MARCH 2024

From the World of Conscious Language

This edition features articles about slurs in order to help readers avoid language that may have unintended impacts and associations.

Note: The authors' viewpoints are not necessarily shared by CSG.

ETHNICITY, RACE + NATIONALITY

Is Calling Someone “White” a Racist Slur? This Is What the Experts Say

“For racism to occur, from an academic point of view, two elements were required: prejudiced and discriminatory behaviour, but also an unequal power or institutional power dynamic, [racism studies expert Mario Peucker] said.” Read >

ETHNICITY, RACE + NATIONALITY / IMMIGRATION

Reports Find U.S. Border Patrol’s Alleged Rampant Use of Migrant Slur: “They Still Use It”

“Agents have reportedly used the term for decades, but many civilians have never heard of it.” Read >

GENDER, SEX + SEXUALITY

E Jean Carroll Lawyer Says Trump Used Coded Version of C-Word Against Her

“As [Roberta] Kaplan told it, at the end of the questioning, [Donald] Trump’s attorneys ensured the two sides were no longer on the record before he looked at her and remarked: ‘See you next Tuesday.’” Read >

ETHNICITY, RACE + NATIONALITY

Mary Poppins Rating Changes Due to Specific Language

“The BBFC finds the casual usage of the word within the film, with no context of condemnation for the language choice, to be problematic.” Read >

RELIGION / ETHNICITY, RACE + NATIONALITY

How the Word “Voodoo” Became a Racial Slur

“When someone makes a statement like, ‘That just sounds like some “voodoo” to me!’ they are co-signing the long racist history of the term and promoting the idea that religions from Africa are primitive, evil and barbaric.” Read >

AGE

I Am Not “Elderly”

“‘Elderly’ is not an age group. The term is ageist—a biased word that labels a group of people as ‘other.’” Read >

ABILITY + DISABILITY

Jokes About Disability Aren’t Taboo. But Here’s Who Shouldn’t Be Telling Them

“A better and more interesting conversation about comedy and the disabled is not whether people should be allowed to crack disability jokes (they are) or if disability can even be funny (it absolutely can be). The real question is who should be telling these jokes and how the lived experience of disability—punching up, rather than down—can make for radical, truly edgy comedy.” Read >

HEALTH / AGE

Overcoming the Dementia Stigma: It Starts With One Person’s Words and Actions

The terms diapers and bibs “carry a negative connotation and can be infantilizing. Simple word changes such as ‘protective undergarments’ or ‘clothing protectors’ can enhance communication and minimize negative outcomes. Above all, these word changes signify respect and dignity.” Read >

ETHNICITY, RACE + NATIONALITY

Why the B.C. Government Is Right to Drop the Term British Columbian

“British Columbia has not been renamed, it simply evolved to be more representative of the people living here.” Read >

HEALTH

How the Definition of Trauma Has Changed Over Time

“When the word is watered down to include any stressful event, it becomes meaningless and we fail to appreciate the severity of some of life’s worst events and their impact on those who have suffered from them or have not recovered.” Read >

EMPOWERMENT

In Defense of the Word “Should”

“The word ‘should’ is about expectations. We expect authorities to follow the rules, to obey the law. We point out when they don’t and say what they should do instead.” Read >

EMPOWERMENT

Rhetorical “Um”

“At the beginning of a sentence [the rhetorical] ‘um’ tends to challenge a preceding idea, while before a word it challenges that usage.” Read >

TEACHING CHILDREN / GENDER, SEX + SEXUALITY

Girls as Young as 5 Think Boys Are Taken More Seriously, New Report Finds

“Compliments about effort and skills are more meaningful and help reduce the risk of tying [girls’] appearance or passive kindness to their worth.”—Kristen Delventhal, LCSW, PMH-C. Read >

CONTEXTUALIZATION

Hey YouTube Creators, It’s Time to Start Labeling AI-Generated Content in Your Videos

“When a YouTube creator reports that their video contains AI-generated content, YouTube will add a label in the description noting that it contains ‘altered or synthetic content’ and that the ‘sound or visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated.’” Read >

Why Do We Keep Using the Word “Caucasian”?

"The use of an outdated and disproven term that falsely purports to describe a separate race of people has no place in the U.S." Visit Ethnicity, Race + Nationality >

From the Archives

An American Nowhere

“How can I be ‘Americanized’ if I was born here? I was born American.” Read >

In Case You Missed It

In the February 2024 newsletter…

• Are Shows Like “The Good Doctor” and “Love on the Spectrum” Helping or Hurting Autism Awareness?

• Chekhov’s Queer—The Importance of Writing Casually Queer Characters

• Obsessing on Gaffes Is Lazy Journalism

Read >

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