
FW FEATURE
Women of Color
Women of Color (sometimes
abbreviated as WOC)
is a phrase used to describe
female persons of color. The
political term “women of color”
surfaced in the violence
against the women’s movement. In the late seventies it
-
ginalization with race or ethnicity as a common issue.
History
Although similar to the term “person of color,” the history
of the term “women of color” has political roots, as explained
by the women’s rights leader Loretta Ross. During the 1977
National Women’s Conference, a group of African
American women created the Black Women’s
Agenda to work with the conference.
They aimed to substitute the proposed
“Minority Women’s Plank”, which was
included in the documentation for the
conference. When other minority women
wanted to be included in the agenda,
negotiations to rename the group led to
the creation of the term “women of color”,
encompassing all minority women.
Although it seems to have a biological
connotations, the term “women of color”
is a unifying term that also addresses
the political and social issues.
Racialicious, a blog about the intersection
of race and culture, explains the
history of the phrase “women of color,”
and later “people of color.” She explains
that, while “colored people” was
a phrase used to delegitimate black- and
brown-skinned people, “people of color”
was coined by activists hoping to bring
all non-white people together into a coalition
against racism.
Here is her excerpt:
“Y’all know where the term “women
of color” came from? Who can say that?
See, we’re bad at transmitting history.
In 1977, a group of Black women from
Washington, DC, went to the National Women’s Conference,
that former President Jimmy Carter gave $5million to have
as part of the World Decade for Women. There was a conference
Loretta J. Ross
in Houston, TX. This group of Black women carried into
that conference something called “The Black Women’s Agenda”
because the organizers of the conference—Bella Abzug,
Ellie Smeal, and what have you—had put together a threepage
“Minority Women’s Plank” in a 200-page document that
these Black women thought was somewhat inadequate. (Giggles
in background) So they actually formed a group called
Black Women’s Agenda to come sic to Houston with a Black
women’s plan of action that they wanted the delegates to vote
to substitute for the “Minority Women’s Plank that was in
the proposed plan of action. Well, a funny thing happened in
Houston: when they took the Black Women’s Agenda to Houston,
then all the rest of the “minority” women of color wanted
to be included in the “Black Women’s Agenda.” Okay? Well,
the Black women agreed…but you could no longer call it the
“Black Women’s Agenda.” And it was in those negotiations in
Houston that the term “women of color” was created. Okay?
And they didn’t see it as a biological designation—you’re
born Asian, you’re born Black, you’re born African Ameri-
to work in collaboration with other oppressed women of color
who have been “minoritized.” Now, what’s happened in
the 30 years since then is that people see it as biology
now. (Murmurs of understanding, agreement)
You know? Like, “Okay…” And people
as a woman of color: “I am Black, “I am
why are you reducing a political designation
to a biological destiny? (Murmurs of
agreement) That’s what white supremacy
wants you to do. And I think it’s a setback
when we disintegrate as people of color
around primitive ethnic claiming. Yes,
we are Asian American, Native American,
whatever, but the point is, when
you choose to work with other people who
are minoritized by oppression, you’ve
lifted yourself out of that basic identity
into another political being and another
political space. And, unfortunately, so
many times, people of color hear the term
“people of color” from other white people
that PoCs} think white people created
it instead of understanding that we selfnamed
ourselves. This is term that has a
lot of power for us. But we’ve done a poorass
job of communicating that history so
that people understand that power.”
About Loretta J. Ross
Loretta Ross is the Founder and Executive
Director of the National Center
for Human Rights Education, the USA
Partner of the Peoples’ Decade of Human Rights Education.
Prior to founding the Center in 1996, Ms. Ross was the national
Program Research Director from 1991-1995 for the
Atlanta-based Center for Democratic Renewal (formerly the
National Anti-Klan Network). CDR is a national, non-profit
clearinghouse for information on hate groups and bigoted
violence including the Ku Klux Klan and the neo-Nazi movement.
20 • FEB/MAR 2019 813.682.9364 FLORIDA WOMEN MAGAZINE