Has the use of the term "of color" been on the increase?

[Rickeroo]

It's all the same to the OP (minorities). He's a "one drop" man. He can't see any reason to differentiate between black people and other minorities.


:lol:

"Of color" may become a more acceptable term by which to refer to blacks. Note that by "refer" to blacks, I mean the distinguishing of black from white - pointing out and acknowledging the racial difference between them in the current and proper way. According to the poll it may be that my suspicions were correct - "of color" is becoming fashionable. To me, it sounds a lot like "colored", so I wanted to be sure this is the way PC is going. I'm white and have to be very careful what I say. I'm still free to live in a 98% white neighborhood though, as long as I refer to minorities with the proper terms.

I'm not one drop, otherwise I'd think Liz Warren deserves all the pity and whatever else society would "lavish" or "bestow" on a full-blooded Indian. However, let's say she is 1% Indian. She is therefore deserving of 1% of the "benefits" that we would give a pure-blooded Indian. Pro-rated racial recognition, if you will.

 

[Fishking]

There is no difference in genetics. Just differences in melanin.

As for your question, "of color" is usually used to speak of everyone but white people. Not just black people.

Then how does 23 and me work?

 

[Fishking]

??? When it comes to Hispanics or Latinos, it wouldnt be very accurate to generalize like that...those groups have skin colors ranging from black to white.

People use 'of color' basically to mean anyone not a WASP or WASC.

they should just refer to us as bland and sunburny.

What if you're a white atheist?

 

[Rickeroo]

Thanks all who took the poll - it wasn't just me who noticed the new, fashionable and "more respectful" terminology to distinguish white Americans from the "other" American races. I must say that with race being mentioned every 5 seconds on NPR, it's an absolute goldmine in learning how to stay on the right side of the superficial.

 

[Vadinho]

LOL! We'll end up "color" and "colorless"!

The way its going, we might all end up a beautiful shade of brown with gorgeous skin and lots of different eye colors.

 

[Vadinho]

Yes. Dark skin in sunny climates has the evolutionary advantage of protecting the skin against cancer. But in places with very little sun, too much protection against the sun keeps the skin from being able to synthesize vitamin D. So in such places, the lighter the skin and the more sun it can absorb, the better adapted it is to the climate.

Vitamin D deficiency leads to a disease of the bones called rickets. In the 19th century in England, rickets was also known as the “English children’s disease”.

Exactly. Here is a scientist explaining it, check this out.

YouTube

 

[Kal'Stang]

Then how does 23 and me work?

No idea what that means.

 

[Fishking]

No idea what that means.

It's a DNA analysis company, like the kind Elizabeth Warren used to "prove" she was Native American.

 

[Lursa]

What if you're a white atheist?

Good question....is that a large demographic?

 

[Mongidig]

I believe black people in Africa still refer to themselves as African Americans.

 

[Kal'Stang]

It's a DNA analysis company, like the kind Elizabeth Warren used to "prove" she was Native American.

The environment does mark our dna.

 

[apdst]

"Of color" is a term used to seperate white folks from everyone. It's designed to create an "us against them" environment. Just like the term "minority", even if non-whites are the majority. Using "minority" all the time assists in promoting the victim agenda.

 

[Fishking]

The environment does mark our dna.

So there are genetic differences, yes? To the degree that they can figure out where you come from. I did the test myself, and there were many different results.

 

[Fishking]

Good question....is that a large demographic?

No idea...just didn't fit into categories so I was wondering.

 

[ataraxia]

The way its going, we might all end up a beautiful shade of brown with gorgeous skin and lots of different eye colors.

Well, The shade of brown may be the average. But just like height, there will probably be people at all extremes of the curve. It’s just going to be a very broad curve.

 

[Lursa]

I believe black people in Africa still refer to themselves as African Americans.

?? Why? I've never heard that.

