Political Correctness or just ridiculous

The fact that so few see how they are contributing to racism and In fact think they are arguing against it is wholly disheartening.

hearts might be in the right place, but words and attitudes are not.

I now fully understand why so many here do not see the UK as having race issues.

Elegran I don't think you understand that that just isn't relevant, it's not relevant because it's not related. It's not relevant and it doesn't upset people. It's an extraordinary leap and it's an uncomfortable one for some reading it.

A lady wanted to buy a bra that matches her skin tone, she didn't like it was called "tobacco" and she felt that was a negative name choice for a colour compared to other bras with positive name choices.

I wouldn't want to buy a bra called "tobacco", it's the same as I wouldn't want to buy a bra named "vomit yellow". But that is not the actual point here.

The point is that, someone gave an item that matches skin tone a negative name. If it was a sofa, no one would buy it to match skin tone but many would be put off by the name. Foundation would also be problematic called tobacco... Its bad marketing... Its a poor choice that you would have to wonder why, the person naming it, for women who often like pretty things, would make it

I wouldn't want to buy a bra called "tobacco", it's the same as I wouldn't want to buy a bra named "vomit yellow". But that is not the actual point here.

So just don't buy it! Buy a pink one or a blue one instead. You don't like the name of it because you don't like the sound of vomit yellow? Don't buy it! No one is forcing anyone to buy anything. You have a choice. Find something else that you do like!

I don't find anything negative about the colour of tobacco.

You could argue that an excess of sweet treats is just as bad for you and therefore also negative ?

She never said it was to match her skin tone just that calling that shade of brown tobacco wasn't very nice.

Out of interest, I wonder how old the complainant is?

I would put money on her being young.

What does age have to do with anything

What does age have to do with anything

About as much as naming a colour "tobacco" is to do with racism. ie none.

The bra name tobacco is descriptive of the colour. The colour of tobacco is (more or less) the same no matter who harvests it.

We have been told that it is a negative name to people with skin of that colour because of the connotations of tobacco with the use of slaves with non-white skin (of various shades, not just tobacco-coloured) to pick tobacco on plantations, and it is being called racism to insult their descendants by offering for sale a bra that links the name colour with the evils of slavery.

That is not the same as saying that because tobacco itself is a carcinogen, then you are being insulted by linking the colour of your skin with the colour of tobacco.

I have not seen any posts from anyone who found my post about gas uncomfortable.

People do buy bras to match skin tone. I have actually looked at the range of skin tone colours that bra exct bra did come in. The reason people do that is because if their bra straps end up peeping out, they aren't as noticable.

Again when we live in a world where women are made uncomfortable about their skin tone, it's unnecessary to attach it to tobacco and tar and nicotine stains and bad breath. Ex smoker that I am, I wouldn't have liked it when I did smoke.

Congratulations though to the retailer for simply handling it and not making a silly fuss unlike the less sensible media.

Anyway, I have run out of ways to try to make people understand why it might be considered offensive, or annoying to people, especially when changing it is somehow offensive or annoying to them.

But there are several from posters who agree with my point - that Jewish people don't feel the need to claim to be traumatised by the mention of gas.

Elegran it made me uncomfortable, I told you so and explained why. If that doesn't matter to you, it is very comparable to the tone of this post in general towards a person's feelings which are valid whether people agree or not.

I shall leave you all to it

The complainant did link the colour to customers looking for something to match their skin tone.

*Starblaze, I am sorry to hear that you were upset, but, to be fair, this is the first time you have said that you felt uncomfortable. Previously you have posted only that ". . it's an uncomfortable one for some reading it."

M&S just took it from a colour chart not realising.

Marketers are supposed to give thought to how customers will react to the merchandise and the ways it is presented to them.

25Avalon

I see a Chinese company selling on Amazon advertised the colour of their men’s brogues as n*** brown. David Lammy complained and Amazon have since removed the offensive n word.

My daughter was astonished and horrified when I told her that that used to be an acceptable name for a dark brown colour.

Ellianne

Maybe just stick with nude, but even that doesn't cover everyone's skin tone.

Good idea.
Every shade can be called Nude.

Talking of political correctness reminds me of that incident concerning Jeremy Clarkson.

He was filming Top Gear in India I believe and made a comment to a co-presenter about the slope on the bridge they were on.

Now it appears that the word slope is some obscure, long forgotten nickname for Indians.

Needless to say somebody unearthed the original meaning of the word. Cue the predictable howls of outrage, claims of racism, all the usual nonsense !

Like I always say there are some individuals around who delight in unearthing something they can claim to be offended by.

Unfortunately I fear their numbers are growing.

Elegran thank you for your full apology. I didn't want to not acknowledge it.

I'm disgusted by a woman claiming that describing the colour of a dark bra as tobacco, in comparison to 'lighter' bras being given names of "sweet treats and deserts" is racist.

Smileless I'm amazed that you feel so strongly about this apparently trivial matter.

That's not what the Ofcom enquiry said happened with regard to Jeremy Clarkson.

Starblaze

What names could be used for marketing colours which are denoting shades of brown without being restricted to the likes of taupe, light brown, dark brown, mushroom, moccha etc.?

I am asking from the angle of a product merchandiser looking to differentiate shades of brown with some sort of mental association for their consumer but trying to be creative and not resort to tried and tested conformity to common place names whilst at the same time keeping the visual shade in the mind of the purchaser?

How many people complained about a bra colour called tobacco?

How come things I complain about never get changed or apologised for?

I believe M&S have changed it to deep auburn. I expect they wanted to go with a shade that isn't named after a thing. The other nude shades in the range are fudge and cinnamon.

Technically all shades intended for skin could be nude but that wouldn't be helpful when needing to reorder something like foundation again and making sure you got the right match.

Actually*POGS

I'm not in marketing though and it is not my decision to make and I don't have any education on the onsumer market or know what name choices there are.