This is not something I see here on lemmygrad. In fact, lemmygrad does an excellent job of this and challenges ableist language I sometimes use.
However, this is the only place I know that is willing to stay tough on problematic language and terminology.
As I’m sure you know, the 90’s and 00’s was a time when the “F” slur was common. You heard or said “thats gay” 95 times a minute. The “R” slur was about as common.
Then, somewhat suddenly, this language began to die down. Over the years it became more and more rare to hear. I think this is because people wanted to be more respectful, or, at least that’s why I also decided to be more intentional about these matters.
But this is changing. The last few years I’ve seen people double down on the R slur. I am somewhat unsurprised, afterall, the R word was not rejected as aggressively as the F slur or the “thats gay” comment. I am convinced most people around me are closeted eugenicists emboldened by the extreme ableism baked into their emerging fascist identities.
But now I am seeing people defend how they use gay as an insult as well. I find this to be terrifying. I don’t understand how any conscientious person could shamelessly use such language.
For those of you that have decided its ok to use such language. Thank you. I am working overtime trying to find out who exactly will be comfortable killing disabled people and queer people. You make my life easier. I will trust my gut about you in these times and treat you as the enemy you are.
Personally i reclaim the “R-slur”. I don’t really see how another person who is also affected, but can’t communicate their disdain for it should have any effect on me saying it. Unless it is towards them directly or their group of course.
Would love to hear your thoughts on that, actually :)
I only “reclaim” it by using to make ableism more obvious. “Just call me a r-word” Or to express that someone I trust has betrayed me in particular ways that exasperate the effects of disability. “That makes me feel r-word”.
There can only be discomfort and severity when it is used in my opinion. It’s meant to be shocking because I am referring to the specific ableist violences that can only be understood if you believe the word is a slur.
This being said, I do not endorse the word at all. It’s the nuclear option for getting people around me to know I’m being deadly serious about very real dangers I am being subjected to. I would never actually defend it’s use even if I was pushed to use it for reasons stated above.
I mean, I really don’t like it. I’ve worked with a lot of severely disabled people and it just really grates on me. But also, I’m more in the camp of the people who it effects the most decide. But with the r-word, there’s a whole subset of people who don’t have the capacity to decide that’s not present in the other communities, so I think we should err on the side of not using it.
Black folks can say the n-word as they please and I don’t have a right to say otherwise. If a black person doesn’t want too use that language that’s their right. So basically if you’re not black, you don’t get a pass - ever. If you are black you get to decide.
Same sort of rules for other slurs… Except Cracker, snow roach, white devil, honkey, bleach demon, etc. Racism doesn’t exist against white people. Prejudice, sure, but not racism.
“Cracker” is also a slur used by wealthy whites to refer to poor whites that they viewed as dangerously close to “going native.”
White people should not refer to other whites as crackers unless they desire to insult whites based on colonial bourgeoisie sensibilities. Or maybe if they want to do digital black face.
Interesting… I can see what you’re saying. My personal use of it has been to punch up and infer the white person that I call a slur as having a broken morality.
So if we get into the bourgeoisie foundations of our day to day used language I think others, like me, keep learning new ways they’ve influenced our language and in turn ways of thinking. That said, common use of language is what defines it over time (e.g. new language is created all the time), so we can reclaim and recreate the meanings of words and phrases. But in light of what you’re pointing out, should we?
I can see where digital blackface could be what someone sees in my language too… If I call them “white devil”, I’m of course invoking language popularized by the Black Panthers, and I do mean to do so. My purpose behind that is to convey that I’m not a friend of the concept of “whiteness” and it’s hegemonic power. Again, should I not? My thoughts when it comes to this is that I align with my class and that the language of the BPP come from class and not race. But I’m white, so I know I’m liable to have shitty blind spots. I’m trans so my focus tends to be trying to find my queer phobic blind spots first, and naturally through a white lens.
The unintellectual lizard brain side of me also just wants something to call ruling class and their toadies something that pisses them off.
Mhh okay interesting. Thanks for giving me your thoughts on it!
I’ve seen a lot of people say this and while I’m someone with probably one of the most severe cases of ADHD I know of, and who has been personally the target of the term a lot my entire life I tend to fall in the camp of something I personally dislike the use of, but i don’t feel as intensely about it as I do derogatory uses of like gay or the f word.
I’m autistic, don’t use the R-slur myself, but don’t really have a problem with people characterizing stuff as “autistic” and it kinda makes me laugh
I’d rather people just use the slur.
Huh why lol
Deeply unserious people are dangerous to me and I’m not going to allow that. I’m not going to disrespect myself by silencing my gut. I’ve been trained my entire life to sense ableism because it is the only way to ever be safe. Make yourself clear and known. If you are going to use autism in that way, what choice do I have than to see you as an unserious agitator? No games. I don’t care what you think is “autistic” only that you know autistic people aren’t going to tolerate being in danger. Either admit you don’t have any respect for autistic people or their experiences so we can all draw lines and hash out what happens next. Or, move and speak with serious intentions and make known that eugenicists and ableists are your sworn enemies and that the cause of destroying ableism is a cause you are deeply enfranchised in.
Yeah i know what you mean, haha. That usually isn’t used in a hateful way though in my experience
I’ve never not heard it used in an ableist way.