Origins of the Term 'WASPs'
WASP is an acronym that American sociologists coined. It stands for "white Anglo-Saxon Protestant." WASP originally referred to the religious and cultural background of what was supposedly a privileged, white governing class of the United States.
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Origin
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In the late 1950s, sociologists began to use the acronym among themselves. The first printed reference appeared in a 1957 article by Andrew Hacker, published in "American Political Science Review."
Scholarly Use
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E.B. Palmore used the term in 1962 in an academic article that appeared in "The American Journal of Sociology."
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Popularization
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WASP became a household word in 1964 with the publication of E. Digby Baltzell's book "The Protestant Establishment: Aristocracy and Caste in America."
Profile
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Key features of the stereotypical WASP profile included old money, a New England family home, membership in exclusive clubs, education at an elite prep school and a degree from an Ivy League university.
Current Use
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The use of WASP has broadened to include white Americans of any European descent who are perceived to be a part of the ruling establishment.
Fun Facts
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In the 1980s, playwright A.R. Gurney wrote a series of plays about the demise of the WASP's power in America. During World War II, WASP was the acronym for the Women's Airforce Service Pilots.
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