister referring to one of her acquaintances as "hispanic".  The guy laughed in her face and made her feel stupid for using the term.  He said it wasn't appropriate.

  • imageMeredithE:
    imageelenaforbusher:

    It is almost impossible to keep up with what terms are and are not acceptable.  And I've found that a term that might be acceptable to one person isn't always acceptable to others. 

    Do you refer to people as Mulatto's?  

    No, it wouldn't even occur to me to do so.  But I will admit that I didn't know it was considered offensive.

    My statement refers more to my sister referring to one of her acquaintances as "hispanic".  The guy laughed in her face and made her feel stupid for using the term.  He said it wasn't appropriate.

  • Sorry for the double post. Damn nest.
  • imageelenaforbusher:

    No, it wouldn't even occur to me to do so.  But I will admit that I didn't know it was considered offensive.

    My statement refers more to my sister referring to one of her acquaintances as "hispanic".  The guy laughed in her face and made her feel stupid for using the term.  He said it wasn't appropriate.



    Oh, I see.  To me Mulatto is a word used in Slave times, which is most likely why the term wouldn't be used by you. Or even the term colored being used by our generation.

    Since Hispanic is not correct, what was the correct term?  I am very curious now.

    "HOW many US citizens and ranchers have been decapitated in Arizona by roving bands of paperless aliens, and how will a requirement that I have papers on me make that not happen?"courtesy of SueSue
  • imageMeredithE:
    imageelenaforbusher:

    No, it wouldn't even occur to me to do so.  But I will admit that I didn't know it was considered offensive.

    My statement refers more to my sister referring to one of her acquaintances as "hispanic".  The guy laughed in her face and made her feel stupid for using the term.  He said it wasn't appropriate.



    Oh, I see.  To me Mulatto is a word used in Slave times, which is most likely why the term wouldn't be used by you. Or even the term colored being used by our generation.

    Since Hispanic is not correct, what was the correct term?  I am very curious now.

    It's been a while but *I think* he said latino was more accurate (or acceptable?), or something along those lines.  I'm sure there are those who would disagree with him. 

  • imageelenaforbusher:
    imageMeredithE:
    imageelenaforbusher:

    No, it wouldn't even occur to me to do so.  But I will admit that I didn't know it was considered offensive.

    My statement refers more to my sister referring to one of her acquaintances as "hispanic".  The guy laughed in her face and made her feel stupid for using the term.  He said it wasn't appropriate.



    Oh, I see.  To me Mulatto is a word used in Slave times, which is most likely why the term wouldn't be used by you. Or even the term colored being used by our generation.

    Since Hispanic is not correct, what was the correct term?  I am very curious now.

    It's been a while but *I think* he said latino was more accurate (or acceptable?), or something along those lines.  I'm sure there are those who would disagree with him. 

    Yeah, latino/latina is too vague for many as it would include those from Quebec (Latino = from Latin America.  Latin America = region which speaks a romance language located in North or South America).

    The preferred terms are regional.  In New York, many self-identify simply as 'spanish', and hispanic is also pretty prevalant.  I use both but honestly feel more offensive saying latin, unless I'm referring to music or dance.

    I think latino/a is more preferred on the West coast, but I'm not sure.

  • There is a song about "The Mulatto" on the Dewey Cox sound track that is hysterical.

     That is all.

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • There is nothing wrong with calling someone of Hispanic origin "Hispanic." Some people may have personal preferences as to what label they prefer, but as a whole "Hispanic" is not un-PC.

    Mulatto on the other hand...is just wrong in the US.

     From wiki: 

    Mulatto is no longer commonly used in the United States. Some who prefer terms such as biracial, may consider it offensive. [16] It existed as an official census category until 1930[citation needed]. In the south of the country, mulattos inherited slave status if their mothers were slaves. As for free mulattos, in Spanish and French-influenced areas of the South prior to the Civil War (particularly New Orleans, Louisiana), a number of mulattos were free and slave-owning.[17] Although it is commonly used to describe individuals of mixed European and African descent, it originally referred to anyone with mixed ethnicities; in fact, in the United States, "mulatto" was also used as a term for those of mixed white and Native American ancestry during the early census years.[16][18][19][20] Mulatto was also used interchangeably with terms like "turk", leading to further ambiguity when referring to many North Africans and Middle Easterners.[21]

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