Words DO Matter
In honor of “Spread the Word to End the Word” awareness day I decided to write this.
Why co-opting words like retarded, gay, and autistic to mean something negative is offensive and discriminatory.
To start, all three words represent a minority groups that have and are continuing to fight for equal rights and equal societal treatment. Each has their own history of discrimination that was once (or in some cases is still) considered justified. Please remember these are groups of people; they might be a little different but they are still human beings. When you use one of these words to mean something negative, like a substitute for stupid, you are directly associating that group of people with the negative word.
Now plenty of people will say, “I’m not actually talking about that type of person,” “It’s not offensive, because that’s not what I meant by it,” or my personal favorite “Whatever, you know what I mean.”
The problem with all of those reasons is that the English language is full and even ripe with synonyms for the word stupid or any other negative word you might want to use. Instead of using any of the many words in the language that would mean exactly what they intended to say they choose to use a word that describes a minority group. There are other words not associated with people that accurately represent exactly what they intend to mean, but they choose to use a word that represents a small group of people.
Some might argue that as a society these words have become known for having a meaning other than the group they describe, so it’s okay. This is erroneous logic; the reason someone started using the word that way was because they looked down on that group of people as being lesser. The initial usage was meant to be a put down on that group. Continuing to use a word that way because it is now a “societal norm” doesn’t justify the fact that it is discriminatory any more than arguing that segregation was okay because it too was once “socially acceptable.”
People of these groups are offended when you use these words to mean something negative. They do understand that you are subtly and not so subtly showing that you don’t acknowledge them as equal and that you are choosing a word that describes them as lesser. Languages are full of words that can help you express your feelings and thoughts. Open yourself up to the full potential of language, and while you’re at it open yourself up to the wonderful potential of diversity. Our world and its many people are beautiful and fascinating, don’t limit yourself to only a narrow view of them.
