Is The Term 'yellow' A Racist One?

[Jookster]

I don't really want to impart my own views (yet) but what do people think of the term Yellow to refer to oriental people?

Only thing I will say is that White or Black can be used racistly or not, depending on how it is used.

Waddaya all think?

[Crossy]

I've not heard 'yellow' used like 'black' or 'white' for many, many years, so I suppose the point is really moot

Anyway, Thai people are brown so what is the Thai connection?

[Jookster]

The term yellow reffers to all orientals and since when are all Thai people brown?

[Jingthing]

In the US, to call a person yellow is to call them a coward. I actually think this has nothing to do with Asians, but I don't know the historical origin. In the context you are talking, yes, I think it is a bit racist, but on the mild side. Alot of Asian people think using the term oriental is also mildly racist. So why not avoid such terms and refer to an Asian person's nationality instead?

Edited December 19, 2006 by Jingthing

[pampal]

Since Yellow would refer to all orientals, it's definitely misleading. Malaysians, Indonesians,Thai,Khmer,Lao etc... are more brown than chinese,japanese,koreans.

[tuky]

Why am I not offended when I am called white?

[Jingthing]

Why am I not offended when I am called white?

Maybe you should be?

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

Why am I not offended when I am called white?

Or am I when I am called Black?

I don't know, yellow just seems kinda antiqudated? Plus the strong cowardless implications the word has in the States.... I would avoid it, callem Asians, so simple and accurate.

[PhilHarries]

Surely any term used to differentiate between races is, to varying a extent, racist? The degree to which the term is considered racist depends on the context, the tone of voice and the subject person.

Apart from sweeping generalisation such as "Asian people tend to be shorter than Europeans" why do we feel the need to bring race into the conversation. It can be used as an identifier for example if there were a group of soldiers in uniform and one was black that may be used to identify him to another party. But if a bunch of youths are larking around on a street corner does it matter whether they are black or white or yellow? Unfortunately to some people the skin colour puts the whole scene in a different perspective and that's racism.

[November Rain]

I think it is a racist term, simply because I've never heard it used in a way that wasn't derogatory. As said before, "black" & "white" can be used in a derogatory or a simply descriptive way, but "yellow" always seems to be used in an insulting manner. Maybe because it is a more antiquated term, used when people were less racially aware than they are today.

[Donz]

FUnny think is they really arent yellow.

[toptuan]

I think it is a racist term, simply because I've never heard it used in a way that wasn't derogatory. As said before, "black" & "white" can be used in a derogatory or a simply descriptive way, but "yellow" always seems to be used in an insulting manner. Maybe because it is a more antiquated term, used when people were less racially aware than they are today.

...Not unlike calling an American Indian a "red man" or "red skin." Although in common usage 50 years ago, politically incorrect nowdays. And like the above earlier comment, funny thing, they aren't really red either.

Edited December 19, 2006 by toptuan

[PeaceBlondie]

Yellow was always used pejoratively, in a bad way, against Asians. It's racist.

[Colonel_Mustard]

Not sure if it's racist or not. A bit like 'farang' really in that respect. I guess it depends on the context in which the word is used.

[bmanly]

Here it is straight out of Wikipedia:

Ethnicity

Mongoloid Asians or people of East Asian and Southeast Asian descent are sometimes referred to as "yellow," a racial color metaphor. In the 20th-century United States, immigrants from China and other East Asian nations were derogatorily referred to as a "yellow peril."

And then this from wikipedia, "Yellow Peril"

Yellow Peril (sometimes Yellow Terror) was a racist phrase that originated in the late nineteenth century with immigration of Chinese laborers to various Western countries, notably the United States. The term, a color metaphor for race, refers to the skin color of East Asians, and the xenophobia that the mass immigration of Asians threatened white wages, standards of living and indeed, Western civilization itself. The phrase "yellow peril" was common in the newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst.

My take is that it is an old fashioned racist way of describing an Asian person, these days they just use more colourful words that I will not repeat here. Cheers.

Edited December 19, 2006 by bmanly

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

I think it is a racist term, simply because I've never heard it used in a way that wasn't derogatory. As said before, "black" & "white" can be used in a derogatory or a simply descriptive way, but "yellow" always seems to be used in an insulting manner. Maybe because it is a more antiquated term, used when people were less racially aware than they are today.

