Hey peeps,
If you haven't heard the podcast Code Switch on NPR, I highly recommend it. The latest episode touched on the uses of acronyms such as P.O.C. or B.I.P.O.C. and offered different opinions on what may be labels some of us are offended by and or take pride in being a part of.
I wanted to get your opinions on this as well. As the episode states:
What do we mean when we say "people of color"? Why do some of us identify with that term? Why does it annoy so many other people? Is it time to say RIP to POC? And, if so, is BIPOC the new kid on the block, or is that term also one we should be careful about using?
What are your thoughts?
Yes it really does matter! I also agree - do the work! I don't know how many times I've been mistaken for Latina, because someone was either afraid or too lazy to ask about me. It doesn't bother me too much, but I am proud of my race. I think part of my responsibility as a BIPOC is to make sure I don't succumb to a person's "laziness" and make their life more comfortable because of a potential uncomfortable conversation.
Yes! You're right. BAME is the preferred acronym across the pond.
I definitely agree! We won't be able to move forward until we can start being specific and we understand the struggles and history of each group. You also bring up a great point, maybe by using terms like POC and BIPOC we are doing the work for white people by giving them a blanket term to refer to any group that is non-white? Maybe this is where the laziness and over-generalization comes into play? Our society has always worked at making white people feel more comfortable during conversations about race and maybe POC and BIPOC are contributors to that? Just some thoughts.
Thanks!
Ooooh, that's interesting. Creating these in order to make white people feel more comfortable and almost provide them an escape from having to deal with their own deficiencies when it comes to conversations about race and identity.
Truth! To add to the faults that "POC" brings with it, I know of people who identify with any "white adjacent" group feeling excluded from the label of POC. It's almost like by creating a supposed "inclusive" label like POC, it actually is very close-minded and creates more separation between the subsets which make up the greater non-white majority. I know many East/West/South Asians find themselves not included when people reference "persons of color", which also then makes me question the POC in BIPOC. When that term is used, are we just saying Black, Indigenous, and Latinx most of the time?
Great point! I think those questions need to be asked. What are we really saying and WHO are we referring to when using POC and BIPOC? Or, who do we INTEND to address when using those terms?
Interesting topic! I've been thinking about this a lot lately too. I haven't gotten to that episode of Code Switch yet, but will definitely be checking it out this weekend.
I found these two articles interesting -- they offer a few perspectives on the use of "BAME" in the UK, which is not too unlike some of the points that people have raised in this thread.
https://civilservice.blog.gov.uk/2019/07/08/please-dont-call-me-bame-or-bme/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53194376
Thank you all who have participated in the conversation so far. Wanted to see, based on this, if we're cool with changing the name of this group? Whether we're good with updating the acronym to BIPOC or something else, I think it should be updated either way.
Thanks for such a thought-provoking topic I actually had this brought this discussion to my husband over the weekend who is also Black. After going back and forth, I think we both have come to the conclusion that specificity is ideal over any acronym. I find myself changing my initial thoughts and not really favoring either term. I think a name change would be ideal. I don't have anything to suggest at the moment, but I'll keep thinking on it!