Words matter. Talk to anyone with an interest in language or English, and you will find that words make up quite possibly the most complex part of our humanity. Our ability to communicate is essential to our existence as humans and has allowed us to make the accomplishments we have (along with our thumbs). Our words are expressions of our thoughts, and ways to describe what we see and what we feel. This is why, contrary to popular belief, words and oppressive language are very, very important. The words we use are not only expressions of thought, but symbols of other words, symbols of other times, and of other uses for them.
As is relatively obvious, privilege and oppression are important to the way we use words, and what context we use them in. Some words are used to oppress others and sometimes those words are “taken back.” There’s a large misconception that when the oppressive nature of a word is taken back in context by the oppressed group, it’s no longer oppressive and anyone can use it. In the last couple of years, there seems to have been a huge backlash against taking oppressive words back, and people with privilege finding “clever” new ways to use them.
I dare you to claim that you know no one with privilege that tries to use variations of, or exact oppressive words in casual conversation, either thinking it’s funny or that it’s okay to say it. I know a lot of people who think it’s ridiculous that there are some words that it’s socially and politically unacceptable for the to use. By the same token, I think it’s ridiculous that they are so blinded by their privilege.
Many people feel that their privilege doesn’t matter in their word choice. A word is just a word, and nothing more. That is not how language works. Our words reflect how we think and how we see things, what we express is a dilution of our inner thoughts. If someone thinks it’s funny to use oppressive language, or irrelevant and unimportant to use oppressive language, then it can be gleaned that they find the oppression of that group somehow funny, irrelevant, or unimportant. Those who benefit from oppression should never, ever try to benefit further from the things an oppressed group takes back. Be it any oppressive word, it must be taken as seriously as the oppression itself, because our words will affect more change, be it positive or negative, than almost anything else. Words can be stronger than bullet. Words can make people see better than any force ever can, words can make people understand, and words shape how we understand our world. What people say does matter. Yet still, many in privileged positions seem to think that this rule doesn’t apply, mostly because they’ve never been oppressed with words.
We all know this happens, and it happens a lot. But the question lies at the end, “what do we do about it?”
What we do is everything we can. We call out oppressive language when we hear it. We explain how some words are okay for some people to use and not for others in context and within privilege. We have to use our powerful, powerful words to affect the change we try to make. We have to set an example, as everything we ever do does. We must also understand that while it’s wrong, people do have the right to say whatever they want. They have just as much capability to spout off the most offensive things as anyone else, and they have that right. With this, what we must remember most is that we have just as much right to use better words to make them change their tune.
that makes no sense.
What didn’t you get so Kayla can clarify it for you?
Agreed. Please let me know.
I think i’ll throw my 1 cent in. You make a good point at first that words do have power to oppress or uplift humans and shouldn’t be taken lightly, but then you make a few errors in your writing.
The real problem starts when you start talking about people of “privilege” like it is something foreign to someone who can say they are able to eat everyday, and can continue their education in the fall or whenever they choose. That seems like a lot of privilege my dear so don’t count yourself out of that label. Privilege at the end of the day is based on opinion while you have meals and education someone might be working in the field of their dreams under a well known expert in that field but has to skip a couple meals to pay for rent etc. You quarntine yourself off from the “priviledged” when truly you are just as priviledge as anyone else maybe not in the same aspect in life but surely in several ways you are viewed as so by someone else.
I think there’s a fundemental flaw in your thinking that using words that might offend someone (oppressive words) are bad in all contexts. Obviously that is not true, words are just words it’s up to the people saying and receiving the words to determine what they mean in whatever context good or bad. To truly weed out the oppressive nature it’s best to use the words casually in contexts where the possible target of those words wont be offended and eventually it will become an everyday part of life and not malicious in any way.
Words are truly just words (cracks of the air) it is the meaning you put behind them that will cause an oppressive reception or an uplifting one. Even if the etymological background of the word might be oppressive the meaning can change with time by how the words are used(common usage). Every years words are added to the english dictionary because of common use, definintions changes, and even grammar usage changes ever so slightly.
Words CAN express our inner thougths and feelings but they also can just be a way of communication for instance, reading off someonelse’s speech. I may be the one reading the words off the paper but I am certainly in no way responsible for those thoughts and feelings.
Words are only as strong as you allow them to be they can just be dust in the wind or a mountain of serious meaning. It’s all subjective in the end on what someone speaking their own novel thoughts are saying and how the receiver interprets them.
Moving on, I DARE YOU my lady to find someone who has been offended by a string of words thrown at them everyone has nobody alive is priviledged enough to have not received that fact of life. Sure the magnitude and repition of those interpreded offensive words are different for all so much so that someone may feel oppressed all the time, or not at all even if the meaning behind the words was meant to be oppressive.
I could go on but this post is really frustrating and respond accordingly too although I did read through all of it.
Again, David,
This one is simple.
Words are not just words. Words have a lot of power. Words have enough power t make you take time out of your day to leave these comments. Words can crush people or bring them peace. Words are an important thing that our society doesn’t value enough, in my opinion.
That being said, there are words that are appropritate to use and words that aren’t. There are words that are more appropriate for some to use than others.
There are words that are offensive and hurtful to oppressed groups, and no words of such magnitude for privileged groups.
A lot of poeple are trying to take words back so they aren’t as hurtful anymore. But that’s the thing, words can be hurtful. If you have a problem with someone not wanting you to use a word around them because it hurts or offends them, then continue to do so, you are intentionally hurting someone. That is not alright, as I see it.
Again, hope that got cleared up there.