Comments on: Language Matters

By: HoiPolloi

HoiPolloi — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:17:09 +0000

“I’d like to find a better term to substitute, however. Anyone have any suggestions?”

Yeah, I do. Pull out your thesaurus and look up the word, ‘bad’.

By: HoiPolloi

HoiPolloi — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:15:24 +0000

I’ve always had major qualms with people using the words, ‘retarded’, ‘gay’, or ‘paranoid’ in the improper and offensive context. I’ve never hindered from telling the perpetrators just how I feel about it. But this new rape-synonym-for-bad phenomenon is the straw that broke the camels back. Have people no decency?

Everybody’s trying to push the boundaries and the sensible people who don’t are labeled as ‘prudes’.

By: HanaMaru

HanaMaru — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:49:30 +0000

And I also get frustrated being the bonerkiller. I don’t let anyone call an undershirt a “wifebeater”

By: HanaMaru

HanaMaru — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:52:08 +0000

Sarah, I agree that someone someone doesn’t have to be offended for a statement to reinforce rape culture. I think it’s worse when it’s a group of guys and noone says anything, though lots of women also blame and disbelieve rape victims.

By: yvanehtnioj

yvanehtnioj — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:03:11 +0000

vegkitty: I find that a simple “My soul hurts” is often quite effective after a test.

By: vegkitty

vegkitty — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:32:41 +0000

I’m torn on the matter, too. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been known to say, “That test raped me” on a fairly regular basis. It wasn’t until my friend sat me down and explained that she was a camp counselor for girls who were victims of sexual abuse that I began to realize that it was an issue.

I’d like to find a better term to substitute, however. Anyone have any suggestions?

By: mkp-hearts-nyc

mkp-hearts-nyc — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:10:26 +0000

@PhDork – the worse part is that the head boss and 6/8 department heads are all WOMEN, but the middle level of management has more men than women, and the underlings are almost all women too. *sigh*

By: PhDork

PhDork — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:58:15 +0000

mkp: It is harder with people who are older, or who have rank on you. It’s easy for me to call out garbage with my peers, or my students, but if I heard a department chair, or a dean? Eeep. (Thankfully, I haven’t, personally, but I’ve heard stories from others…) Further proof–as if we needed it–that sexism is about who has the power to do what to whom.

By: mkp-hearts-nyc

mkp-hearts-nyc — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:08:09 +0000

@Khrushchev – I’ve even had to have the “sensitivity training” talks with my teenager brother about “bitch” and “hag”. With him it helps to point out that he can be annoyed and express his frustration with people without using double-standard/gender-specific insults.

@SarahMC – thanks so much for this post. I work with some “good ol’ boy” types who have apparently never liked, respected, or even met a woman in their lives, if I were to judge from the tone of their humor.

With people my age, I always either say something or let the conversation fall into a dead spot until the subject gets changed. But it’s hard with people older and more senior, who I only see in group meeting settings.

By: Khrushchev

Khrushchev — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:51:23 +0000

@Becky–I’ve had an identical conversation with my teenage brother about the word “whore.” 16-year-olds love that sort of thing.