More examples of why we need to drop the “i-word”
Today I was surprised to see people across the Twitterverse talking about undocumented immigrants and not using the dreaded i-word for a change.
In his touchingly honest article My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas shares his personal story of growing up in the United States as an undocumented immigrant. He outlines the many difficulties he faced trying to remain in and contribute to his home country: the United States.
“Yet even though I think of myself as an American and consider America my country, my country doesn’t think of me as one of its own.”
The story has erupted in social media, causing the phrase “undocumented immigrant” to become a Twitter trending topic, even above Beyonce. This is good news, since we’re so used to being bombarded by the i-word (“illegals”) in social media. Perhaps this is a turning point. Perhaps “undocumented” will begin to replace the inaccurate, racially-charged and “illegal.”
Or maybe not. Even when thousands of people and responsible media outlets are using respectful language to describe Jose’s story, mainstream media continues to use the i-word exploitatively to boost ratings and click throughs.
I wish I could say that I'm surprised, but unfortunately this is just another example of the media’s persistent dehumanization of undocumented immigrants. Linking immigrants to language like "illegals" is dehumanizing, racist, confuses the immigration debate and it's just not legally accurate.
I implore all journalists, media outlets and social justice-minded individuals to take the pledge to Drop the I-Word today. And click here to learn more of what you can do to help.
Please click here to read Drop the I-Word’s “I Am” series for more stories from undocumented immigrants and others who are pledging to Drop the I-Word.