 

[Xelor]

Lately on NPR on a Boston radio station, I've been hearing the term "of color" a lot more often. I'm wondering if this will eventually replace the term "black". I like to keep abreast of what the media says is the proper terminology to use when racially identifying Americans with different genetics than other Americans.

1. I have no idea what be the rate of increase/decrease of "of color's" use.
2. No, "of color" not going to replace anything.
   • Black folks want to be Black American folks; they're proud of being so. They just don't want to be judged -- one way or another but especially not adversely -- on account of being so.
   • Latinos want to be Latino American folks; they're proud of being so. They just don't want to be judged -- one way or another but especially not adversely -- on account of being so.
   • Asians want to be Asian American folks; they're proud of being so. They just don't want to be judged -- one way or another but especially not adversely -- on account of being so.
3. You wrote that you want to keep apprised of "the proper terminology to use when racially identifying Americans with different genetics than other Americans."
   • If the observation you're making pertains to something consistently experienced or expressed across races, use the term "people."
   • "Of color"/"non-white" is merely shorter than, for example, "Blacks, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans, and Arabs."
   • If for some reason you must mention one's or a a group of folks' race/ethnicity, just use the word that corresponds to their race/ethnicity. There are terms one can use that'll irk/offend folks, but I presume you know what they are. And don't use a definite or indefinite article before whatever term you use, or do if you think of people as objects. (It's also a good idea to use the correct relative pronoun, but most folks won't take umbrage if you don't.)
     • Black folks won't object to being called "Black Americans."
       
       Black folks' situation differs from other non-whites in the US. Because of the way slavery happened, most Black folks don't know, and have no way to find out, from what country their ancestors hailed. Everyone else can say, for instance, "I'm German American; I'm Japanese American, I'm Native American; I'm Mexican American;" etc."
       
       Black folks, with very rare exception, cannot say anything comparable. The closest Black Americans, save recent migrants, get is African American, but Africa is a continent comprised of 50+ culturally differing countries. (E.g., Just as, say, foods differ in Italy and Germany, so too does it in, say, Benin, Morocco and Somalia. Food is one example; there're more.) There's also the matter than folks who're deemed Black in the US don't necessarily hail from Africa.
       
       The reality is that Black Americans have more in common with Americans (of any race) who can trace their American ancestry to the 17th - 18th centuries than they have in common with anyone in Africa today. They just happen to more or less share a skin tone with modern non-white Africans.
       
       The above may not strike you as a big deal, but when one is consigned to being classified either as a member of a hugely diverse group that one isn't a part of or as a color, it's a big deal. And when one is from someplace, say, Gambia, or Chad, or wherever in Africa, but one is relegated to being "just a color," it's a big deal. Either way, it's tacitly dehumanizing and it tacitly denies Blacks of something everyone else has, namely a specifically identifiable heritage.
       
       Note: White folks get called "white," but they also have some other country's culture to which they cleave, to greater and lesser degrees. (I don't capitalize "white" because for Black folks, "Black" has to serve as the equivalent of, say, "Namibian American," whereas whites have, say, "Irish American," which distinguishes them from whites from other places.)
     • Asians are fine with being called "Asian Americans."
     • And so on and so on....
4. Won't it be nice when the US reaches a point whereby we just say "Americans." When will that happen? When the qualities distinguishing "haves" and "have nots" no longer disproportionately affect people of varying races/ethnicities. The US should long ago have reached that point because for as long as I've been alive, aside from manifestations of racism, people's needs and lifestyles are more linked by socioeconomic factors than by racial factors. But racism's effects linger and we thus get whites in XYZ income group who think of themselves as different from Blacks in the same and other income groups.
   
   For instance, the Black man on my block has far more in common with me than with Black gang members or low-income Black folks. Similarly, I have far more in common with him than with low-income whites or white gang members ("traditional" gang or Neo-Nazi/white supremacists).

