Why I Asked My Team to Avoid Saying the Word “Minority?” Part II

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If you have been following us and everything we do here at Team JTC for a while, you would know that we avoid using the word ‘minority’ when referencing marginalized groups. I believe that there are many other, more effective words that can be used to define underrepresented communities, that do not raise misconceptions and are more inclusive.?

A few months ago, we published an article titled “Why I Asked My Team to Avoid Saying the Word Minority?” The article received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community and many of you shared your recommendations on using words other than minority and diverse as an adjective. The suggestions you gave were very good, and in this week’s newsletter, I want to highlight some of my favorite comments.?

#1. Using the term ‘Global Majority’

I absolutely love the perspective shared by Kaki Rusmore. I will be adding ‘Global Majority’ to the list. What might be regarded as a minority in a specific setting might very well be a majority when looked at from a global perspective.?

#2. Forgotten/Invisible Communities

Another good recommendation came from Carol Lwali, who touched on the communities that have been impacted by injustice. These can be first-generation, rural populations that are seeking stronger representation.?

#3. The root word of minority is ‘Minor’

Lloyd Nelson shares how his mother explained to him why nobody should refer to him as a minority. The problem is that the word itself opens the possibility of being treated as a minor or as someone who is not significant. And this is one of the main reasons why we discourage its use.?

#4. Modern workplaces need ‘Translators’

This comment by Brian Schubring brought a huge smile to my face. Here at Team JTC, we are always creating resources and training that help hiring leaders, recruiters and other professionals become better translators, building workplaces that are more inclusive and better equipped to be leaders in increasing diversity.?

Speaking of training, we recently launched the Fast Track Inclusive Leader (QIL) Training, which is designed to better equip leaders, hiring managers, HR business partners, and DEI practitioners. This training consists of micro-learning topics, from understanding the value of diversity to accountability to building an action plan to increase diversity. Looking at the wonderful and insightful comments we receive from our community, we believe this is just the kind of training that you can introduce in your organization.?

I thank every one of you who supports our Increase Diversity community and takes the time to read our newsletters and/or shares opinions with the rest of the community. In the end, I would also like to share this YT short I posted on LinkedIn a couple of months ago. The video shows tons of inclusive words that you can use instead of ‘minority’.?

Join me in the comments: Let’s keep this conversation going. I want you to share any other words you use in place of ‘minority’. Or share any other tips for using a more inclusive, effective language at our workplaces. Let me know in the comments below.