Been musing on this subject for a while.
Words are powerful. Words inform the narrative. Words influence what and how we approach a subject.
When the subjects you approach with alarming regularity are ones like child abuse, domestic violence, mental health, gender and sexuality you start to recognise that the more you speak and the more you listen then the more you hear the inherent bias that language holds.
For instance, paedophile. Its what we all use for disgusting human beings who abuse children right?
I'm not comfortable with it. I'm not comfortable because it is a self coined term that means lover of children. I'm not comfortable because it is used like gay can be by people 'he looks a bit paedy' etc. This waters down its effect. Makes is somehow a thing that isn't all bad. It weakens it and trivialises child abuse and I'm not comfortable about it.
Henceforth I shall not be using it. I will be using child abuser instead.
Child porn. Makes me see red. Whether you like it or not porn is a legitimate profession where consenting adults work. (if it isn't then it isn't porn, its abuse imo).
Children cannot consent so it isn't child porn. Lets call it what it is. Images of child sexual abuse perpetrated by child abusers.
There, doesn't that feel better? No bias, just telling it like it is.
Date rape (now acquaintance rape apparently).
Stranger rape.
Marital rape.
For fucks sake. If he puts his penis in you without consent it is rape. Doesn't really matter who he is, he is a rapist and the different types suggest a hierarchy that frankly isn't fucking helpful.
Lets just call it what it is. Rape.
See what happens when we name things is that they become more real to us. The language when not wrapped up in other softer, more gentle, more genteel wording becomes stark. And we need that if we are to tackle the issues at all honestly.
There are words that dehumanise. Tranny is one of them. I'm sure you can come up with some that anger you too.
And don't refer to me as a girl if you are referring to my colleagues as men.
Don't tell me I have balls. I don't.
Don't tell me I'm accepted as being one of the lads.
Don't use sexist, homophobic, ableist language in front of me and call it banter.
I have zero tolerance for it.
Language matters.
You might want to watch yours.
Words are powerful. Words inform the narrative. Words influence what and how we approach a subject.
When the subjects you approach with alarming regularity are ones like child abuse, domestic violence, mental health, gender and sexuality you start to recognise that the more you speak and the more you listen then the more you hear the inherent bias that language holds.
For instance, paedophile. Its what we all use for disgusting human beings who abuse children right?
I'm not comfortable with it. I'm not comfortable because it is a self coined term that means lover of children. I'm not comfortable because it is used like gay can be by people 'he looks a bit paedy' etc. This waters down its effect. Makes is somehow a thing that isn't all bad. It weakens it and trivialises child abuse and I'm not comfortable about it.
Henceforth I shall not be using it. I will be using child abuser instead.
Child porn. Makes me see red. Whether you like it or not porn is a legitimate profession where consenting adults work. (if it isn't then it isn't porn, its abuse imo).
Children cannot consent so it isn't child porn. Lets call it what it is. Images of child sexual abuse perpetrated by child abusers.
There, doesn't that feel better? No bias, just telling it like it is.
Date rape (now acquaintance rape apparently).
Stranger rape.
Marital rape.
For fucks sake. If he puts his penis in you without consent it is rape. Doesn't really matter who he is, he is a rapist and the different types suggest a hierarchy that frankly isn't fucking helpful.
Lets just call it what it is. Rape.
See what happens when we name things is that they become more real to us. The language when not wrapped up in other softer, more gentle, more genteel wording becomes stark. And we need that if we are to tackle the issues at all honestly.
There are words that dehumanise. Tranny is one of them. I'm sure you can come up with some that anger you too.
And don't refer to me as a girl if you are referring to my colleagues as men.
Don't tell me I have balls. I don't.
Don't tell me I'm accepted as being one of the lads.
Don't use sexist, homophobic, ableist language in front of me and call it banter.
I have zero tolerance for it.
Language matters.
You might want to watch yours.
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