 

[Rickeroo]

I'm Irish, wife is Italian. We go through the day not being referred to as Irish-American and Italian-Americans, but as white Americans. Our genetics are vital in politics and the media, not because of our Irish or Italian, but because of the "white" part. Likewise, whether someone originally came from Nigeria or Somalia doesn't matter socially. It is the fact that they are black that is socially significant - via the media and politics.

And so it goes with the new term "of color". According to the media, what is the most important part of an "of color" person? That they are from The Gambia? That they are from Ecuador? Nay. The most vital part of them - the identifier that the media wants us to know - is that they aren't white.

 

[ataraxia]

As far as Arab Americans: Arabs are an ethnically very diverse group of people too. They can be very dark skinned, or they can be very blond and blue eyed, and blend in with the whitest of the white Anglos. It's not that different from "Latinos".

Here is a Yazidi refugee girl fleeing Syria:

 

[danarhea]

Lately on NPR on a Boston radio station, I've been hearing the term "of color" a lot more often. I'm wondering if this will eventually replace the term "black". I like to keep abreast of what the media says is the proper terminology to use when racially identifying Americans with different genetics than other Americans.

Actually, people of color also refers to asians, latinos, and other races which are not white.

 

[Rickeroo]

Actually, people of color also refers to asians, latinos, and other races which are not white.

True. However, on NPR today during lunch, they had a segment on roller skating culture, how it still survives today in some form. Being NPR, of course the only reason they were doing the story is that the women doing the roller skating were black, and they went through the history of roller skating segregation and the 'special moves' they do today influenced by their "black culture". Most of the terms used were "black" and "African American", however the term "women of color" was used once, specifically referring to black women. The previous segment was about Hijab-wearing women in Boston trying to find the right beauty parlor.

This is a Boston station, and it may be that "of color" tends to mean black rather than simply "unwhite". We also call a drinking fountain a "bubbler". I will continue to monitor.

 

[Rogue Valley]

True. However, on NPR today during lunch, they had a segment on roller skating culture, how it still survives today in some form. Being NPR, of course the only reason they were doing the story is that the women doing the roller skating were black, and they went through the history of roller skating segregation and the 'special moves' they do today influenced by their "black culture". Most of the terms used were "black" and "African American", however the term "women of color" was used once, specifically referring to black women. The previous segment was about Hijab-wearing women in Boston trying to find the right beauty parlor.

This is a Boston station, and it may be that "of color" tends to mean black rather than simply "unwhite". We also call a drinking fountain a "bubbler". I will continue to monitor.

I hate to rain on your ridiculous parade (not really), but most roller derby women are/were not African-American.

Near the beginning ... San Francisco Bay Bombers circa 1961

Later ... San Francsico Bay Bombers circa 1980

Today ... San Francisco Bay Bombers circa 2009

 

[Rickeroo]

I hate to rain on your ridiculous parade (not really), but most roller derby women are/were not African-American.

Near the beginning ... San Francisco Bay Bombers circa 1961

Later ... San Francsico Bay Bombers circa 1980

Today ... San Francisco Bay Bombers circa 2009

The NPR story was about roller skating, not derby. I never claimed that most skaters were black. My claim was that NPR only did the skating story because it was about a group of black skaters. The race of the skaters was paramount to the story.

You can listen here, search for "roller" on the page:

The Takeaway: Stories | WNYC Studios | Podcasts

 

[Waddy]

people 'of color" is just another way of saying anything but white. If it works use it. When I hear the word white I know it's anything but people "of color".

 

[Rogue Valley]

The NPR story was about roller skating, not derby. I never claimed that most skaters were black. My claim was that NPR only did the skating story because it was about a group of black skaters. The race of the skaters was paramount to the story.

Here is what you said:

True. However, on NPR today during lunch, they had a segment on roller skating culture, how it still survives today in some form. Being NPR, of course the only reason they were doing the story is that the women doing the roller skating were black, and they went through the history of roller skating segregation and the 'special moves' they do today influenced by their "black culture".

Once again, where is any evidence that most skaters (ice? roller?) were black?