It's only barely offensive in American English, as few people know what it means and those know it mostly intellectually. It's not commonly used and I daresay most Americans wouldn't be able to define it except as a thin salty bread product. Honky or whitey would be more commonly known, but most wouldn't take it as an insult, and ofay is just flat out unknown these days.
In short, it's awfully hard to offend a white person in America by calling them white.
Maybe that's different depending on where you are in the USA? I know in Mississippi, "cracker" and "honky" are still both seen as extremely offensive to white people. (More so to older folk, but I've seen teens highly upset about usage too.)
"Ofay" is pretty much unknown around here also. I have vague recollections of hearing it spoken, but I can't recall when or by whom.
I suppose so. I've lived in lots of places in the US, and I currently live in Texas, but Texas isn't really Southern, despite our stance in the War between the States and our relative position to the Mason Dixon line.
Maybe it is more offensive in the parts of the US that are officially "deep South"?
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In short, it's awfully hard to offend a white person in America by calling them white.
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"Ofay" is pretty much unknown around here also. I have vague recollections of hearing it spoken, but I can't recall when or by whom.
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Maybe it is more offensive in the parts of the US that are officially "deep South"?