#pejoratives

[blackswallowtailbutterfly]

Please dont use the word freak,its an ableist slur

No, I’m not playing this game. A slur is used primarily to target a group of people, to the point that when the word is used there is little to no confusion about who exactly is being referred to. Like the N word, like the B word. And it is used to harm that group, to remind them of their place, and is often the last thing members of that group hear before or during violent attacks (as in actual violence, meaning a beating or a rape or a murder).

So which group does “freak” refer to in modern usage? How frequently does it refer to this group? How many people know it refers to this group? Please tell me.

I have been told that “stupid” is an ableist slur, that “idiot” is an ableist slur, that “dumb”, “lame”, “moron”, “imbecile”, and “ignoramus” are ableist slurs. Who the hell associates “dumb” with mute people? Who is referring to actual lameness as a condition when calling something “lame”? Now, sure, we can talk about how the words for certain conditions and aberrations become pejoratives, and how that results from an ableist society. But I do not take the word “sinister” as being a slur against me for being left-handed. Nor does any other left-handed person I know, including those old enough to have been beaten for it in school. And while “hysterical” is still sometimes used in the sexist way it was originally intended, I know of no women offended by “hysterical laughter”.

I understand the wish to use kinder language, to not accidentally hurt someone by reminding them of their place in society and that is why I don’t write out certain words unless they affect me directly. But it goes too far. Freak is not a slur. I’m sorry. And I will continue to call pedophiles and other harmful fetishists by that word.

[i-kn0w-my-valu3]

“’Dude, you’re a fag’:adolescent masculinity and the fag discourse” from Men’s lives”-Pascoe

At the beginning of the article it states it seems that the word fag is used to control adolescents, the way it’s doing this is through the extreme fear of homophobia. And it seems that adolescents are more prone to it,

“They argue that homophobic teasing often characterizes masculinity in adolescence and early adulthood, and that anti-gay slurs tend to primarily be directed at other gay boys.”

However the reason as to why the word fag is to control young males, it’s a way of keeping an eye on each other so that not one of them steps out the hegemonic masculinity standards. This is a way of mental manipulation and they do it to each other. Specifically young males doing it on each other and from the article it seems as if race is also a huge factor it seems like if the child was African- American then certain behaviors they do may put them at the risk or getting this label. However, when it come to a White child it the complete opposite, it seems that they are prone to it.

“‘Fag’ is not necessarily a static identity attached to a particular (homosexual) boy. Fag talk and fag imitations serve as a discourse with which boys discipline themselves and each other through joking relationships. Any boy can temporarily become a fag in a given social space or interaction. This does not mean that those boys who identify as or are perceived to be homosexual are not subject to intense harassment. But becoming a fag has as much to do with failing at the masculine tasks of competence, heterosexual prowess and strength or in any way revealing weakness or femininity, as it does with a sexual identity. This fluidity of the fag identity is what makes the specter of the fag such a powerful disciplinary mechanism. It is fluid enough that boys police most of their behaviors out of fear of having the fag identity permanently adhere and definitive enough so that boys recognize a fag behavior and strive to avoid it.”

Pascoe speaks about Queer Theory, saying that sex and the sexual preferences/ identities of a person isn't just looked as an area of sexual practice but as a element of you social life.

“In this sense queer theory calls for sexuality to be looked at not only as a discrete arena of sexual practices and identities, but also as a constitutive element of social life.”

This reference the fact the word fag is used to control adolescent males, you are basically questioning their masculinity and not making any reference to their actual sexual preference at all. Pascoe says that this isn’t homophobic but gendered homophobic because when you call a girl a fag or a lesbian it ok, there isn't any problem in fact it is considered to be cool. But if a guy is called a fag it automatically taken completely serious. Many of the teens interviewed claim that the lowest thing a girl can be called is a slut.

[bigtimebellydance]

What's Wrong With Using The Word "Gypsy?" - Bellydance U

As a baby belly dancer, I came across the word “Gypsy” all the time. It’s often used to mean free-spirited, bohemian, or untethered. Don’t want to research and adhere to a specific ethnic style of dance or costuming? You can put together whatever you like and call it “Gypsy,” right? Many of us have adopted the …

“Many of us have adopted the word from time to time, meaning no harm. To Americans especially, Gypsies can seem like fantasy characters from a children’s storybook. Their culture — and their suffering — are not visible to us. But Romani people (as most of them prefer to be called) are very real. They are nearly invisible in the U.S. because they hide their heritage in order to avoid persecution, but they are here.“

I just saw a t-shirt on Facebook w/the G-word on it, and in looking to find an old favorite site of mine that discussed why that word is not okay, I stumbled upon this one.  As it also deals directly w/bellydance (in addition to why this word is seen as a pejorative by many inside and outside the dance world), it seemed like an extra perfect link to share here.  I know I’ve posted about this issue before, but as it’s still being used (and in fact by some people I know- which drives me INSANE), it’s clearly still a relevant issue. So.. here ya go!  And I hpoe it not only teaches, but enlightens, and helps correct some of the behaviors and language soooo many of us have grown accustomed to- without realising that we’re hurting real, live, actual people. ♥♥ 

♥

[imperialtrellis]

Historical curiosity

When people were unpopularly campaigning for like, slavery abolition and for purples to be ‘officially’ equal and all that, did people call them slavefuckers and purplefuckers, or is that one special to red rights?

[brokentoy13]

+ "Ugly American" is a stereotype depicting American citizens as exhibiting loud, arrogant, self-absorbed, demeaning, thoughtless, ignorant, and ethnocentric behavior mainly abroad, but also at home.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Although the term is usually associated with or applied to travelers and tourists, it also applies to U.S. corporate businesses in the international arena.[7][8][9][10][11][12]

The Collins English Dictionary defines an Ugly American as "a stereotypical representation of an American tourist as a brash and insensitive philistine."[13] The Merriam-Webster dictionary’s definition is: "an American in a foreign country whose behavior is offensive to the people of that country."[14]

(more)

[athoughtfullyautomaticcollection]

PEJORATIVE!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve started running out of expressive expressions that let people really know how I feel about the turkey turds in Washington. Mere obscenities just don’t cut it anymore. Just as I was bout to despair, my son introduced me to the Rude Compounds on Reddit. Someone cross-referenced the use of compound pejoratives on the site. Damn. The choices are huge. No blogger…

PEJORATIVE!

[happi-speech]

Never letting anyone lie to my face and say this word is "gender neutral" or isnt a slur lmao

[forgottenbones]

What is butt rock? Here’s everything you need to know about the ironic music genre

Introducing butt rock, an ironic music genre considered to be the butt of all rock jokes. Find out more about what the term means!