Race and Ethnicity
Is the word ‘coloured’ racist?
Terminology matters especially in the media.
It would appear that even talking about the issue of racism in English football can get even the best and well intentioned pundit into trouble.
There I was with my Horlicks watching another scintillating feast of goals from the Premier League when Alan Hansen scored an own goal on Match of the Day.
Asked to respond to the Terry and Suarez events of the last few days and whether racism was an issue in English football, Hansen said:
No it’s not. If you played twenty-five … I think it’s better, not only with the players but with the supporters. I think there’s a lot of coloured players in all the teams, all the major teams, and there’s a lot of coloured players that are probably the best in the Premier League and, as I say, if you look twenty-five, thirty years ago, it was probably in a bad way, not as bad as some of the nations in the Continent, but certainly there’s always, always room for improvement.’
Hansen proudly put his feet well and truly into the debate. His ignorance and use of the word highlights the glaring lack of understanding in many parts of the media about language and the importance of using the right words.
Coloured has been a word shied away from since the mid-70s? Anyone aware of the apartheid regimes of Southern Africa and their classification of the races knows why the term coloured is offensive. It is simply not a word that is sued today. It is a word synonymous with the classification of peoples between those who were ‘white’ and thus superior and all those who were not.
Alan Hansen has apologised. This morning he said: “I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused. This was never my intention and I deeply regret the use of the word.” Case closed, as far as I’m concerned.
But there are wider issues here – as I have said elsewhere – we need to make sure that those in the media and elsewhere know that words can hurt and damage, stereotype and scapegoat and that part of that should be expected from someone who earns a good salary is well informed comment, maybe after taking some equality and diversity training!
Dr Donald Macaskill
Related reads:
When racism goes beyond sporting banter.
