> will someone tell me what the prefered appelation is now

I'm pleased a thread about skin colour has come up.

For quite some time I've noticed the free and easy use by the US members of the Board of black or white to describe themselves and others. Laugh you may (considering my comments in I&A about xenophobia), but I feel really uncomfortable with both. Not that I'm asking you to change or that I am offended, I am merely interested at our relative sensitivities to the matter of one's skin colour.

I guess seven years in an executive recruitment role (where ONLY the candidate's qualifications and experience can be discusssed without courting accusations of discrimination) and more than twenty years in and around the mining industry (where aboriginal interests play a big part these days) has made me hypersensitive to these terms. Frinstance, I would never describe myself as "white" (even though I am) - I'd prefer to say 5'10", blonde and medium build. Similarly I wouldn't "black, average height" to describe an aboriginal - I'd say "of aboriginal appearance".

I wonder if others share my sensitivity on this and if any others have felt uncomfortable around these terms when they pop up on the Board. I'd hate to think we'd drive anybody away from a place where words matter.

stales