Do you know the meaning of BIPOC? This guide will give you all of the information you need on the acronym BIPOC, like its definition, usage, and more!
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Kevin
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January 25, 2022
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Common Questions
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The term BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. This acronym is considered an umbrella term for African Americans, Black people, Indigenous people, Native American people, native Alaskans, Middle Eastern people, Asian Americans, Pacific Islander people, Latinx people, and other racial groups that are considered to be nonwhite people that experience systemic oppression.
While this term was popularized during the protests after the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor via the Black Lives Matter movement, its use has since been largely discontinued. This is because nonwhite people all experience oppression differently, and it is unfair to lump them all together.
Different groups of people in North America and beyond experience different injustices. Thus, this terminology has become problematic. While activists have used BIPOC to stand in solidarity with people of color, it can lead to erasure and discrimination.
People of color face systemic racism differently, such as Black people facing police brutality more than other groups. While all of these groups are anti-white supremacy, we cannot simply combine them into one category.
This term became very popular on social media in places like Twitter, where tweets have a character limit that makes abbreviations more necessary. There is also a company called the BIPOC Project committed to fighting for racial justice and against anti-blackness and anti-black racism.
How Can the Abbreviation BIPOC Be Used in a Sentence?
While BIPOC might not be a term that you choose to use yourself due to its potential controversy, it is still very important to understand how someone might use this terminology in a sentence. You might come across this phrase on the internet, while reading, or from another person.
Take a glance at the below examples of the word BIPOC being used in a sentence to understand how this acronym is used.
Example One
Person 1: What are your plans this weekend?
Person 2: I’m going to a protest supporting BIPOC equality.
Person 1: Oh, that’s awesome! When is it? I’d love to show my support as well.
Example Two
Person 1: What clubs are you thinking of joining this semester?
Person 2: I think I will join the school newspaper and the BIPOC student union.
Person 1: Cool! I’m going to join the dance team.
What Are Synonyms for the Word BIPOC?
We can find many different synonyms for the term BIPOC in Power Thesaurus. A synonym is a word that we can use in place of another word or phrase because they have the same definition.
It could be very helpful to know a synonym for BIPOC because BIPOC can be considered offensive in some settings. Furthermore, it is best not to use a term that might have controversy associated with it and be as specific as possible in your speech.
- Individual
- Asiatic
- Aframerican
- POC
- Black Americans
- Black Person
- Black People
- Afro-American
- Asian
- African
- African Americans
- Afro American
However, as we can see, these suggested synonyms are also not a great option when discussing marginalized groups in the U.S. and beyond. Many of these terms specifically relate to Black individuals, but “BIPOC” encompasses multiple groups of nonwhite people.
Generally, it’s best to be as specific as possible when discussing groups that experience systemic oppression instead of trying to find an alternative blanket term for these groups.
What Are Antonyms of the Term BIPOC?
If you are looking to use a word that is the opposite of BIOPIC, you can turn to this list of antonyms from Power Thesaurus. Learning antonyms is just as important as learning synonyms. This list can help grow your vocabulary and knowledge of new words.
- Pale Creatures
- Caucasian
- European Man
- White Archer
- White
- White Character
- White Person
- White Male
- Deathly Person
- White Guy
- Pale Person
- White Dancer
- White Man
- Powdery Mildew
- White Entity
- European Person
- Aryan Man
- White Dude
What Are Other Terms One Might Hear About Racial Equality?
There are many different terms that one might hear when discussing race or racial inequality. It might seem like there are a ton of different terms to be educated on, but this list from Racial Equity Tools can be especially useful in educating yourself for future conversations. Take a look at this list and see how many you know!
- Internalized Dominance
- Structural Racism
- Anti-Racist
- Prejudice
- Racism
- Reparations
- Racial and Ethnic Identity
- Oppression
- Settler Colonialism
- Racist Policies
- Racialization
- Cultural Racism
- Indigeneity
- Privilege
- Intersectionality
- Structural Racialization
- Caucusing (Affinity Groups)
- Social Oppression
- Racial Capitalism
- Diversity
- People of Color
- Targeted Universalism
- Liberatory Consciousness
- Systemic Racism
- Interpersonal Racism
- Microaggression
- Anti-Racist Ideas
- Power
- Movement Building
- Individual Racism
- Decolonization
- Anti-Racism
- Centering Blackness
- Bigotry
- White Fragility
- Critical Race Theory
- Racial Identity Development Theory
- Tokenism
- Racial Reconciliation
- White Privilege
- Colonization
- Diaspora
- Internalized Racism
- Culture
- Marginalization
- Xenophobia
- Ethnicity
- Racist Ideas
- Collusion
- Racial Inequity
- White Supremacy Culture
- Racial Justice
- Institutional Racism
- Anti-Black
- Discrimination
- Black Lives Matter
- Liberation
- Ally
- Accountability
- Inclusion
- Restorative Justice
- Racial Equity
- Implicit Bias
- Cultural Misappropriation
- White Supremacy
- Racial Healing
- Assimilationist
- Whiteness
- Multicultural Competency
- Cultural Appropriation
- Racist
- Model Minority
- Race
Conclusion
Overall, the term BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. This is an umbrella term that is used to refer to people who are nonwhite. This term is often used in racial discussions but has recently come under fire for being an umbrella term since each racial group and minority experiences racial relationships differently. When in doubt, use specific terminology to avoid causing offense.
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