11/14/2023 0 Comments Why are the majority of races have dark eyes and darker skin than white people![]() ![]() Similarly, the term ‘non-White’ was not well received by ethnic minorities during our research, as it defines ethnic minorities solely by reference to the White majority. That’s obviously my personal preference, but the fact that the acceptability of BAME and BME has been called into question by The BBC, The Times and The Guardian, suggests I am not alone. Like many ethnic minorities, I proudly refer to my specific ethnic identity – my background is Indian. Personally, I have never referred to my ethnicity using BAME or BME, and I don’t like it when they are used to describe me. To leave these communities out of the very language we use is to marginalise them even further. There is also a problem in that the terms ‘BAME’ and ‘BME’ aren’t always associated with White ethnic minorities such as Gypsy, Roma and Traveller of Irish Heritage groups, which we know are among some of our most marginalised and disadvantaged communities. Yet during research we carried out with nearly 300 people across the UK, we found that only a couple recognised the acronyms and only one knew vaguely what they actually stood for! The terms are widely used by government departments, public bodies, the media and others when referring to ethnic minority groups. ‘BAME’ stands for ‘Black, Asian and minority ethnic’ and ‘BME’ stands for Black and Minority Ethnic’. The acronym BAME and the initialism BME are, I feel, a good case in point. Where we find evidence that they are not widely understood, have negative connotations or are hurtful to people, it is right that we revisit them. It's true that, in government, we create new acronyms and initialisms on a regular basis, and rightly too – they can be very catchy and convenient! However, it is also true that acronyms and initialisms are not always well thought through. One thing I’ve noticed working in the Cabinet Office’s Race Disparity Unit is how many different ways there are to refer to people from ethnic minorities. ![]() To read more about what the Civil Service is doing to drive ethnic diversity, please see the series of blogs from Race Champion Richard Heaton. This blog post reflects user testing by the Race Disparity Audit on the use of terminology regarding ethnicity and does not reflect a specific Civil Service position. Zamila Bunglawala, Deputy Head of Unit & Deputy Director Policy and Strategy, Race Disparity Unit, Cabinet Office ![]()
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