Tokenism facts for kids

An example of tokenism. Notice how there is only one person with dark skin in this photo.

Tokenism is when someone includes a person from a minority group in a group or project, but only to make it look like they are being fair and welcoming to everyone. This person is often called a "token character." The main reason for doing this is usually to avoid people complaining or causing a fuss.

Often, not much effort is made to give this "token character" a real role beyond just being there to represent their group. A "token character" is usually a woman or a person of color. Other common examples include people with disabilities, different religions, different body types, or different political views. Sometimes, stereotypes are used to show these token characters, which can be unfair.

What is Tokenism?

Tokenism happens when someone adds a person from a minority group to a team, show, or advertisement. They do this mainly to appear inclusive (meaning they include everyone). It's not always about truly valuing that person's skills or ideas. Instead, it's often about making the group look diverse without actually being diverse.

Why Does Tokenism Happen?

People or groups might use tokenism for a few reasons:

• To avoid criticism: They want to stop people from saying they are not including enough different types of people.
• To look good: They want to seem modern, fair, or welcoming to everyone.
• To meet quotas: Sometimes, there are rules or goals to include a certain number of people from different backgrounds. Tokenism might be a quick way to meet these numbers without deep thought.

Who Are Token Characters?

A "token character" is someone chosen to represent a minority group. This group is usually smaller or has less power in society. Common examples of token characters include:

• Women: In fields or groups mostly made up of men.
• People of color: In places where most people are white.
• People with disabilities: To show they are including people with different abilities.
• People of different religions: To represent various faiths.
• People with different body types: To show a range of body shapes.
• People with different political views: To appear open to all opinions.

How Are Token Characters Often Shown?

Token characters are sometimes shown using stereotypes. A stereotype is a very simple and often unfair idea about a whole group of people. For example, if a show includes a single character from a certain background, and that character only acts in ways that fit a common stereotype, that could be tokenism. This can make the character seem less real and can be hurtful.

The Impact of Tokenism

While tokenism might seem like a small thing, it can have real effects.

• It can be unfair: The "token character" might feel like they are only there for show, not because their skills are truly valued.
• It doesn't help real diversity: It gives the appearance of diversity without actually making things more equal or inclusive.
• It can reinforce stereotypes: If token characters are always shown in a certain way, it can make people believe those stereotypes are true.

True inclusion means genuinely valuing and including people from all backgrounds, not just adding them to tick a box.

See also

In Spanish: Tokenismo para niños