Uh oh! Good Morning America’s Amy Robach did not say the words she should have said Monday morning on television. During a live segment about diversity in Hollywood, Robach dropped the old “colored people” label and people noticed.
You see, folks, this is what happens when you don’t have a woke bae or a woke friend in your life to explain that “people of color” is not exactly the same thing as “colored people.”
It also happens when you work in live television because you will almost certainly say something stupid at some point. And when you probably don’t spend a great deal of time discussing diversity in the first place and therefore are not equipped with the proper language to discuss the issues. Oops!
Recognizing her oops, Robach issued an apology immediately following the show. AP reports:
After the broadcast, Robach released a statement explaining she had meant to say “people of color.”
She called the incident “a mistake” and “not at all a reflection of how I feel or speak in my everyday life.”
While we’re being honest, I’ll admit that I frequently employ the term “colored people.” I do it in part because I studied abroad in Cape Town where Cape Coloureds is a thing that’s not offensive. Additionally, I sometimes find it humorous to say “colored people” and that’s just a perk I get after the centuries of subjugation of my people.
But don’t worry, Amy. I believe you girl!
I don’t think Amy Robach is a racist who runs around calling non-white people “coloreds.” I do, however, think it would be helpful and good for people to be more conscious of the words they use especially on national television shows. As it turns out, the courtesy and awareness to use respectful, accurate language goes a pretty long way in showing respect for the people you’re speaking about. Good talk.