...Not unlike calling an American Indian a "red man" or "red skin." Although in common usage 50 years ago, politically incorrect nowdays. And like the above earlier comment, funny thing, they aren't really red either.

Aww yeah, we have gotten way past such blatant racism in America like that

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

I think it is a racist term, simply because I've never heard it used in a way that wasn't derogatory. As said before, "black" & "white" can be used in a derogatory or a simply descriptive way, but "yellow" always seems to be used in an insulting manner. Maybe because it is a more antiquated term, used when people were less racially aware than they are today.

...Not unlike calling an American Indian a "red man" or "red skin." Although in common usage 50 years ago, politically incorrect nowdays. And like the above earlier comment, funny thing, they aren't really red either.

Aww yeah, we have gotten way past such blatant racism in America like that

But then again in all fairness I guess it's still a touch more classy then what was popular Stateside in the 30's

Anyone for a smoke?

Even before there was Tiger, America yearned to have us on the greens......

Oh and yellow....forget it, Jin ( www.jinsite.com ) couldn't look this thug on his worst (or best depending on who you look at it) Day!

I would probably avoid the term Yellow...but hey thats me.

[davidjtayler]

I don't really want to impart my own views (yet) but what do people think of the term Yellow to refer to oriental people?

Only thing I will say is that White or Black can be used racistly or not, depending on how it is used.

Waddaya all think?

If they have got jaundice then it's fair comment .... otherwise its best to refer by the first name ...

[Casanundra]

This notion of not being able to say certain words and terms is getting all out of hand. Yellow is erm um yellow... so is black, so is white, so is red and believe it or not so is brown. They are colours and that's all they are!

Ok, words over the centuries have evolved just as humans have (if you are a Darwinian that is) and we have all seen words change from meaning to another. Gay once meant happy and is now meant to mean something entirely different, although I have to admit the happy connotation is still there in its new gay form albeit in a different way.

It's only because of history and man's ill treatment of each other that certain other words have had to change too and so it was that the term chalk board was born even though the board itself was actually a colour that was perfectly legit to be called for the colour it actually was. But changed it was and yet other boards of different colours were never challenged and how no-one ever decided to change the term white board amazes me no end. Even the nursery rhyme baa baa <cannot say the colour> sheep has now been forced to replace the key word with 'rainbow' instead and now it's baa baa rainbow sheep. Very multi-cultural approach if you ask me but how far should we allow ourselves to really take all of this?

This fetish with changing words that could have double meaning has meant that in certain parts we are now no longer able to say other words as well (and no I don't mean he who must not be named Voldermort either) but sssssh quiet everyone but the word I am thinking about is 'Christmas' but don't say it too loud ok and yet even this word that has been around for centuries is being replaced with such things as happy holidays and festive lights instead. I cannot wait for it to be an off coloured festive season because the word white and Christmas in the same sentence will no longer be allowed to be used in case it offends someone.

Can I describe someone who is white as being pink instead?

Ooops I think I just offended father festive season because he has pink rosy cheeks right and may not like being termed as being pink! Awww poot!

I guess the next question well be when are all the other colours going to come under attack then? Will such diseases as yellow fever soon be called 'off season with a hint of summer' fever instead in case it offends someone or something somewhere?

Personally I still prefer the Star Trek way... noooo not to boldly go where no-one has gone before, but to have an existance of racial and religous tolerance whereby such things as colour and money are not the motivator but the pursuit of personal development and intellect is. Shame we all live in the real world eh.

As our good friends Dr Spock and Mork would say, Live long and prosper, nanoo nanoo and shazbots!

Edited December 19, 2006 by Casanundra

[kayo]

This notion of not being able to say certain words and terms is getting all out of hand. Yellow is erm um yellow... so is black, so is white, so is red and believe it or not so is brown. They are colours and that's all they are!

Ok, words over the centuries have evolved just as humans have (if you are a Darwinian that is) and we have all seen words change from meaning to another.

.....so it was that the term chalk board was born even though the board itself was actually a colour that was perfectly legit to be called for the colour it actually was. But changed it was and yet other boards of different colours were never challenged and how no-one ever decided to change the term white board amazes me no end.

