This is why Priyanka Chopra doesn’t want to be called a woman of color
From being Miss World to being a star in the hit ABC series, Quantico, Priyanka Chopra doesn’t eff around when it comes to seeking success and reaching her goals. Like, hell yes, lady. In an interview with Refinery29, Chopra opened up about what it’s like to be a woman of color in today’s day and age, and why she personally struggles to see herself within the term.
In general, Priyanka Chopra believes it would be more feminist to not recognize race as an identifier.
“I know everything is about diversity right now. But I think it should be about humanity. It’s 2016. It’s so easy to separate ourselves and become smaller and smaller pieces of humanity,” she says. “I don’t like the phrase ‘woman of color.’ I feel like that puts women in a box. I’m a woman, whether I’m white, Black, brown, green, blue, or pink — whatever. I think we need to start looking beyond that. It would be a big win for women, period.”
Her thoughts are totally, totally valid. Some women would argue, though, that recognizing race is just as important as recognizing gender. As Priyanka Chopra finds power in her gender, some women of color find power within the label of WOC.
Priyanka Chopra just wants to be Priyanka Chopra.
“I want to be able to conform, to evolve, and be whoever and go wherever. Just like everyone else.”
While it’s totally chill that Priyanka Chopra doesn’t identify as a woman of color, or enjoy labels (neither does our girl Demi Lovato), it’s important to recognize that *both* sides of this coin are valid. While some find comfort beyond labels, others find themselves within labels. For some people, labels provide the validity and representation they’ve been waiting for, sometimes their entire lives. And that’s pretty cool, too.
