ethnically challenged

English

Etymology

An ironic imitation of the perceived oversensitivity of language like mentally challenged.

Adjective

ethnically challenged (comparative more ethnically challenged, superlative most ethnically challenged)

1. (humorous, euphemistic, of a person) Belonging to a marginalized ethnicity.
   • 2000, Fred Reed, The Great Possum-Squashing and Beer Storm of 1962:

     […] everybody knew, and agreed, that you didn't cut in line or urinate on sidewalks in public (a new cultural practice among the ethnically challenged) or just plain be rude and disagreeable.

   • 2009, William Delaney, You Break It, You Die, page 32:

     “And I want to thank you for pointing that out at long last instead of referring to me as a little ethnically challenged boy in drag.”

   • 2015, Graham Bright, Youth Work: Histories, Policy and Contexts, page 176:

     Young Muslims are essentially seen as 'ethnically challenged' and this is put at the core of their experience of disadvantaged positions. Prejudice and discrimination present authentically serious difficulties […]