[John]

When asked to describe a co-worker to someone who has never met him, is it offensive to use race or color in the description? For example, Joe is that tall black guy who works for Jim, or Donna is that Asian lady who shares an office with Lucy.

User Detail :  

Name : John, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 35, City : Redondo Beach, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[annonymous]

It seems to me that the most logical way to describe someone is to identify their most distinguishing features. Now if the office is 99 percent white or male, why not preface your description with the obvious? Of course, some of us are sensitive either about being offended or offending. But, if you want to describe this sista, don’t sweat yourself unnecessarily. I work in a corporate environment (predominately white, female, middle class). Tell Joe that Zawadi is that fine black woman with gorgeous locks!

User Detail :  

Name : annonymous, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 34, City : Detroit, State : MI, Country : United States, 

[Meghan]

I don’t think that if you used race, or gender, that there is anything wrong w/ it. Unless of corse, you use it in a dirogitory way. I don’t think that anyone should find it offending either, because if you say it like ‘Joe is that tall black guy who works for Jim’ there is nothing wrong with that. If someone takes offense to it, then that is their problem, and they are only looking to pick a fight.

User Detail :  

Name : Meghan, Gender : F, City : Rochester Hills, State : MI, Country : United States, 

[Shawn]

Don’t sweat it, it’s not offensive. I get somewhat irritated when a person states that when they look at a person of another race, they don’t see color. Well, thats the problem with our society, we try to overlook those things that make us different, not saying we should make fun or demean a person’s physical appearance, but instead acknowledge the fact that we do have physical characteristics inherit to our race.

User Detail :  

Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Amanda31505]

It isn’t necessarily offensive in and of iteslef. The offense comes when you find yourself never describing some as ‘the white lady that sits next to Lucy’ if say, Lucy were Asian. This is b/c the underlying implication is that it is ‘the norm’ to be white.

User Detail :  

Name : Amanda31505, Gender : F, Age : 19, City : Boston, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : student, 

[dyerde25693]

As a black female, I don’t find it offensive to add whether a person is black/white/asian etc. I find that whenever I have been in a conversation and I try NOT to describe with race;the person I am talking to, will ask,’ Are they are w/b/asian. We are more likely to add this label to a person in a work/business atmosphere. Most,mature adults are not so sensitive that it would become an issue. I use it as an adjective. A word that describes.

User Detail :  

Name : dyerde25693, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 50, City : philadelphia, State : PA, Country : United States, Occupation : Data Entry/Pharmaceutical Co., Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

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