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What Do We Mean By POC?
POC has come to be an umbrella term including anyone of color, but does it do more harm than good?
I’ve used the term ‘POC’ in plenty of my pieces to discuss issues of racism and inequality, but I’ve recently started to question if it’s the correct term to use when discussing issues impacting minority groups. By using it, am I doing a disservice to the groups of people I am referring to? Or does it highlight how the issues of today are largely being felt by those in minority groups?
POC stands for people of color. Historically speaking, it has been around since the late 1700s but has become a popular term in the 21st century to highlight social justice issues plagued by communities of color. Used as a way to unite disparate racial groups in America, it has been criticized for encouraging racialization in the country. By using it, we continue to push the narrative that it is whites vs others. It also preserves “whiteness” while lumping all other races together and doesn’t take into consideration the vast issues plagued by everyone lumped into that group.
Damon Young writes in The Phrase “People of Color” Needs to Die,
Unfortunately, doing this has a way of flattening unique cultures and the unique battles each racial group faces in America. Bias against Chinese…
