Personal Racism-check

I'm sorry if this comes across as trolling, please rest assured it is not.

One of my characters has the habit of giving other characters nicknames. Apart from one nickname, they're all meant affectionately. Now I've got a new character...

Here's the situation: The character nicknaming everyone is a white girl. The new character is a Nigerian girl she is impressed with. Possibly attracted to, but let's just step on one Lego at a time.
Would it be considered racist if the nickname is "hot chocolate"? The keyword here still being 'affectionately'.

It's not essential for the story, really, so I'm wondering if I should just leave it. The few people I could theoretically check with personally are male, so... different dynamic.

And in case this whole post didn't already make it blatantly clear: Yes, I'm a middle aged white guy.

 

Generally, you can write ANYTHING. There has to be a reason for it though.

Is the white girl a racist - maybe not aware of it - and realizing it in the story? This could be an element of it....?

Also, this reminds me of the WWE wrestler Mark Henry's nickname of "Sexual Chocolate" back in WWE's Attitude phrase.

Scott

 

Im in a book club group on facebook called "Black Girls Read." One of the things they don't like (or have recently posted about) was how "chocolate" is overused in describing black women in books. Not everyone on that thread had a problem with it (I don't either, though I use other adjectives in describing my characters of color), but the majority were saying that there are more variations of brown than "chocolate" and more colors to describe them.

There is a book called My Sister The Serial Killer that takes place in Lagos, Nigeria and is written by a Nigerian author. Its a quick read. There are 2 sisters in it who are of vastly different complexions (one is darker skinned and the other is lighter skinned), and it gets into how they are described.

HOWEVER.... its a nickname. My dad calls his brother "Red" because he is lighter skinned, and his other brother "Blacky" because he is darker skinned (I dont recommend using that one, lol!!). They are used with affection. However, my great grandfather would call my grandmother "blacky" and "darky" and mean it in a completely different way than how my dad uses it with his brothers. I guess you just have to be careful HOW you establish it and how you use it *shrugs*

 

[Disclaimer: I, too, am white]

I mean, of course you can write anything. There is no law against any nickname for any character. Of course you can write it.

My first question was whether the other characters' nicknames have anything to do with their physical appearance. Is the light-haired track champion "Blondie" or is she "Racer"? If the latter, then "hot chocolate" seems a bit inappropriate, since it's not only race-based but completely out of character based on the other nicknames. If, though, your light-haired character's nickname has to do with her hair and your pale character's nickname has to do with their skin - well, then, yes. That seems significantly less inappropriate. I'm not giving you a firm yes, by the way, just a firm maybe.

I just feel like if there's going to be racial nicknames, the black girl better not be the only one with a racial nickname.

But if there are other appearance-based nicknames? Sure. Go for it.

It's not the most offensive thing in the world. There are far worse things to call someone, and the motivation is important. If it's affectionate and well-meaning? And if it's not wildly different from other nicknames? Then absolutely! Go for it!

And again. No law against any nickname, not at all.

Best of luck with your writing!

 

Honestly, I think if your character who is dishing out these names is supposed to be likeable and not a racist, why not just give the Nigerian girl another nickname that's not based on her skin colour or ethnic origin? Maybe something like "Hot Lady" if your character fancies this woman. (I'm not suggesting this as an ideal nickname ...just an example of a non-racist one.) That would solve your problem really quickly.

 

Nope. Charlene doesn't care who or what you are, as long as you aren't a dick. If I could still get out of my chair without groaning, I would take her home to meet my mother.
I have planned for later, that she's going make a shitty move, but it has nothing to do with skin colour.

I find this a compelling argument against using the nickname. It's too lazy, if I may condense your statement into three words.

Some. But since those all apply to white characters, I never had to think about it.

Since I felt I needed to ask, I guess it would be a racial nickname either way. So that settles it.

Yeah, I've been looking into nicknames for her based on other traits, but the few things I came up with didn't fit with the simplistic style the other girl has in nicknames (someone gets dirty alot? Nickname's Dirtbag now). I'll just hold off and see if a nickname presents itself, if I have to force something out of google it'll be worse than just not doing it.

Anyway, thank you for your helpful input. As far as I'm concerned the question has been answered.

 

In my opinion, this is the only route to take without sounding like a prick to some people.

 

I'm thinking "Hot Lady" said to a black woman will make most people automatically 'fix' it to Hot Chocolate. It's just hanging right there, waiting to be said. Sort of like Gosh Darn It immediately suggests what it's an obvious euphemism for.

 

I say write whatever the character would actually say. If your character would nickname her that, then that's what you should put, since it's not supposed to be you saying it, but the character.

 

To me, 'Hot chocolate' sounds super-cool. It holds undertones of affection and maybe a bit of sexual attraction.

Depending on how the nickname is presented in the giving, I suspect it'd never occur to me that it could be meant demeaning. As in all, for me it'd lie in the skill of the author to write the scene where the nickname is first used so that I as the reader never think of anything else than something positive.

 

Not sounding like a prick is definitely not on my list of concerns. Unless I reduce my writing to just the words 'the', 'a' and 'fluffy bunny' I will offend someone somewhere.
Being borderline racist, on the other hand, is a concern.

