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First of all, let me preface my comments by saying that I find the term itself utterly abhorrent, offensive and cringe worthy. It's so condescending, almost like, "I see you, you visible minority you, and I will acknowledge your visible minorityness and protect you from mean white people". As someone married to an Asian, I think the term is actually embarrassing, but that's not the point of my post. I'm actually curious as to what the physical boundaries are for one to be considered a "visible minority". In other words, is it the entire nation of Canada, province, city, etc? How does this work? My point is if a city is majority "visible minority" then would not white people become the "visible minority"? Honest answers only please. Thanks
Generally in a Canadian context it would be non-white. A visible minority would be someone who is different than the overall dominant culture. The "visible" differentiates it from a different minority such as LBGT or Jewish, which could "pass" in the overall culture. Dated terms, really.
Visible minority of person was approved as a departmental standard on June 15, 2009.
Definition
Visible minority refers to whether a person belongs to a visible minority group as defined by the Employment Equity Act and, if so, the visible minority group to which the person belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour". The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: Chinese, South Asian, Black, Arab, West Asian, Filipino, Southeast Asian, Latin American, Japanese and Korean.
Person refers to an individual and is the unit of analysis for most social statistics programmes.
Derivation
Visible minority is derived. It is derived from information on Population group and Aboriginal group. Respondents who report being Aboriginal are included in the category "Not a visible minority". All other respondents are classified according to their Population group.
This standard is compatible with the previous standard except that Arab and West Asian are now separate categories whereas previously they were combined.
Conformity to relevant internationally recognized standards
There are no comparable internationally recognized standards since this variable measures a concept that is defined in Canadian legislation, specifically, the Employment Equity Act.
This classification was approved as a departmental standard on June 15, 2009. Usage 1 Visible minority
This category includes persons who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour and who do not report being Aboriginal.
1.1 Chinese
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Chinese" only or "Chinese" and "White"; persons with such a mark-in or mark-ins who also gave a write-in response that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; and, persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as Chinese. Some examples of write-in responses classified as "Chinese" include Chinese and Taiwanese.
1.2 South Asian
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "South Asian" only or "South Asian" and "White"; persons with such a mark-in or mark-ins who also gave a write-in response that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; and, persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as South Asian. Some examples of write-in responses classified as "South Asian" include Bangladeshi, Punjabi, and Sri Lankan.
1.3 Black
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Black" only or "Black" and White"; persons with such a mark-in or mark-ins who also gave a write-in response that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; and, persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as Black. Some examples of write-in responses classified as "Black" include African, Nigerian, and Somali.
1.4 Filipino
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Filipino" only or "Filipino and "White"; persons with such a mark-in or mark-ins who also gave a write-in response that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; and, persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response of Filipino.
1.5 Latin American
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Latin American" only; persons who gave a mark-in response of "Latin American" only with a non-European write-in that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e. (e.g. Afghan, Cambodian, Nigerian); and persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as Latin American. Some examples of write-in responses classified as "Latin American" include Chilean, Costa Rican, and Mexican.
1.6 Southeast Asian
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Southeast Asian" only or "Southeast Asian" and "White"; persons with such a mark-in or mark-ins who also gave a write-in response that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; and, persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as Southeast Asian. Some examples of write-in responses classified as "Southeast Asian" include Vietnamese, Cambodian, Malaysian and Laotian.
1.7 Arab
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Arab" only; persons who gave a mark-in response of "Arab" only with a non-European write-in that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e. (e.g. Afghan, Cambodian, Nigerian); and persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as Arab. Some examples of write-in responses classified as "Arab" include Egyptian, Kuwaiti, and Libyan.
1.8 West Asian
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "West Asian" only; persons who gave a mark-in response of "West Asian" only with a non-European write-in that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e. (e.g. Cambodian, Chilean, Nigerian); and persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as West Asian. Some examples of write-in responses classified as "West Asian" include Afghan, Assyrian, and Iranian.
