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Jimmy Kimmel Sparks Unexpected Debate Over Use of the Word ‘Minority’

Posted byBy Tanasia Kenney | Published on: CommentsComments (1)

A new Twitter debate is underway, this time overuse of the term “minorities,” versus “POC,” or people of color.

The discussion seemingly stemmed from host Jimmy Kimmel’s use of the word at Sunday night’s Academy Awards in Hollywood, Calif., which some viewers found to be problematic.

“‘Black Panther’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ were massive hits, which is almost miraculous because I remember a time when the major studios didn’t believe a woman or a minority could open a superhero movie,” Kimmel joked. “And the reason I remember that time is because it was March of last year.”

Twitter user N’Jadaka argued against the blanket term, however, noting that persons of color aren’t an outnumbered group.

https://twitter.com/TheNewThinkerr/status/970466608153022465


The comments drew swift reaction from fellow users, some of whom balked at any form of the term “colored/color” to describe people of African descent.

https://twitter.com/RASmiFraz/status/970502036209909761

Other users sided with N’Jadaka, sharing stats proving that people of the Black or African Diaspora account for 20 percent of the world’s population. This number doesn’t include bi-racial persons, however, meaning the percentage is likely higher. Meanwhile, it’s estimated that whites comprise just 16 percent of the global population, according to a 2010 thread on Science Chat Forum.

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