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Would this racial designation on your marriage license bother you?
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Anonymous
| DH and I got married in SC. On our marriage license, it states that I am Oriental. I know there's controversy over whether people find "Oriental" offensive. I think it's a very outdated term with offensive connotations. Would this bother you and if so, would you go through the trouble of seeing if the state could reprint it? |
Anonymous
| It is outdated and offensive. I would see about getting it changed. |
Anonymous
| It would bother me and I think it's strange that race would even be noted on a marriage license. Didn't you have to provide that sort of information? I've never seen "oriental" as a choice on any form that makes you pick a race. |
Anonymous
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DH refers to himself as Oriental. His people come from the Orient and he sees nothing wrong with that description. Asia is such a huge continent and encompasses so many different races.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Asian_countries_by_GDP I guess another reason he doesn't mind the term is the amount of time we spent living in the UK. Asians there were Indians or Pakistanis while Koreans, Japanese and Chinese were Orientals. There was nothing insulting about it. |
Anonymous
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Yes, it would bother me, although I bet it's a holdover from a form developed decades ago, when Oriental was the common term and no ons said Asian. And why do they put your race on a marriage certificate anyway?
For both reasons, the form should be updated. |
Anonymous
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You guys call me my country a "3rd world country" all the time and nobody finds it offensive.
I think we all should grow a thicker skin. |
Anonymous
My country is also considered "3rd world" and I find being called Oriental offensive-maybe because I am not and by people making that assumption, I find it offensive. Doesn't Oriental refer to China, Japan, Korea? |
Anonymous
| Its only ok if your husbands designation is "cracker" |
Anonymous
| I always imagine Oriental to be the Asian equivalent of Negro...once used in a different time...and now offensive. |
Anonymous
I totally agree. I was once told that carpets are oriental, people are Asian. |
Anonymous
There are far too many people in this country who are homeless, hungry, go without medical care. These are problems. You do not have a bloody problem. |
Anonymous
OP here. I never claimed that this was a problem on par with the homeless, hungry, and lack of medical care. |
Anonymous
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No way is that offensive. outdated yes, offensive? in what way exactly?
seriously, thicker skin is needed here. stop being so defensive. I'm Italian, my grandparents papers labeled them as WAPs when they came to the US. i think it's funny, and in no way offensive. I'm proud of who I am. |
Anonymous
It's an adjective, not a noun. often Oriental Of or relating to the countries of the Orient or their peoples or cultures; eastern. 2. Oriental Of or designating the biogeographic region that includes Asia south of the Himalaya Mountains and the islands of the Malay Archipelago. 3. Lustrous and valuable: oriental pearls. 4. a. Of or relating to a genuine or superior gem: an oriental ruby. b. Relating to or designating corundum that resembles another stone in color. So a Persian is a rug, not a person? |
Anonymous
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It depends on context. There are certain Asian people who use it with a good intent.
But if you take a look at the whites who use the term, here in the U.S., you will find it is most frequently used by people who are bigoted. |