Is calling DD a monkey racist?

peanutontheway · June 2009

I call DD my little monkey all the time. It all started because her butt is a lot darker than the rest of her. There is a line all the way across right above her crack. I called her a baboon butt and somehow changed to monkey butt. Now I just call her my little monkey. My parents told me to stop calling her that, at least in public, because it's racist.

Whaaa? Yes, DD is biracial but I never even considered this to be a racist term. I have heard other people call their LOs monkey and they are caucasian babies. I think my mom is just being hypersensitive to her ethnicity. Am I wrong?

CrazeyJaneyR · June 2009

It's racist if you are doing it to be racist. If you aren't, it's not.

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So no!! My baby is a cute little monkey too - all babies are!!?

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She's such a cutie BTW!!?

Gina418 · June 2009

I call ds a monkey all the time - I never thought about it being racist. He loves to climb all over us, the furniture, etc. Kind of like a monkey would.

Honestly, I think if someone thinks that's racist, that's their perception of the word. It's certainly not mine.

whitehead15 · June 2009

DS is biracial and I call him monkey all the time...'course my fav animal is a monkey so he has about 20 monkeys already.

Jessibell · June 2009

Well, I think that is dumb personally.

I think lots of parents of LO's call them monkeys. DD was born with "fur" on her back and shoulders so we called her a little monkey.

Now we call her a little monkey because she is a climbing, adorable little maniac.

It's a term of endearment. But, take my thoughts with a grain of salt. She's a girl and I also call her Bubba and Stinky. Bring on the therapy.

iowandfw · June 2009

I call my baby a monkey, a duck, a pumpkin.

I do not consider calling a baby "monkey" is racist, but I am a pretty laid back person (in some arena)....

MsTammy · June 2009

Gina418:

I call ds a monkey all the time - I never thought about it being racist. He loves to climb all over us, the furniture, etc. Kind of like a monkey would.

Honestly, I think if someone thinks that's racist, that's their perception of the word. It's certainly not mine.

Ditto

102503Natalie · June 2009

No. Until coming ot this board, I'd never once heard that using the word "monkey" could be construed as racist. If your intention is not racist, how can it be racist? I don't get it - I think it's getting out of hand now.

mamamoos · June 2009

Gina418:

Honestly, I think if someone thinks that's racist, that's their perception of the word. It's certainly not mine.

this. definitely this.

cchrisler · June 2009

MsTammy:
Gina418:

I call ds a monkey all the time - I never thought about it being racist. He loves to climb all over us, the furniture, etc. Kind of like a monkey would.

Honestly, I think if someone thinks that's racist, that's their perception of the word. It's certainly not mine.

Ditto

Ditto ditto ditto.

HisWifeHerMom · June 2009

My kids are biracial and I call DS a monkey baby all the time because he loves to wrap his arms and legs around you while sitting on your hip and cling to you like baby monkies do. Plus, he climbs everwhere. I don 't think it's racist. I have lots of nicknames for him, and I say them out of love. But, I guess some people probably read too much into things.

peanutontheway · June 2009

AshKStffr:
personally i don't view it as racist @ all. we call dd Monkey all the time recently bc she's climbing up onto everything.

you mentioned dd is biracial. is your mom black? maybe she just takes offense to it?

My family is caucasian (as am I). DDs father is AA.

I think my mom is just being weird. My family has always been pretty racist. My dad about had a coronary when I had my first AA boyfriend. Not that they are my "type" I just don't see what the big damn deal is if he's black, white, or pink with purple polka dots. I've dated people from different races as well as my own. Just doesn't matter to me. It's about the person, not the skin color. Cut him and he bleeds red just like me....

Toosdai · June 2009

I'll be honest. It would make me raise my eyebrow if I saw a white woman calling a black/brown/beige child a monkey. I would. Unfortunately, like it or not, "monkey" has negative racial connotations.

I would never call my kid a monkey and would be very upset if anyone else did.

jade_sweatpea · June 2009

Never heard a child called monkey until the bump it still sounds weird to me but I don't care it is not my child. Now if you said "jade your little monkey is adorable!" We would have to have a little talk.