Whenever I try to assign myself to a Confero shop, I get the message that the shop is currently unavailable. Why don't they just take them down from the job board?
It would save me a great deal of time looking for shops that are unavailable.

So glad to have provided you hours of irate entertainment.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2019 03:33AM by Flash.

I think it's Asian now.

@Flash wrote:

If it is only one particular type of shop that is 'currently unavailable' you may not fit the profile the client wants for their target customer (and therefore shopper). The client may want to know how a 7 foot tall oriental female with a PhD and 9 children under the age of 18 living at home feels about their establishment.

I know you absolutely mean no harm, but referencing an Asian person as Oriental is considered very offensive to Asian people.

@bgriffin wrote:

I think it's Asian now.

Now? I think that it has been that way for 30 years.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@bgriffin wrote:

I think it's Asian now.

Now? I think that it has been that way for 30 years.

Even in MASH, they avoided using the term as it was considered old fashioned and racist....

Oddly enough there are many instances where the term Oriental was not considered offensive even within the last twenty years. There were medical journals that has the phrase Oriental in them and it was common phrasing in certain languages or even the name of some organize in different countries. Maybe a gentle reminder and a recognition that there are people who are old enough to remember when the word was common place here on the forums.

@Sryii wrote:

Oddly enough there are many instances where the term Oriental was not considered offensive even within the last twenty years. There were medical journals that has the phrase Oriental in them and it was common phrasing in certain languages or even the name of some organize in different countries. Maybe a gentle reminder and a recognition that there are people who are old enough to remember when the word was common place here on the forums.

Let’s try not to justify the use of racial slurs. Educated people need to set an example. We aren’t living in Steinbeck’s America.

"However, Oriental is a neutral, inoffensive term when used as an adjective describing Asian culture or things from Asia"

@Flash did not use the term offensively.

@isaiah58 wrote:

"However, Oriental is a neutral, inoffensive term when used as an adjective describing Asian culture or things from Asia"

@Flash did not use the term offensively.

Correct. You can use it to describe THINGS not people.
And I was taught that at least 30 years ago.

SMH, and I am on the same page as "Book" for once. Might never happen again.

Post removed - Mod

I understand the groupthink mentality in the US. I have been in the Orient, other parts of Asia as well. I find the discussion here has gone sideways over a term used outside the US without any attachment to ill will.

@isaiah58 wrote:

I understand the groupthink mentality in the US. I have been in the Orient, other parts of Asia as well. I find the discussion here has gone sideways over a term used outside the US without any attachment to ill will.

Straw man argument. Those of Asian descent find the expression offensive whether in the US or in other countries.

I have traveled extensively in Asia for several decades. Asians living in Asia consider Oriental to be a pejorative Colonial term.

I am, however, very curious about what you mean by " have been in the Orient, other parts of Asia as well". What countries do you consider to be "in the Orient" versus "other parts of Asia"? Orient once meant (in accord with the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) all countries in the Middle East and eastward thereof. So, how are you distinguishing the two terms?

@isaiah58 wrote:

I understand the groupthink mentality in the US. I have been in the Orient, other parts of Asia as well. I find the discussion here has gone sideways over a term used outside the US without any attachment to ill will.

Good question. In the early 1980's I spent two years abroad serving my country, in the Navy.

I visited, walked among the peoples, of: Hong Kong, Kowloon/China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

I used whatever term the citizens used. We were provided with guidelines related to safety as well as any areas of sensitivity.

Based on this discussion, I will talk to my close friends and mentors that are from several of the above mentioned countries, and ask them about this.

@myst4au wrote:

I am, however, very curious about what you mean by " have been in the Orient, other parts of Asia as well". What countries do you consider to be "in the Orient" versus "other parts of Asia"? Orient once meant (in accord with the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) all countries in the Middle East and eastward thereof. So, how are you distinguishing the two terms?

That’s funny. I was wondering the same thing.

@isaiah58 wrote:

Good question. In the early 1980's I spent two years abroad serving my country, in the Navy.

I visited, walked among the peoples, of: Hong Kong, Kowloon/China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

I used whatever term the citizens used. We were provided with guidelines related to safety as well as any areas of sensitivity.

Based on this discussion, I will talk to my close friends and mentors that are from several of the above mentioned countries, and ask them about this.

This is where your argument starts to unravel. The ‘early 80’s’ is almost 40 years ago. Also, military bases abroad are in a bubble. They aren’t designed for service people to integrate with the local communities.

Thank you for your service.

@Book wrote:

@isaiah58 wrote:

Good question. In the early 1980's I spent two years abroad serving my country, in the Navy.

I visited, walked among the peoples, of: Hong Kong, Kowloon/China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

I used whatever term the citizens used. We were provided with guidelines related to safety as well as any areas of sensitivity.