Even the nursery rhyme baa baa <cannot say the colour> sheep has now been forced to replace the key word with 'rainbow' instead and now it's baa baa rainbow sheep. Very multi-cultural approach if you ask me but how far should we allow ourselves to really take all of this?

This fetish with changing words that could have double meaning has meant that in certain parts we are now no longer able to say other words as well....the word I am thinking about is 'Christmas' but don't say it too loud ok and yet even this word that has been around for centuries is being replaced with such things as happy holidays and festive lights instead. I cannot wait for it to be an off coloured festive season because the word white and Christmas in the same sentence will no longer be allowed to be used in case it offends someone.

Can I describe someone who is white as being pink instead?

Ooops I think I just offended father festive season because he has pink rosy cheeks right and may not like being termed as being pink! Awww poot!

your entire post was interesting reading there, Casanundra. For brevity, I've quoted just a few passages above.

I am aware of the Chalk board having been modernised; when I went to school there were black boards (although some were actually a dark green) and white boards, but have since heard the the black boards are now called chalk boards.

That about the baa baa black sheep.. I never heard that? For real? I suppose it doesn't surprise me. I suppose we cannot belittle the star in twinkle twinkle LITTLE star, anymore either, and that Miss Muffett is probably been deemed sexist for whatever bizarre rationale.

Christmas is hugely unacceptable now in the "civilised" world, btw.

I so totally agree with you on your post. I choose the star trek method any time I can.

On a side note, I just watched Sky's Production of Terry Pratchett's Hogfather, and having not read the book for many years, it brought back the sharp witticism Terry has in nitpicking the idiocies of our cultural advancement (HogFather is the Father Christmas of the fictional Discworld), so somewhat topic related, have a go of reading any old Discworld book by Terry Pratchett, you may find more of our world in there than you thought.

[LaReina]

La negra, negrita, morena, trigenia, el blanco, blancito...

Big freaking deal. If all you are trying to do is describe a person.. then big deal..

[Donz]

Changing names of objects is going way too far, even in Australia they want to change calling kids parents "parents" because gay couples are getting offended.

But we are taling about something alittle different here.

Words that were once used to be offensive to a race of a person should not be used, maybe with your friends its ok as i call a few of my friends names that I probaly wouldnt call someone i didnt know who where of the same colour. If your not sure if it will be offensive to the person then dont use it, its not rocket science.

[meemiathai]

This notion of not being able to say certain words and terms is getting all out of hand.

Agreed!

Just in case people here don't know, Chinese proudly procliam themselves as the "yellow race".

So if you are speaking in Chinese, saying that they are yellow certainly will not be considered racist.

But God knows what implications it has in English!

[Douggie Style]

IMHO both the intention underlying the words and how the party on the receiving end perceives those words has to be taken in account.

It is very well criticising political correctness, which at times verges on the ridiculous, however at the other end of the spectrum is when the words used do subtley put down the receiver.

This can certainily lead to a second class citizen syndrome.

IMHO, if unsure, it is generally better to be on the safer side;it all depends on context.

In regards to the above points and previous posts I am certainly interested in how Asian persons feel about being described as yellow.

PS: interesting topic

Edited December 19, 2006 by Douggie Style

[meemiathai]

I am half yellow.

Some people here will get offended just by looking at a white person.

So it is difficult sometimes not to offend people if they feel offended easily.

[Ulysses G.]

Some people consider these terms to be an insult, but I like oreos and bananas.

[kayo]

I feel flattered when girls say I'm hung like a horse, but that may be a wee bit off topic.

[Boo]

I don't know why but it always winds me up when people say "orientals". Some bird at work said said "oh, so your husband is oriental" & I felt like punching her in the face, but then again she is really annoying anyway so that might have been it. But does that word grate anyone else?

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

I feel flattered when girls say I'm hung like a horse, but that may be a wee bit off topic.

Trust me that never gets old.

[SamuiJens]

I don't know why but it always winds me up when people say "orientals". Some bird at work said said "oh, so your husband is oriental" & I felt like punching her in the face, but then again she is really annoying anyway so that might have been it. But does that word grate anyone else?

Not me, actually, it a nice word, it's exotic, IMHO. Now yellow, per say, isn't racist since it about color.