Slurs and Hipocrisy

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[–]BiHorror 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Ok... I guess I have trouble seeing these as slurs. I know "idiot" for example does have discriminatory roots, and I think name-calling in general is reductive, trivializes the problem and is not a good way to further discussion. But what do you propose? That people stop using all these words?

I wouldn't say stop using them, that's impossible since it's so normalized and people don't know the history of it, but I just want the hipocrisy of being okay with some slurs but not others to stop. For example, I'm Afro, I've been called the hard r for all that I've been living... I don't have an issue with people (especially white) using the n word, especially when it's not out of malicious intent. Becuase as I said, slur or not, people have the right to say anything they want. I do have an issue with those who want to censor the use of n-word from non-blacks but are completely okay and go as far to justify using mental illness as an insult or other types of slurs.

However, I kind of get when people bash actions or ideas, e.g. "That claim is so STUPID!" Does this type of comment bother you as well?

No, as long as people don't try to censor others from using other types of slurs or things as negatively connotations. It's just that I dislike the hipocrisy of being okay with usage of some slurs and not others as I stated before. You want to use x slurs? Fine, but don't call out others who use yz slurs. Either all slurs shouldn't be used or all can. It shouldn't be selective. That's also language policing and hypocritical.

If you're having trouble with some of the words, I can explain. Nuts was used to describe those with mental disabilities, stupid was used to refer to those in a stupor, and hysteria (not only ableist but misogynistic) was used against women.

Edit: words

[–]reluctant_commenter 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I wouldn't say stop using them, that's impossible since it's so normalized and people don't know the history of it, but I just want the hipocrisy of being okay with some slurs but not others to stop.

I understand why you hold this view, however I think it is unlikely you will be able to get people to agree or to consistently act this way because your view of what is morally wrong seems different than others' (in this comment thread, at least).

Your view:

  • People should be able to say any slur, and stop getting angry or protesting against when other people call them slurs.

Some other people's view:

  • Some slurs are worse than others, and of course the worst ones should not be said; a word like "idiot" whose meaning has fundamentally changed from its usage several centuries ago is not equally harmful as is a word like "cunt" or the f-slur or n-word.

These people are being hypocritical by your standards, but not by their standards, is I guess what I'm trying to say here. If you want to change minds you'd have to get to the root of disagreement and suggest to people that they ought to change their standards to match yours.

If you think of it as variables-- you are treating slurs in a binary way, i.e. slurs/not slur, and all slurs are equally bad. But many people simply don't subscribe to this belief, and that is why many people on this thread don't agree.

I might remove this later but I'll add... I have ADHD. Sometimes words can be worse than slurs, and vice versa. I would be bothered if someone called me the r-slur but not "idiot" because "idiot" is not really about my diagnosis, it is a casually applied insult. However, if someone called me "lazy" I would find that VERY hurtful and it would be harmful because being "lazy" is a major stereotype of people with ADHD. Even though it is not a slur, I would argue that it is far worse than the word "idiot" in that context. Whereas-- unless I am much mistaken-- "idiot" isn't used to stigmatize a group specifically these days, even though it could be used in a targeted way towards someone with a disability just like "clueless" or "confused" or any other put-down. Just my thoughts.