Destiny - in fact I was being a little cheeky. I was recalling those figures off the top of my head, which just goes to show that you are correct. Statisitcs must alwasy be treated with caution - though that doesn't mean they can't be very useful. A quick google search reveals that the ethnic population of the UK breaks down slightly differently to how I originally stated.
www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=455 The majority of the UK population in 2001 were White (92 per cent). The remaining 4.6 million (or 7.9 per cent) people belonged to other ethnic groups. Indians were the largest of these groups, followed by Pakistanis, those of Mixed ethnic backgrounds, Black Caribbeans, Black Africans and Bangladeshis. The remaining minority ethnic groups each accounted for less than 0.5 per cent of the UK population and together accounted for a further 1.4 per cent.
The point really is that if you publish a magazine and want to maximise your income potential you're going to cater for the 92% of the population rather than the 8%.
XFR - minority should not be ignored. Runners are a minority of the population.
Ballini - I usualy find that most people over-estimate the number of 'non-whites' in the country. The statistics show that we do not live in a multi-cultural society. We live in a society that has pockets of multi-culturalism. The problem is that the decision makers, the movers and shakers, predominantly live in London. They think the rest of the country is like London. It isn't, yet so many decisions that affect all our lives are taken with a London-centric view (from rules about race-relations, to education policy, to traffic issues etc).
If you believe the Daily Mail whites are in the minority, whilst all the "illegal immigrants" simultaneously take all the jobs and sit around all day doing nothing but spending their benefits...
I grew up in the corner of SE England, then went to Uni up in the NW. There was *one* mixed race girl at my secondary school! None at primary. And not even many at Uni. (Not on my course at any rate) It's only now that I live in SE London that I really see a lot of non-white people on a day to day basis. But if I hadn't ended up here I'd probably hardly ever see anyone who wasn't white.
Ballini whereabouts do you live to think that sometimes it seems like white people are the minority?
FWIW - I live in Frome in Somerset. In the last 30 years I can only ever remember 4 black people living here. The town has a population of around 28,000.
I dont feel discriminated against just because RW doesnt feature pudgy runners on their covers. I suspect they make up a fair percentage of runners. Especially in the months between Christmas and The London Marathon.
I don't think it ever feels like whites are in the minority. It was only when I went to America that I realised what it was like to be white and be in the minority, and to be on the receiving end of racial prejudice. it was a wierd experience and it made me think about how it is all too easy for white people to say that white majority makes it fair to ignore the presence of non-whites. 4.6 million is a lot of people.
RD, pudgy-ness is a bit different from race and sex. Though I do think it would be nice if they showed some more realistic runners. It has been said many times before, but they really should get some forumites on there!!
I really don't understand why everyone seems to get so exercised by the subject of the RW cover. Does it really matter? I can't believe that it dissuades anyone from running because they don't look like the people on the cover.
Why black / coloured / non white people seem to be under represented in the distance running community is quite an interesting issue though. After all, there's no shortage of role models of their own skin colour, and I see a lot of black kids on the tracks practising sprints, hurdles, etc. So why not distance running?
It also struck me at the last forum social how their were only three or four black people there - again underrepresented (by London demographics).
Astigmatism - a very valid point. When was the last time anyone wearing glasses was on the cover? Although they could perhaps all be wearing contacts...
Comments
or do you play the triangle in Raw Sex?
No not really. I just couldn't resist!
I didn't really want to participate in this discussion because its one I've listened to before and now I find this sort of thing boring.
I did wonder where the stats for Africans are in your posting. Are they clumped together with the Afro/carribeans?
destiny - out of interest what happened at the end of that thread last time?
Ballini, it wasn't a thread. It was one of many conversations based around the same sort of topic. I enjoyed them then.
www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=455
The majority of the UK population in 2001 were White (92 per cent).
The remaining 4.6 million (or 7.9 per cent) people belonged to other
ethnic groups.
Indians were the largest of these groups, followed by Pakistanis,
those of Mixed ethnic backgrounds, Black Caribbeans, Black Africans
and Bangladeshis. The remaining minority ethnic groups each accounted for less than 0.5 per cent of the UK population and together accounted for a further 1.4 per cent.
The point really is that if you publish a magazine and want to maximise your income potential you're going to cater for the 92% of the population rather than the 8%.
it sometimes feels like whites are in the minority!
Ballini - I usualy find that most people over-estimate the number of 'non-whites' in the country. The statistics show that we do not live in a multi-cultural society. We live in a society that has pockets of multi-culturalism. The problem is that the decision makers, the movers and shakers, predominantly live in London. They think the rest of the country is like London. It isn't, yet so many decisions that affect all our lives are taken with a London-centric view (from rules about race-relations, to education policy, to traffic issues etc).
Ballini whereabouts do you live to think that sometimes it seems like white people are the minority?
Destiny - dunno...? Why?! Watcha referring to?
I dont feel discriminated against just because RW doesnt feature pudgy runners on their covers. I suspect they make up a fair percentage of runners. Especially in the months between Christmas and The London Marathon.
It was only when I went to America that I realised what it was like to be white and be in the minority, and to be on the receiving end of racial prejudice. it was a wierd experience and it made me think about how it is all too easy for white people to say that white majority makes it fair to ignore the presence of non-whites. 4.6 million is a lot of people.
Think of something....
A carrot?
A blue car?
Ngggghhh...this telepathy business is hard on the old brain!
well??
Agree that people do make very bad assumptions of "non-slim" (!) people but, at the end of the day, you can lose weight.
Why black / coloured / non white people seem to be under represented in the distance running community is quite an interesting issue though. After all, there's no shortage of role models of their own skin colour, and I see a lot of black kids on the tracks practising sprints, hurdles, etc. So why not distance running?
It also struck me at the last forum social how their were only three or four black people there - again underrepresented (by London demographics).
lets feature a black lesbian who has had a c*ck attached!