1.9 Korean
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Korean" only or "Korean" and "White"; persons with such a mark-in or mark-ins who also gave a write-in response that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; and persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response of "Korean".
1.10 Japanese
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "Japanese" only or "Japanese" and "White"; persons with such a mark-in or mark-ins who also gave a write-in response that is not classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; and persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response of "Japanese".
1.11 Visible minority, n.i.e.
This category includes persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is classified as visible minority, n.i.e., and persons with a "White" mark-in only who gave a write-in response that is classified as visible minority, n.i.e. Write-in responses classified as visible minority, n.i.e. are those which cannot be classified as belonging to a specific visible minority group - for example, responses of "Pacific Islander", "Polynesian", "Guyanese" and "West Indian".
1.12 Multiple visible minorities
This category includes persons who gave more than one visible minority mark-in response (e.g. mark-in responses of Black and South Asian), and persons who gave only one visible minority mark-in response, but who also gave a write-in response classified as visible minority, n.i.e.
2 Not a visible minority
This category includes: persons who gave a mark-in response of "White" only; persons who reported being Aboriginal; persons who gave mark-in responses of "White and Latin American", "White and Arab" or "White and West Asian" only with no write-in response classified as visible minority, n.i.e.; persons who gave a mark-in response of Latin American, Arab, or West Asian only, along with a European write-in response (e.g. French, German, Norwegian); and persons with no mark-in response who gave a write-in response that is not classified as a visible minority.
Usage
Where the full detailed classification cannot be used due to small numbers in particular categories, either the collapsed classification can be used or the detailed classification can be modified by collapsing those categories that are too small to report separately into the category "other visible minority". In the latter case, all remaining categories should be used in the manner in which they are listed in the detailed classification, with no other collapsing, in order for data to be comparable to other sources.
Note that "n.i.e." refers to "not included elsewhere" in the classification.
It does sound way worse. Borderline offensive. Comparable to "resident alien" in America.
America does have a different term that for their official policy purposes is considered the American equivalent of the Canadian term "visible minority", the official American term is "people of colour", not resident alien.
America does have a different term that for their official policy purposes is considered the American equivalent of the Canadian term "visible minority", the official American term is "people of colour", not resident alien.
A resident alien is a foreign national with legal US residency. They come in all colors.
"People of color" was a politically correct term that came into mainstream use during the 80's and 90's, then kind of faded away. Blacks preferred to be called people of color rather than negroes at that time and it was the civil rights advocates who pushed its use.
This is one of those terms that seem to have been invent d by the Canadian government and don't seem to translate well into normal usage. I do find it wired. The worst for thought is "racialized." It sounds as if something were done to someone to make them a different race! I'v rad I this forum that visible minority evovled because of Canada's obsession with language and the recognition of linguistic minorities, but I guess the point that other minorities may not be visible.
I don't know if the government thinks terms in common usage in North America are too American, or if they reject common terms like "racial minority" because they are fraught with their own inconsistencies (race being a social construct and some categories - like Latin American - not being racial). I wish they'd just go with racial minority or the PC people or colour.
This is one of those terms that seem to have been invent d by the Canadian government and don't seem to translate well into normal usage. I do find it wired. The worst for thought is "racialized." It sounds as if something were done to someone to make them a different race! I'v rad I this forum that visible minority evovled because of Canada's obsession with language and the recognition of linguistic minorities, but I guess the point that other minorities may not be visible.
I don't know if the government thinks terms in common usage in North America are too American, or if they reject common terms like "racial minority" because they are fraught with their own inconsistencies (race being a social construct and some categories - like Latin American - not being racial). I wish they'd just go with racial minority or the PC people or colour.
I don't understand.
Why exclude things like ethnicity, heritage, culture, place of origin? Why only go by race?
Race alone is meaningless, it doesn't define a person, it says nothing about a person.
When people are referred to as only a racial minority or only persons of colour that's the same thing as saying they are all mongrels. Nothing is known about them. Now that is insulting.
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