Title: BIPOC vs. POC: 9 FAQs About What It Means, Why It Matters, More
Headings: Yes, There’s a Difference Between ‘BIPOC’ and ‘POC’ — Here’s Why It Matters
Yes, There’s a Difference Between ‘BIPOC’ and ‘POC’ — Here’s Why It Matters
What’s the short answer?
What does the acronym ‘BIPOC’ stand for?
Black
Indigenous
People of Color
Where did the acronym ‘BIPOC’ originate?
Why is it needed?
When should you use it?
When shouldn’t you use it?
Can you still use the acronym ‘POC’?
Where can you learn more?
What’s the bottom line?

Content: BIPOC vs. POC: 9 FAQs About What It Means, Why It Matters, More
Yes, There’s a Difference Between ‘BIPOC’ and ‘POC’ — Here’s Why It Matters
Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph.D., CRNP — Written by Crystal Raypole on September 17, 2020
Short answer
‘BIPOC’ defined
Origin
Why it matters
When to use
When to avoid
Using ‘POC’
Learn more
Takeaway
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You’ve probably encountered the acronym “BIPOC” a time or two, particularly if you stay up to date on current events and regularly spend time on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. If you aren’t sure exactly what this term means — it doesn’t mean bisexual people of color, as many people might have assumed — or how to use it, keep reading for an in-depth explanation. What’s the short answer? “POC,” which stands for “people of color,” is a general umbrella term that collectively refers to all people of color — anyone who isn’t white. But because the term is so broad, it tends to lose some of its power, particularly when used to discuss the specific, separate struggles faced by people of color with different ethnic backgrounds. Similarly, “BIPOC,” which stands for “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color,” is person-first language. It enables a shift away from terms like “marginalized” and “minority.” These terms might remain factually correct, but they lack a sense of humanity, since there’s no clear indication they refer to people. As such, they’re generic, inadequate descriptors that also carry a suggestion of inferiority and of being “less than” the group that’s not in the minority.