Am I missing something?

That was funny Annodomini
It is difficult to keep up with current thinking and always someone waiting to be offended.

In Scotland when I was a child in the 1950s "coloured" was applied to all non-Europeans except the Chinese. It was considered politer than saying negro or brown. I was greatly surprised in the 1970s to discover when talking to a S. African that there it meant what we used to call a mulatto, i.e. the offspring of parents where one was black and the other white.

I have no idea what the correct terms are now, so I hope no-one takes offence at what I have written.

I understand that 'a woman of colour' is also insulting. 'Black' is the approved term for someone with a lot of pigment in their skin inherited from ancestors.

Some people like to make a huge fuss about whatever they can and believe themselves to have a right not to feel offended.

I can't keep up. I am frequently corrected by my daughter for using words that are no longer politically correct.

Why are so many people in denial about who they are? Are they ashamed of being of African or Asian descent? Do they believe that simply being part of British society makes them colourless? Dianne Abbott is black..black is a colour...therefore to describe her as 'a coloured woman' is correct..just as Amber Rudd is also a coloured woman, though in her case, she's pink. This whole thing has become quite ridiculous.

Idk, all my friends in London and their kids at very multicultural schools seem to use the term

I don't think "person of colour" is used here.
I had a Google, and found "black English" as a correct term from a couple of years ago.

I believe "person/people of colour" is the neutral term preferred. And really, if a bit of "political correctness " stops you from offending someone, it's not that much of an effort, in my view. Why would you want to upset anyone if you can avoid it by changing one word in your vocabulary? It's not much to ask

vicky I heard that too and was mystified. I could not see the difference either. Since I was a child I was puzzled by 'white' and 'black' because those were not the colours to describe the people I saw, who were closer to pink or brown (and all shades in between). There was no indication of superiority or inferiority but they were simply descriptive words in pretty much the same way you would use 'small' or 'tall' or can we not do that any more either? What a strange world we live in.

Three of my GCs call themselves mixed race, but I heard a while ago on TV that the term is no longer acceptable so should be 'dual heritage'. What on earth the offspring of two such individuals should be called I have no idea!

I wouldn't mind but we're all Heinz 57's !

Some people feel defined by their skin colour.
I worked with a woman who felt that being a strong black woman set her apart from other women.
She took every opportunity to point out that she was a strong black woman.

I thought it was 'black' too and in the US 'African American' but I have a black friend who get cross at both these terms.

When I asked her what is acceptable (because I value her and don't want her to be upset) she said, 'Jennifer, Mrs Williams, Jody's Mum, are all fine - what does the colour of my skin matter?'
Put it in perspective for me.

It's all getting somewhat out of hand and ridiculous now !

It's being PC that's caused all the friction. Why should we be made aware of anyone's colour, religion or anything else ? Why can't people just mind their own business and get on with their lives and let others get on with theirs instead of pointing out who's black/white/yellow/tan or orange ? Who cares ? Isn't there enough to worry about ?

Remember a programme called " Love thy Neighbour ?" Well they did !! Regardless of the remarks that were made to one another.

Welcome to this aggressive, racially motivated society created by the people of all colours for the people of all colours-----( rolls eyes )

I thought 'coloured person' referred to someone of mixed race , mainly in South Africa, but it was certainly used in Britain, probably in the fifties and sixties, and it was used politely and respectfully.

Persons of foreign extraction ?

Its black, isn't it?
Unless you're black, of course; then you can say the 'N' word.

So what's the PC term now...can anyone tell me?

A Scottish minister, introducing a visiting African preacher, used the term 'our coloured brother' several times. When the visitor mounted the pulpit, he addressed the congregation: 'Colourless brethren....'

So try about the last paragraph... not sure what went wrong
Meant to read they are worried they will offend!

It was a term that was commonly used, now it is not P.C.

Anyone remember Desmonds?
The old mum in that said "well, I just got used to being coloured, now all of a sudden I'm black!"

From a BBC website ( and news to mectoo) :
“In the UK the term is, at best, seen as old fashioned and "something your gran might say".
But it's also regarded as a highly offensive racial slur which recalls a time when casual racism was a part of everyday life.
In the US, because of the country's recent era of racial segregation, it is among the most offensive words for describing a black person.
"[It] was used to describe anybody who was not white, which may imply that to be white is 'normal' or default," says the charity Show Racism the Red Card.
"If we consider it, every human has a skin colour, so technically we are all coloured."

DH said that.

Personally, I think we are all coloured - just different colours.