Based on this discussion, I will talk to my close friends and mentors that are from several of the above mentioned countries, and ask them about this.

This is where your argument starts to unravel. The ‘early 80’s’ is almost 40 years ago. Also, military bases abroad are in a bubble. They aren’t designed for service people to integrate with the local communities.

Thank you for your service.

Your welcome.

I was not in a bubble. I was on a ship. I loved enjoying the few days we were in port wondering wherever I could. Nothing is unraveling, I am not presenting an argument. I am expressing my opinion based on experience. Our armed forces are full of people representing the globe. I myself, with Jewish heritage, have roots that have faced more racism than any other group of peoples.

Flash was not using the disputed term to be negative. The term is used in many European countries still. There are many Asians in the US the self identify as Oriental still.

Here is the end on an interesting article from the L A Times.
---------------
We have more important things to worry about. Big pharma is busy patenting the active compounds in the herbal formulas that Orientals have been prescribing for millenniums. The World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health have long recognized the efficacy of acupuncture (the mainstream of Oriental medicine) in treating dozens of conditions. More than 20 million Americans have used acupuncture. Yet neither Medicare, Medicaid nor federal employees’ insurance covers the procedure. Practitioners of Oriental medicine have struggled for years to gain acceptance with the Occidental medical community and with insurance companies and federal and state governments. Yet here we are focusing our efforts on language.

Jayne Tsuchiyama is a doctor of acupuncture and Oriental medicine

My husband is Japanese. He says that being referred to as "Oriental" doesn't bother him at all. People at work have called him an Oriental. Maybe he can file a grievance and we can get rich JK.

I refer to him as Japanese. My kids are half Japanese.

@Jill_L wrote:

My husband is Japanese. He says that being referred to as "Oriental" doesn't bother him at all. People at work have called him an Oriental. Maybe he can file a grievance and we can get rich JK.

I refer to him as Japanese. My kids are half Japanese.

Yes. And some black people don’t mind mind being referred to as the n-word. It doesn’t alter the fact that certain words are racist.

I can’t believe you would be happy if your children were being called ‘Orientals’ on a regular basis.

I don't mind the language shift but no one has ever been able to explain why it's considered offensive. I always assumed it followed Said's book. The word simply means Eastern. I don't think that the shift from "Oriental" to "Asian" has in itself changed anything about how people view East Asian cultures. I also don't imagine most people have put much thought into it beyond trying to be sure they are using the "right" words.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2019 05:08AM by 1cent.

@Book wrote:

@Jill_L wrote:

My husband is Japanese. He says that being referred to as "Oriental" doesn't bother him at all. People at work have called him an Oriental. Maybe he can file a grievance and we can get rich JK.

I refer to him as Japanese. My kids are half Japanese.

Yes. And some black people don’t mind mind being referred to as the n-word. It doesn’t alter the fact that certain words are racist.

I can’t believe you would be happy if your children were being called ‘Orientals’ on a regular basis.

Book, you are crossing the line here by attacking people. Why didn't you correct Jill for saying "half Japanese" if your such a advocate for what you believe is how others should self identify?

The issue here should be why are we required to guess as to anyones race let alone how someone identifies themselves.

Several MSCs no longer allow us to use race when we describe someone. Estimated age, height, hair color and style, some clothing options are only required. Extra room sometimes for other identifying tattoos or piercings. Some have stopped asking us to provide gender (discussed here before).

Why would we call someone Asian that is not actually Asian? Hispanic that is not? African American just because they are black?

I am a human being, of the human race. Telling me I have to categorize my race no longer makes sense.

My biracial grandchildren are forced to identify by one race. At the same time they can choose from hundreds of gender identities. I am white, my wife is black. We offend people by identifying this way. Jews that argue we are people of color, hiding behind the term white!! Black and brown people of African descent that are offended by the term black. White supremacists that use this to justify their hate for Jews as well as any people they can actually identify by skin color.

Oh, and if I were to call anyone the N word they would be offended. If my wife were to call anyone the N word they would be offended. If we used that word at work we would be fired. If someone calls me a Jew, it depends on who it is the context it is used in as to if it is offensive or not. Kike is offensive. "Jewed me down" is offensive. Putz is potentially offensive depending on what part of the world the person comes from.

Our governments have no business slotting us like cattle into limited categories of race. We have no business judging our neighbors for being comfortable with how they describe their race.

You can self-assign with Confero? Am I too new for this privilege? Nevertheless, I have found that the schedulers at Confero are super nice and responsive when I apply for shops. BTW, I am Asian and I do not find it offensive to be referred to as Oriental. There are worse things people are calling each others nowadays.

