[millie58]

Not offended but it's sad that adults need to go there. the terms "nappy" and "good/bad hair" will make PO'd to the 10th power!!

[Sleeplvr]

It depends on where you come from whether it's offensive or not. Most of the people I know do not use the phrase because it is seen as a sexual reference. So you really have to know the person's intent whether it's offensive or not. Same thing with Swirl. Some people see it as harmless and to others it's a sexual reference. We don't use either one.

[joskids]

And here I thought I was pretty AWARE but, "Sleeplvr" please explain to me what "Swirl" is . . . Darn, my age is showing, isn't it????

[Sleeplvr]

Aren't you close to my age? LOL! Swirl is slang for an interracial couple... Like ice cream... chocolate and vanilla swirl. Some people think it's innocent and some people use it as a sexual reference. There's some company that even sells infant t-shirt's with a swirl reference on it. If a baby is wearing it that's a clear cut reference to sex. Some people are offended and some think it's cute.

[millie58]

I've heard of Swirl in relation to interracial couples. but where is the sexual reference? (I'm slow today)!!

[Sleeplvr]

That's why I said it depends on the person and where they are from. In some places it's considered innocent and others it has a sexual connotation attached.

Yellow fever is another term that is dependant on the person and the area they are from.

Don't know how or why the terms went in two different directions but you have to be careful using them because it may not sit well with some folks. I really don't see any benefit in using them anyway. Some language is just not appropriate in general conversation especially if you don't know people really well.

[joskids]

Well, darn, Sleeplvr, I've used that term myself about our 4th child. Her legs are darker than her face, etc., and I always tell my husband she looks like a DQ swirl ice-cream cone!! Duhh, Josie, get with the program!!! I'm not tellin' how old I am on this forum, Sleeplvr, on the other, I'm more honest. Heh, "denial is a beautiful thing."

[Linny]

I think I would have been offended...though, admittedly, I'd have 'caught it' afterwards and would have talked to the daycare person the next day. I'm more in line in wondering why any kind of comments such as this have to be said when discussing children? Why does anyone have to have a comment about the differences in ethnicity----rather than simply stating the two kids were cute to watch????

I guess if two adults knew each other well and talking, that would be different to me...as long as they both understood and didn't feel there would be any offense. But, when we're talking about kids here.........talking to parents? Like others have pointed out, this woman was involved with daycare and clients. Professional relationship-------this kind of comment shouldn't be coming from someone who's dealing with my babies......


Sincerely,

Linny

[thanksgivingmom]

I guess for me, if it was coming from a close friend and was a personal comment? It wouldn't bother me as much.

There's something about it coming from a school environment that gets me more than anything....I don't know, I just think in that case you err on the side of politically correct - and that would include not saying things like "jungle fever."

[jp4ga]

Jungle Fever and Yellow Fever and other such terms make me think it is something you do not like, or do not want. After all who wants a fever. Why could she not have said "x" seems to have a crush on "y". To me these terms imply that the realtionship is wrong in someway. Of course I may be off base.

However, these terms are usually used in adult conversation when referring to adults and I feel is inappropriate in the classroom/daycare setting.

[EZ2Luv]

jp4ga, you raise a good point, but what about the term "Baby Fever"? I personally think Jungle Fever is an outdated term and is really benign, however with all this politically correct stuff and dependng on the level of ones sensitivities almost anything can offend someone.
I am in a pretty diverse enviorment both where I live and at work so nothing is offensive to me or should I say "shocks" me anymore. where I have to say "did I really hear that" I have heard it all.
I think too it is because I am very comfortable around diversity that nothing offfends me. I would hate to have to walk on eggshells around people because I was afraid that the least thing I said would offend someone.
Sometimes people will use terms because like myself I am comfortable especially around friends and people I care about.
I can see where MommaBear could come out in all of us when it comes to our kids and we all have our own thresholds of what we consider offensive, but sometimes it can be a case of being oversensitive.
EZ

[Naon]

While I have no problem with "jungle fever" said in jest - "yellow fever" makes me uncomfortable. Perhaps because I have never heard anyone say it in a friendly (or non-friendly) way.

I find the dichotomy (of my feelings) fascinating.

[thanksgivingmom]

Naon - I've experienced almost the opposite where I've got many friends that identify themselves as having "yellow fever" (and they've had significant others say the same things about them) but don't often hear the term "jungle fever."

[Naon]

That's strange!!! It must mean we have sort of been conditioned or desensitized towards particular phrases, and then the unfamiliar ones tend to make us uncomfortable...interesting!!!

[aclee]

I guess I would have an issue with it because it clearly references the difference in their races. He had jungle fever toward her, because she's black. There would be no jungle fever if the little boy was black, or if Ella Grace wasn't black...so clearly it's about race.

That said, I'm not sure it was said, or meant in a negative way. There are a lot *ahem* "enviable" things said about AA men, and I don't consider those racist...I don't really think that a racist CC man would point out how an AA man "out does" him.

I think it was a very non PC way for her to point out that even though the boy is CC and Ella is AA, that he can clearly see that Ella Grace is the most beautiful girl in the class and maybe it's her gorgeous chocolate skin that puts her so far above any of the other little girls....

I mean...I'm just saying...

(Ty would like you to politely tell that little boy to back the heck off)