![]() ![]() Many people consider this term somewhat outdated. But because the term is so broad, it tends to lose some of its power, particularly when used to discuss the specific, separate experiences faced by People of Color with different ethnic backgrounds. “POC” is a general umbrella term that collectively refers to all People of Color - anyone who isn’t white. You might find yourself defaulting to “BIPOC” when talking about a friend, classmate, or co-worker, but if you know their ethnicity and it’s relevant to the conversation, use the most specific language possible. When recommending a book by author Louise Erdrich, you wouldn’t say “Louise Erdrich, a BIPOC author” or “Indigenous author.” The best option would be “Louise Erdrich, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.”.If you’re discussing the extremely high maternal deaths among Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women, you wouldn’t say “BIPOC women,” since other Women of Color do not face the same risk.If you’re bringing up the inequalities many Black children face in school, you’ll want to say “Black students” rather than “BIPOC students.”.This may require some work on your part - be prepared to do that work. When talking with (or about) individuals or smaller groups of people, avoid defaulting to umbrella terms such as “BIPOC,” since these tend to be less accurate. Putting all People of Color into one category, even when attempting to emphasize certain voices, can still effectively diminish their individual experiences and cultural identity. But blanket use of these terms can still become problematic. You don’t pronounce each letter separately, so you wouldn’t say “B-I-P-O-C.”Īcronyms and other abbreviations can feel easy and convenient, and they do have a purpose. Just as you’d want to say someone’s name correctly, it’s important to learn how to pronounce terminology accurately.īIPOC is pronounced “buy pock” (“pock” as in “pocket”). People of Color face numerous but varied challenges stemming from harmful cultural stereotypes and systemic racism, from the internment of Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II to the incarceration of children whose parents were attempting to immigrate to the United States. The following list is far from exhaustive, but “People of Color” can include people who are: This term has been criticized for its broadness, since it collectively refers to many different people as one group of “other.” “People of Color” is a blanket term that describes people who aren’t white. It’s always best practice to use specific tribe names when referring to just one or two people or a small group of individuals. These terms themselves remain broad: In the United States alone, 574 recognized Indian Nations exist. Indigenous is a broad term encompassing all tribes of the original residents of the continent. “Indigenous” (as used in the United States) describes the native inhabitants of North America. Some may prefer to identify themselves by the country their family came from - Kenyan American or Jamaican American, for example. Some Black people may not be American, while others may not trace their ancestry to Africa. Many people in the United States consider the term “African American” the more polite and correct choice, but this isn’t always accurate. “Black” generally describes a person of African or Caribbean descent. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what “BIPOC” stands for: Black The choice to use “BIPOC” reflects the desire to illuminate specific injustices affecting Black and Indigenous people. Some effects of racism overlap, but others, such as police brutality, remain largely unique to a specific group. American Indian and Alaska Native men face the next highest risk.) (It may not surprise you to learn that, according to a 2019 research review, Black men have a higher risk of being killed by police officers than any other group of people. There’s no denying that nonwhite citizens of the United States and Canada regularly face racism. These terms might remain factually correct, but they lack a sense of humanity, since there’s no clear indication they refer to people.Īs such, they’re generic, inadequate descriptors that also carry a suggestion of inferiority and of being “less than” the group that’s not in the minority. It enables a shift away from terms like “marginalized” and “minority.” BIPOC, which stands for “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color,” is person-first language. ![]()
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