@isaiah58 wrote:

@Book wrote:

@Jill_L wrote:

My husband is Japanese. He says that being referred to as "Oriental" doesn't bother him at all. People at work have called him an Oriental. Maybe he can file a grievance and we can get rich JK.

I refer to him as Japanese. My kids are half Japanese.

Yes. And some black people don’t mind mind being referred to as the n-word. It doesn’t alter the fact that certain words are racist.

I can’t believe you would be happy if your children were being called ‘Orientals’ on a regular basis.

Book, you are crossing the line here by attacking people. Why didn't you correct Jill for saying "half Japanese" if your such a advocate for what you believe is how others should self identify?

The issue here should be why are we required to guess as to anyones race let alone how someone identifies themselves.

Several MSCs no longer allow us to use race when we describe someone. Estimated age, height, hair color and style, some clothing options are only required. Extra room sometimes for other identifying tattoos or piercings. Some have stopped asking us to provide gender (discussed here before).

Why would we call someone Asian that is not actually Asian? Hispanic that is not? African American just because they are black?

I am a human being, of the human race. Telling me I have to categorize my race no longer makes sense.

My biracial grandchildren are forced to identify by one race. At the same time they can choose from hundreds of gender identities. I am white, my wife is black. We offend people by identifying this way. Jews that argue we are people of color, hiding behind the term white!! Black and brown people of African descent that are offended by the term black. White supremacists that use this to justify their hate for Jews as well as any people they can actually identify by skin color.

Oh, and if I were to call anyone the N word they would be offended. If my wife were to call anyone the N word they would be offended. If we used that word at work we would be fired. If someone calls me a Jew, it depends on who it is the context it is used in as to if it is offensive or not. Kike is offensive. "Jewed me down" is offensive. Putz is potentially offensive depending on what part of the world the person comes from.

Our governments have no business slotting us like cattle into limited categories of race. We have no business judging our neighbors for being comfortable with how they describe their race.

Thank you, @isaiah58

@Book wrote:

I can’t believe you would be happy if your children were being called ‘Orientals’ on a regular basis.

Doesn't bother me one bit. Doesn't bother my kids one bit. Doesn't bother my husband one bit.

What DOES bother me is that my oldest does half time community college and half time high school. He goes to the community college, and in the first two weeks of his anthropology class, he heard people say that certain groups need to be killed. This rhetoric includes a group of people in which my children are "members...."

The hate has to stop. The divisions have to stop.

I don't understand how there is such extreme sensitivity while at the same time free talk about killing groups of people. (ANY group; not just 'my" group....people talk about killing Muslims, Mexicans, South Americans, etc etc...freely)

Jill_L clearly you are not in California? Public education here is so far left, you’d never hear that.

Check out the article below from CNN (May 2016). It outlines the legal position, Obama’s opinion and the opinion of people who the expression ‘Oriental’ is directed at.

Anyway, after reading the article I am sure some will continue using the term ‘Oriental’ and similar terms.

U.S. government to stop using these words to refer to minorities

The federal government will no longer use the terms "Negro" and "Oriental" after President Barack Obama signed a bill into law.

The official terms will be African-American and Asian-American. Welcome to 2016.

In a rare show of bipartisan support, the measure H.R.4238, passed unanimously in the House of Representatives and the Senate earlier this year. Obama signed it into law Friday.

The measure updates the terms the U.S. federal government uses to describe minorities, including American Indian to Native American and "Spanish speaking individual of Spanish descent" to Hispanic.

Here's what the bill states:

Office Of Minority Economic Impact.—Section 211(f)(1) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7141(f)(1)) is amended by striking "a Negro, Puerto Rican, American Indian, Eskimo, Oriental, or Aleut or is a Spanish speaking individual of Spanish descent" and inserting "Asian American, Native Hawaiian, a Pacific Islander, African American, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Native American, or an Alaska Native".

"The term 'Oriental' has no place in federal law and at long last this insulting and outdated term will be gone for good," said Rep. Grace Meng of New York, who sponsored the bill.

Meng, a Democrat from Queens, encountered the term while doing legislative research and had sought to eliminate its usage from government terminology.

"Many Americans may not be aware that the word 'Oriental' is derogatory. But it is an insulting term that needed to be removed from the books, and I am extremely pleased that my legislation to do that is now the law of the land," she said in a statement.

Meng had similarly pushed a law that eliminated the use of the word when she served in the New York Legislature in 2009.

The H.R. 4328 bill had 76 cosponsors, including all 51 members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. One of the original cosponsors included Rep. Ed Royce, a California Republican.

"Our country is a rich tapestry of cultural backgrounds, and Americans of all backgrounds deserve to be treated with dignity and respect," he said in a statement.

We are closing this thread. Responses do not address the OP’s question, nor do they pertain to mystery shopping.