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The lazy white centrism of ‘Woman of Colour’
It’s beginning to denote unpleasant connotations
4 min readMar 2, 2023
Contrary to sticks and stones, I’d argue that using language appropriately is vital, essential, and crucial. Respecting what people want to be referred to is a pillar of basic humanitarianism and feminism. Sure: that’s going to evolve and change. As we evolve in our ideas and develop neologisms and terms to explain our thoughts and feelings in a new era, we will uncovers problems with what came before. Now: if you’re comfortable using WoC (woman of colour) and that works for you, I respect that. But increasingly, particularly through speaking to Black women and women from South Asia, I’m seeing that it’s used by fellow white women in a very degrading, patronising way that fails to acknowledge privilege, personhood, or diversity in experience.
