Following Inc Arts UK statement on the use of the term BAME, Touchstone has surveyed all our staff on the terminology Touchstone should be using to describe people who are not “White British”. Please see below the outcome of that consultation and our statement on the terminology Touchstone will use from now on.
Black Minority Ethnic (BME)
In Touchstone we use the term ‘Black Minority Ethnic’ to inclusively describe people and communities who are not ‘White British’ and have a shared history of racism and discrimination. The term ‘Black’ is used in its broad political and inclusive sense to describe people and communities in Britain that have suffered colonialism and enslavement in the past and continue to experience racism, discrimination and diminished opportunities in today’s society.
Historically in the UK the term ‘Black’ has been used routinely in anti- racist campaigns and by community activists highlighting the importance of unity amongst communities in their common struggles against racism and under- representation. Using the term ‘Black’ is about creating unity against deep-rooted racism that sees ‘Black’ people regardless of ethnicity being disadvantaged in housing, education, employment and the criminal justice and health systems.
By including ‘Minority Ethnic’ we also give the opportunity for people to identify themselves in ethnicity terms whilst also providing the scope to be also identified in socio/political terms as ‘Black’.