I agree with this for the most part, but since it's just a little flourish to her speech, it's not important to the story and then it comes down to not wanting readers to trip over something that may be offensive and could have easily been avoided.

Yeah, that's why I went and asked in the first place. On the whole, that nickname fits the girl very well. She is rather attractive, she's very cool. The girl making up the nicknames likes to toy around with sexual attraction, so that factors in too.
On the other hand, the Nigerian girl is all that without the nickname as well.

So, if I hadn't shot down the nickname-idea already, this would have put one between the eyes anyway. ;o)

 

I probably wouldn't but white guy here so take with a shaker of salt. Does your character actually refer to her as this to her face, or is it just in her head? if it is said to her face, it can come down to the characters. If the Nigerian girl teases her back by calling her white chocolate or mayo maybe it would be okay, but it could still seem pretty tacky... I could see it being her private, personal name for her, especially as she starts realizing she might potentially be attracted to her.

How old is the character? if younger, more sheltered, you could have her get gently(or not so gently) corrected.

I've posted this before on other threads but you might find it useful https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/Navigation2

 

@Thorn Cylenchar
Very helpful, thank you.
Though by these modern times there are so many tropes that if I'd wish to avoid them I should stick to writing "a person".
Thank god I'm just writing pulp entertainment. ;o)

 

I wasn't necessarily suggesting that as a nickname, and I recognise and agree with your point. I just meant pick a nickname that doesn't hinge on skin colour or racial characteristics. Mine wasn't a good example, for the reasons you've pointed out.

 

One thing: especially if there are not many black people in her area, even if the 'Hot Chocolate' is meant affectionately, she is probably not going to react well to it. t the very least I would expect eye rolls.

 

^ I think that depends on her, and the area. I've never known anyone from Nigeria, but a lot of African Americans, and the area—well, it isn't a ghetto or anything, not at all, but we're not far from a very big one, and a lot of very ghetto people work and hang out around here. The vast majority of black people I've worked with and known would love to be called Hot Chocolate, assuming the other person knows them well enough. If it's a white person who's just a stranger on the street they might get angry or offended, but if they work together or see each other regularly and have been taken into their confidence, then you don't need to be all PC with them, in fact most of them I've known think that's ridiculous and laugh at white people for it. But then the ones I've known are mostly working class or lower. If they're upper middle or college educated it might be different.

 

Oooh! I just remembered! (And by "remembered" i mean remembered what my mom told me and not the actual event lol). I was born in italy and my mom says my first "grandparents" were the old italian couple that lived next door. My mom says the woman would baby sit me and call me her "little chocolate baby" ("chocolatina babina" or something like that)

My mom didnt have an issue with it. Theres a picture of me sitting on her (the old lady's) lap reaching for old man Rico's mustach so apparently they were much loved

 

You're not a racist, lol. Though I suppose "hot chocolate" would be kinda lazy from an intellectual standpoint. Huh, is this book set in modern day? There's this model called Lupita Nyongo, and maybe you could call the character Lupita because she's always dressed up, or something like that.

 

Its really all about intent and context despite what PC culture will try to brainwash people into believing. If the names meant as a term of endearment then technically it isn't racist. It is though incredibly cliche. In my opinion its a knock on your characters competentcy.

What about baby back? Like ribs. Dark in color and typically a well liked cuisine in African American circles. Though she is from Nigeria, so I don't know. Perhaps a nickname that couldn't be misconstrued would be better for the story and character.

 

This can be problematic...there is a stereotype that all black people (especially africans) look the same. Just last year there was a very public blunder where a magazine did an article on a Sudanese supermodel, but used the picture of a Ugandan supermodel, mistaking them for each other. It was a big thing...

This can be problematic too, IMO. Yes it can be cultural, bit it can also be stereotyped as well and have been used racially (e.i. "rice and beans" for some one who is mexican. "White rice" for asian. "Oreo" for a black person to mean "black on the outside, white on the inside" or banana or potato to also mean colored on the outside but white on the inside). Also, at least in my high school that was 90% black, Nigerians were stereotyped by their food. Ive been to a Nigerian cookouta the apices are STRONG, but at school, mean kids would say "you smell like a nigerian" or simply call them a food name...

 

You said not all the other characters' nicknames have to do with their race. Can you think of another trait or attribute for this character that might warrant a nickname?

 

That sounds a little too close to Baby Got Back...

 

And it's my main argument for not going with 'hot chocolate'.

Well, the name-giver is a little more simple in dishing out names, so that wouldn't necessarily be a reason. But it's also not something I want to hide behind. "No, it's just the character's words!" feels like a cop-out. And you can only stretch that so far.
I like the irony of having "competentcy" misspelled. ;o)

Yeah, it's what I'm doing right now. Maybe she'll get in a situation that nets her a fun/cool/ridiculous nickname at some point, if not, her own name is quite nice as well.

Which, in my mind, she has. ;o)

 

There was a British band Hot Chocolate formed in 1968. I don't think the name is offensive, posably a bit dated . The few Nigerians I have encounter have been outgoing but quite conservative . A lot of Nigerians are devoted Christens or Muslims and would find the sexual suggestion in Hot Chocolate offensive . However, nicknames are common among Nigerians , so a nickname in-itself is OK and would be considered friendly. There are over 200 million Nigerians, so I guess the generalisation is probably wrong.