slurs are still very harmful when they are aimed at a situation/action/thing instead of a person

[belenen]

icon: "passionate (a red stylized gas mask: the Benjamin Gate symbol)"
What does it mean to use a slur?

a slur is a word with derogatory meaning which gets its negative connotation from the 'undesirability' of a group of people. It's a word used to mean 'bad' because it refers to a group of people who are labeled 'bad' by society. It doesn't

Comments

[slinkslowdown]

I don't mind if you give me [public or private] nudges if I use a slur. I've taken most out of my vocabulary, but some are harder to break because it's only recently I've learned there's issues with the words.

What do you think of reclaiming slurs? Have you reclaimed any for yourself?

Off the top of my head, though I'm sure I'll leave some out because I'm tired... I've reclaimed fat, crazy, queer, and tranny [and other versions of said words] for myself.

[belenen]

I appreciate that -- it is incredibly difficult for me to say something directly without invitation ahead of time. *heart*

fat and queer I have reclaimed for myself. I need to edit this to mention that self-labeling in a reclaiming way is fine by me.

[delicatexflower]

yessssss. i felt this way about the word "retarded" to describe something stupid.. i don't even like that word to describe the condition itself. my old self used to call myself stu*id or cr*zy but it was because i was called that by my mom, so of course i believed it. i'm learning new vocabulary everything so thanks for reminding us how words have feelings and weight to them. <3

[belenen]

*offers all the hugs!*

[merzb]

I agree that people can be more precise about their language when wanting to express certain feelings but that goes beyond slurs. (just look at how people use "ironic" these days...)

But I don't get the unnecessary censorship for certain words. Let me elaborate: I do not clearly see the correlation between censoring some words and solving a perception problem.

Hmm, I use stupid or retarded to describe some things which lack intellectual properties - like, my thesis ;) - and I think I am in the right to do so - but I am open for discussion about that. It doesn't mean I think stupid people are bad. I would agree if someone called me out for saying, for instance, "Ted Bunty was such a retard" because that's not actually correct.

What do you think of the word bitchin in the context: "The party was bitchin!" ?

[belenen]

Censorship is when someone with the power to stop people from saying things stops them from actually saying them by threat or coercion, not when someone says they don't like/approve of people saying those things

[belenen]

I'm really glad this made sense! I realized that the way I was talking about it before was unclear on this aspect so I wanted to be more specific. I really appreciate you taking this seriously and working on it, it means a lot.

[raidingparty]

Will have to think hard about specific uses and repurposing for "crazy" and "stupid".

Definitely want to reclaim "queer", although difficult when talking with 40-somethings who had horrifying experiences with people using it.

Also had a hard time explaining to someone else that "athletic" or "fit" don't work to describe a person's physical appearance since one of our mutual friends weighs more than I but also bikes, rows, runs, and has a second-degree blackbelt.

[belenen]

repurposing? *confused* can you explain?

I feel ya on queer, I actually never heard it used in a derogatory context so I forget that it can be a slur.

YESSSS. Glad you get that about 'fit' as a synonym for 'thin.'

[raidingparty]

I'm totally on board with acknowledging the ways in which mental-ability-slurs are harmful