Not all numerical minorities classify as ‘minorities’ in any political or legal sense, even when they possess easily definable biological or social characteristics. Twins are an example of such a group. The article discusses minorities as the result of minority building, i.e., a process through which some specific human characteristic becomes the basis of group identity, networking, mobilization, and claims on rights and recognition. It presents some of the existing discourse and research on twins as a biological and social category. Subsequent sections inspect twins’ potential claims and mobilization. Many of the claims refer to our culture’s treatment of twins as one social unit, and to the assumption of a ‘special bond’ between them. Although probably not a biological reality, it is a strong social reality with effect on twins’ lives. The idea of the ‘special bond’ conflicts with the prevailing Western discourse on individual personhood and agency. Not unlike other such efforts, a possible twins’ activism would need to find a balance between essentialist and constructionist definitions of the group. The essentialist discourse is part of the claimed problem, but at the same time, it may be necessary in order to legitimate the minority’s claim for recognition. Twins are hardly a repressed minority, but there are specific situations in which they could claim for recognition and more sensitivity.

并非所有少数群体在任何政治或法律意义上都被归类为“少数群体”，即使他们具有易于定义的生物学或社会特征。双胞胎就是这样一个群体的例子。这篇文章将少数群体作为少数群体建设的结果进行了讨论，即一些特定的人类特征成为群体认同、网络、动员、权利主张和承认的基础的过程。它介绍了一些关于双胞胎作为生物学和社会范畴的现有论述和研究。随后的部分检查双胞胎的潜在主张和动员。许多说法都提到我们的文化将双胞胎视为一个社会单位，并假设他们之间存在“特殊联系”。虽然可能不是生物学现实，但它是影响双胞胎生活的强烈社会现实。“特殊纽带”的概念与西方流行的关于个人人格和能动性的论述相冲突。与其他此类努力一样，可能的双胞胎行动主义需要在群体的本质主义和建构主义定义之间找到平衡。本质主义话语是所主张问题的一部分，但与此同时，为了使少数人的承认主张合法化，它可能是必要的。双胞胎算不上是被压抑的少数，但在某些特定情况下，他们可以要求得到认可和更敏感。本质主义话语是所主张问题的一部分，但与此同时，为了使少数人的承认主张合法化，它可能是必要的。双胞胎算不上是被压抑的少数，但在某些特定情况下，他们可以要求得到认可和更敏感。本质主义话语是所主张问题的一部分，但与此同时，为了使少数人的承认主张合法化，它可能是必要的。双胞胎算不上是被压抑的少数，但在某些特定情况下，他们可以要求得到认可和更敏感。