“Minority” is a term encompassing many groups of different people. It labels those people who have dealt with extreme oppression, and, to some, it is oppressive in that people who are not white and male are classified as “minor.” However, this is an issue that will ultimately remain unsolved.
The Boston City Council banned the word from all city documents last year, though people still argue it should not be used in any instance. While this is not a subject to be taken lightly, people need to step back and assess whether or not they’re going too far in their attempts to be politically correct.
This is a redundant issue. It is unlikely that a word will ever be coined that satisfies everyone. A word such as “minority” is more accurate and less oppressive than most. Many people complain that minorities are no longer actually in the minority, but that is missing the point. “Minority” refers to multiple minorities that, when separated, are not really majorities.
Removing the word “minority” altogether from public conversations would be a waste of time and money; that is, until there is no need for any word of that nature. Aren’t there bigger issues to be concerned with? People should be focusing on ending oppression and racism as a whole — not deleting a simple word.
The term “minority” will always be a topic for debate. This debate is inevitably lengthy and not worth the energy. The outcome will never work out perfectly. It’s time people took a stand against actions instead of simple words.
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