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

[caseyj]

Hey there! Just wanted to stop by and say hi... and that I love the journal layout / colors.

Back to your topic though... I have always felt that people resort to using slurs, profanity, derogatory terms, when they don't have anything intelligent to say... they have nothing that they can actually fight with, and instead of actually getting a point across they try to bring you down and beaut you with their stupidity.

Racial slurs especially. It takes a special type of person to be able to deal with all the different types of people there are in the world. All I am going to do is to teach my child what I believe is right, in acceptance, and that no one is 'lower' or anything else like that.

The world is full of too much hate as it is.

[belenen]

well, part of what I am saying is that "stupidity" is not something to scorn people for, that it shouldn't be used to mean bad behavior. It's not a kind of intellect that uses cruelty, it's a kind of attitude. "Stupid" is a slur because people literally get abused for having an intellect that is considered inferior. Instead of saying that some people beat you with their "stupidity" you could say that they beat you with their cruelty and that would be true.

[meri_sielu]

I wholey agree on the use of slurs as being unacceptable, I have tried very, very hard to eliminate words such as 'gay', 'retarded' etc from my language because they were picked up just from the use of slang and subconsiciously I used to use them as a teenager and not really give much thought to how much hurt it could cause. Of course now I know and I wouldn't ever use those words either in public, out loud, in my private thoughts or in my journal. That's a given and anyone who does still use them, I personally think, is being willfully ignorant

[belenen]

I don't think it is wrong to berate yourself, but using the word "stupid" to do so is like using the word "retarded" to do so. People with cognitive disabilities are abused and treated as lesser, but they are not unfortunate for their disability.

I really don't think anyone still calls being who are less intellectual than others or have learning difficulties stupid anymore unless they are absolute assholes. In a way that word has shifted from that connotation if that makes sense?This makes sense logically but is quite untrue. I think that without the experiences of having cognitive disabilities, all we can do is listen to those who do have those. A lot of times people know that it isn't acceptable to be overtly cruel to oppressed people so they only do it when they are not likely to be seen by people who would judge them for it (as I imagine you would and I certainly would). The problem is that stupid is really closely associated with a group of oppressed people. Not only does it reinforce in the prejudiced people's minds that

[eristic_writer]

I am so glad to see you posting about this. I really, really struggle with not using these slurs, and there's truly no excuse for it.

Though I intellectually know all the reasons not to use them, it's become something of a reflex. And because, as someone with PTSD, I just happen not to be offended by mental health-related slurs, it's often difficult for me to remember that my experience is not the norm.

Thank you for the reminder, for your ongoing willingness to correct other people for their use of slurs, and for your very clear explanation of the issue. And if you see me using these slurs, or variants thereof, please call me out on it.

[belenen]

I feel you on the mental health ones. I always thought of sanity as a sort of sign of too much conformity, so "crazy" and "insane" were always compliments to me. But if they hurt others, then there is no good reason for me to use them, regardless of my personal connotation. (unless reclaiming them, but since my mental illness goes into remission sometimes, I don't feel like it's appropriate for me to self-identify that way).

I really appreciate you saying this! I will keep it in mind.

[zimtkeks]

I totally see your point and I'm trying to get better. Thank you for bringing these topics to my attention and posting reminders. I like to be precise with language, but there are some slurs that are so ingrained in our culture that I hadn't even realized what they were! Work in progress ...