Words That Make Us Ugly
Posted: 03/08/2013 12:56 pm
Renato Barucco
(Transgender Family Program Manager at Community Healthcare Network)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renato-barucco/words-that-make-us-ugly_b_2831907.html

It is hard to separate words from a terrible past.

This is a challenge.

Not a lecture, a debate, or a dissertation.

It's a pledge. The pledge of refusing these words.

Not solely to be good people, or to be culturally competent, or out of fear.

But because these words are ugly and chances are that -- in a Dostoyevskian act of faith -- beauty will save the world, not ugliness. These words will not disappear, but by consciously ignoring them, we reclaim the vastness of human intellect.

No n-word. No f-word. No c-word.

No t-word. Honor the complexity of experiences within the transgender spectrum; stories that are infinitely more significant than a six-letter word often used to describe what's eccentric, awkward, and trashy.

No d-word. Even if successfully and powerfully reappropriated by lesbian communities, this word reportedly accompanies homophobic and misogynistic attacks in still too many cases. Lesbian minds, unions, identities and struggles deserve well more than this.

No h-word. Scientifically and clinically problematic, this term is incorrectly used to describe individuals who are intersex. Although many people quite honestly don't know the reason, brief Google searches can explain why the h-word is stigmatizing.

That is a pledge I can take.

I'll not use these words in the Forum or in my daily life.  Who else?

I'm in! Piece of Cake! 

I'm onboard! Hugs, Devlyn

The article contains a couple more, including "retard."

I assume the m-word is "midget".  I guess?

I'm not really certain what the "c-word" is, but imagine it's not one I use anyway.

Admittedly, I kinda thought "Oh F@#k!" at the f-word, before it sunk in.

My worst problem with some of them is that they are used so often they have become BORING and show how little thought goes into both speech and writing.  I already try to avoid them like the plague.

Easy for me to agree not to use the words. 

Right on sisters.

Quote from: Sadie May on March 09, 2013, 06:36:25 PM
I'm not really certain what the "c-word" is, but imagine it's not one I use anyway.

Admittedly, I kinda thought "Oh F@#k!" at the f-word, before it sunk in.

The "C-word" is a vulgar term for vagina.

Quote from: Jamie D on March 09, 2013, 07:28:15 PM
The "C-word" is a vulgar term for vagina.

Thanks - I considered as much, but it didn't seem in the same category as the others.

I thought it meant people who struggle with day to day issues in the kitchen.......the culinarily challenged!

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on March 09, 2013, 07:34:39 PM
I thought it meant people who struggle with day to day issues in the kitchen.......the culinarily challenged!

And there ya go - calling names!

Quote from: Jamie D on March 09, 2013, 07:28:15 PM
The "C-word" is a vulgar term for vagina.

My wife used that word on a woman that was having a tantrum at the checkout counter and was giving the lady clerk a difficult time. I was astounded but had to grin as she was correct in her assessment and it was completely warranted. You could have heard a pin drop.

Count me in too!

Well, it would help if I knew what the letters stood for. Can only guess a few of the obvious ones.

Quote from: Not-so Fat Admin on March 09, 2013, 08:22:13 PM
Well, it would help if I knew what the letters stood for. Can only guess a few of the obvious ones.

I will use dictionary links, that hopefully won't trigger safesearch. For two I just substitutions because I know they cause safe search problems.

Here are dictionary definitions of the 8 hurtful words for people:
N-word change the b to an n in the link
F-word
C-word change the b to a c in the link
T-word
D-word
H-word
R-word
M-word

Put 'em all together and you don't have a darn thing. There are no vowels.

Quote from: Sadie May on March 09, 2013, 09:08:49 PM
Put 'em all together and you don't have a darn thing. There are no vowels.

Let's rearrange them!

C-word
M-word
T-word
H-word

F-word
R-word
N-word
D-word

Now we're getting somewhere! Hugs, Devlyn

There are plenty of other ugly words out there.  It is not my intention to be part of the word police, and profanity edits on the site will continue, but we can still strive to have a civil society, one person at a time.

Thanks for all who have, or will, take the pledge. 

 "and profanity edits on the site will continue"

Durn tootin' they will!

wait, but the "R-word" (wow I feel like a child censoring myself from that) is simply the correct medical term to describe an aberration of the physical or mental state. like my toes for instance are slightly malformed in a more simian than normal fashion. It is proper term to describe them. or if your fire proof something you can refer to it as such. Isn't it better to reclaim these words rather than reduce our vocabulary? Just like the term queer was reclaimed?