The term historically excluded group or HEGÂ refers to any group of people that has been historically excluded from full rights, privileges and opportunities in a society or organization. There is a debate about the use of the term minority. Some scholars and diversity professionals argue that demographic changes raise questions about whether white Americans should still be considered the majority. Other scholars argue that the label continues to be useful because the power differential between white Americans and people of color remains.
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The term HEG is an alternative label. The label is used in an effort to get around the controversy concerning the use of minority to the extent possible and because it is inclusive of other underrepresented groups. Any group that has been historically disenfranchised is deserving of the HEG label. In this way, the term includes the range of diversity groups that meet the criteria, such as race, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation, ability differences, class, etc.
The term HEG also offers language that helps organization leaders in categorizing groups based on the extent that members have been excluded in the past measuring that against the present state of affairs, as well as discussions about what constitutes inclusion.
From Diversitypedia – www.dtui.com/wecandothis
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