"Big Brother 10": Well, that didn't take long

Sigh ... and I had such high hopes for this season, too. And not only that, it seems as though he may align with uber-conservative Dan.

I still think Steven means well, though, so I'll give him another chance. But still, I really cannot understand how anyone born after 1970 can even utter "colored" today, especially someone who's educated and already has faced discrimination.

Hmm ... I just hope he doesn't turn out to be another Joshua, or I'll jump ship like last season.

Well I was born after 1970, and also a lot of my family is mixed race (through marriage just in case you're wondering ;)), and I don't see how saying 'coloured' can be taken offensively. But obviously I don't live in the US, and I didn't live through the civil rights movement so I must not get what's so wrong about it. *shrugs* It's funny how different words offend different people isn't it? I mean I would get more offended if I was black and was called black, because technically black people are more brown than black. But what the hey. I thought it was quite interesting how Darnell from UK's Big Brother (who is a black Albino) regards anyone who isn't albino as 'coloured' because albinos have no colour whatsoever and the rest of us do.

*le sigh* Political Correctness is a very complicated business.

I was told the appropriate term is person of color.  This is different than saying a "colored person", right?  Is there someone on the board who can clarify which one, if either, is correct to say.  On my college campus we had a group called QPOC, Queer People of Color.  Were they being racist against themselves?  Then, of course, there is the ever confusing organization NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 

No wonder some people rail against being PC.  The whole thing can be quite confusing, though I prefer to be sensitive to everyone's feelings.

Personally, I don't think that he meant anything racist by it, although it sounded that way. The context of which he said it sounded like he was just using it to point out who he was talking about (although it probably would have been better to say libra). He said "that coloured" not "a coloured". The second I would take as much more offensive, "that" refers to a specific person, "a" refers to a whole group. But I would still never use that term.

Let's see how our gay cowboy is treated in a house that is created for maximum clashes as I have a feeling that all of the house guests have foot in mouth/ignorance in common. No excuses for the comment as it was insulting. I expect to soon see him in this diary room crying about being called something and not seeing the parallels.

Guillermo's Media Guillotine: Entertainment, journalism, politics, and popular culture.

http://springintoaction.typepad.com

I have to say, I’m disappointed in some of my fellow gays’ reactions to Steven’s comment.  I live in Texas; I’ve lived here my whole life.  I’m also biracial (Hispanic and African American) and my diverse family live in both the so-called ‘PC major cities’ and ‘un-cultured backwoods towns’ of Texas.  It’s understood, universally, that one does not use the term “colored” to refer to African Americans.  If anything, Steven should be more aware of this fact because he’s a young man from the south.  This state (and region) has a long and continuing history of covert and overt racism.  We know what that word means in 2008.  We’re not living in 1940s Texas anymore.  Steven could have simply said, “that girl.”  Instead, he specifically chose to use the term “colored.”  And he used it in a negative context.  I’ve noticed that people  on this website have been quick to criticize celebrities, athletes, politicians, etc. (and rightly so) for using the terms faggot, dyke, nelly, etc., even when those terms were not directed at a gay person (see Shia Labeouf’s drunken video) or used ‘jokingly.’  I think the same response is now warranted.  I have to say again, I’m very disappointed.

That's what Big Brother is about -- Lower Carbon-Based Life-Forms Behaving Badly.

Invariably the most disgusting "player" wins.

Frankly I prefer old-fashioned carnival side-shows where the "geek" would eat the head off a live chicken. Messy, but far more morally honest.

Oh, I'm not shocked about the racist overtones.  I'm shocked that someone his age would use that term.  I'm from the South, and no one young or youngish uses it.  If he were 60, I'd say, "Eh, par for the course."  It's just oddly age inappropriate.  I'd expect the word "Victrola" to come out of his mouth as much as that one.

Established Disestablishmentarian - You've seen worse 

"Colored" hasn't been an acceptable term for a good 40 years or more.  But at the same time I fine Libra's comments very interesting in that they are both homophobic and sexist.  She is trying to demean the gay man by calling him a woman--very odd.  I think there's a lot of stupidity to go around--but what do you expect from Big Brother--it's always been about who can be the biggest asshole in the house.

There is no excuse for using the term "colored", and I am especially appalled that a gay person of any age would use that term.  His intent was obvious.  Go back and listen to what he said again.  Really listen.....

If that makes me overly sensitive then so be it.  I don't believe in cutting someone a break just because they are gay.  His comments really made my skin crawl and I'm just about to turn 55 so I have built up a really thick skin. 

afhickman

"It takes a village (to make Village People)"

I lived in the American South most of my life, and I hadn't heard the word "colored" used to describe anyone since I was in college (late '60s).  I'm not in a position to judge, but could Steven be putting on the cornpone act?  It's been done before, especially in the movies.  I do remember one use of the word that, at the time at least, didn't seem to offend anyone, and that was Lou Reed's "Take a Walk on the Wild Side."  I won't repeat the line, but, if you've heard the song, you'll surely remember it.  Of course, middle America found so much more in that song to get excited about, they probably just overlooked the use of a badly dated racial epithet.   

Sometimes that can lead to fun individual shows and even seasons. Last night's show made no reference to the issues that have dominated the late feeds and it was actually really enjoyable to see a group of people who have been raised on reality TV turn the shows usual m.o on its head and give the episode a major boost.

Because I am doing the snarkiest recaps elsewhere, I for the first time watched part a late-feeds and it was too boring to watch as it only seemed to some alive when something racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and/or ________ comments come out when grown people meet their annoying counterparts.

In the feed that I saw, the cowboy was already out as per and there was much ado about nothing between some sexy brunette and the oldest cast member. I am counting the seconds until the cute and seemingly non-offensive gay man (based on what has aired on the CBS telecasts) gets called a derogatory name due to his sexual orientation. Should we give a crap? Would two wrongs airing on the live feeds cancel one another out, or is more about us standing up for all people who get slammed even if they all seem to come from the same gutter?

I have no universal answers. I despise racism, feel that I am more of a feminist than the majority of the female population, and obviously like to call out homophobia when I see it. I am trying to determine if selective slams might be the best way for me to go as this show in particular could give any thoughtful/empathetic person a heart-attack as they are also given lots of booze to loosen them up.

Guillermo's Media Guillotine: Entertainment, journalism, politics, and popular culture.

http://springintoaction.typepad.com