Ethnic? CALD? POC?

In the expression of culture, language is a fundamental aspect. It is the tool that conveys traditions and values related to group identity. At the intersection of cultural and sexual identity, language becomes even more important. How we express and define ourselves shapes the way others engage with us and how we understand ourself. How then do diverse communities want to be identified?

I have chosen ethnic for this online community as to me it encompasses people of all skin colour, languages and cultures by being defined and understood as population sub-group with a common culture or nationality within the larger national and cultural identity of Australian.

However the more common terminology used in policy and literature is CALD – Culturally And Linguistically Diverse people. Others prefer to identify as People of Colour (POC). Each term, no matter their original intention, have their own set of global, geographical, generational and political connotations to each individual.

The best way forward is for people to self-identify with terminology they are comfortable with. When dealing with generality, however, CALD remains the term of choice in Australia. These definitional and terminological complexities are real and it is important for an individual to identify with definitions and terms they are comfortable with and for us, as a whole community, to acknowledge and understand these complexities members of our community face.

More information and ideas on this point can be accessed here – http://www.glhv.org.au/sites/www.glhv.org.au/files/TeachingDiversities.pdf