Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Adam: Why the term 'people of colour' is offensive to so many

Not only does it lump all non-whites together, but the painful history of the term makes it difficult to embrace.

Living in the shadow of the United States, it is inevitable that Canadians will absorb and be influenced by aspects of American culture – good and bad. But one that, regrettably, Canadian media are adopting with increasing regularity is the American term “people of colour” to describe all those who are not white.

In newspapers, on radio and television, the term is becoming the accepted shorthand for Blacks, Latinos, Arabs, Asians and other non-whites. “Canadian people of colour,” “Canadians of colour,” and “Communities of colour” are not uncommon in headlines and stories. During last fall’s federal election, a TV anchor called NDP leader Jagmeet Singh a “person of colour.” Former Whitby Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes was described as a “woman of colour.”

Though not as widely embraced by Canadian ethnic communities as it is in the U.S., use of the term is, worryingly, very much on the rise.

I recognize that some non-white Canadians embrace it. I also recognize that those who use the term are not being disrespectful. They mean well. But meaning well isn’t the point. The problem is putting all non-white people in one box and assuming it’s fine.

I am African. I am Black. I am not a person of colour. If you feel the need to describe me by race or ethnicity, call me African. If you want to define me by colour, call me Black. That’s who I am. Don’t call me a person of colour. It undermines my identity and offends me.

Of course, there’s always the old question of why white, every bit as much a colour as black or brown, is left out of the debate about the colour of people.

“The term ‘people of colour’ is particularly problematic,” says Amina Mire, a Carleton University professor of sociology and anthropology whose speciality includes racialization. “It suggests that whiteness is not a colour. In my work, I often use ‘non-white people’ instead of ‘people of colour.’ ”

“If you think about it, all people have colour,” adds University of Ottawa sociologist and social demographer Fernando Mata.

The term however, is widely accepted in the U.S., where most African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and others, including politicians, civil rights leaders and activists embrace it as a term of solidarity and empowerment.

“People of colour” gained popularity around the 1980s as Black and other minority community leaders sought strength and power in numbers by coming together as one, powerful, unified force. The idea basically was that standing alone as African-Americans, Latinos or Asians, for example, did little to break racial barriers, and coming together under the banner of “people of colour” might be more effective. In a way, it acknowledges civil rights leader Martin Luther King’s injunction that Black people “cannot walk alone” in the fight for equal rights and social justice. They need allies to move the fight for racial equality beyond the traditional black/white divide. King indeed used the term “citizens of color” in his famous 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech.

But the term’s history rankles. Consider this paragraph in the 1807 Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves, which made unlawful, the importation into the U.S. of “… any negro, mulatto, or person of color, with intent to hold, sell, or dispose of such negro, mulatto, or person of color as a slave, or to be held to service or labour.”

I appreciate the need for solidarity and togetherness among historically marginalized people. Racial discrimination is not just the burden of Black people, but people of all colours. Standing against racial discrimination and injustice is an imperative for all people. But the painful history of the term makes it difficult to embrace. That history, with echoes of the word “colored” that was painted on segregation signs in the American South from the 1900s into the 1960s – and used to discriminate against Black people, is difficult to swallow. I see “colored” and “people of colour” as two branches of the same tree. That’s why I refuse to wear it.

Those who use “people of colour” should understand that it’s not a universal term of endearment. It’s an American term that should not be used blithely in Canada. Tread carefully.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×