Words and phrases that used to be catch-all references are no longer used and often become out of date or even insulting as our perception of the world evolves.
NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People founded in 1909 and at the time, the phrase was acceptable in wide use. In the intervening years, now you would never refer to someone as "Colored." Although POC - People of Color has started to come into the lexicon of our times.
UNCF - United Negro College Fund was founded in 1944 and has provided tuition to countless minority students. And outside of reference to this group, you would NEVER call a black person "Negro" unless you're planning on catching fists.
And even black is an ever changing term. When I was a child, I remember the term black was acceptable and remained so for the longest time. Then somewhere in the late 80s-early 90s, African-American became the preferred descriptive term. And it stayed that way until I'd say 10-15 years ago when black became acceptable again. Although somebody mentioned that when referring to the color of one's skin, Black should now be capitalized. I really wish somebody would put together a current guidebook on what's appropriate to use so as to not offend anyone.
And it's not as though these identity issues are limited to blacks (Blacks?). It's just as convoluted with Spanish-speaking countries and their descendants.
Currently there's a push by some in the community to adopt Latinx as the descriptive phrase to avoid usage of the gender association of words in the Spanish language. I can't tell you how much that annoys me to no end. Zeroing out a language for the differences an "o" or an "a" makes at the end of a word and instead, changing it to "x" which is pronounced... how? Because the X in Spanish is either an "H" or "CH" sound. Oaxaca sounds like an H, like in Mexico. But the Xolo dog is CH. So Latinx is what sound?
To say nothing of the fact that this whole language game has been playing out since the late 60s, early 70s with the rise of Brown Power movements and MEChA student groups. Since Latin American countries aren't actually Latin. Latin being the language of ancient Rome. (But they are Latino.) Nor are they Hispanic as that implies that they're Spanish descendant and the movement is an attempt to distance itself from its European roots. So the term Chicano was born. Which in itself is another issue because that phrase is meant to describe descendants of Mexican ancestry. And there's the offending O for male, so females become Chicana. How about Chicanx? Confused yet?
To say nothing of the fact that this whole language game has been playing out since the late 60s, early 70s with the rise of Brown Power movements and MEChA student groups. Since Latin American countries aren't actually Latin. Latin being the language of ancient Rome. (But they are Latino.) Nor are they Hispanic as that implies that they're Spanish descendant and the movement is an attempt to distance itself from its European roots. So the term Chicano was born. Which in itself is another issue because that phrase is meant to describe descendants of Mexican ancestry. And there's the offending O for male, so females become Chicana. How about Chicanx? Confused yet?
Speaking of me offending people. Just recently, the actor Elliot Page came out as transgender late last year. Good for him. But I have to be honest, I missed the news cycle when he made his announcement and everyone was talking about Elliot Page... I kept thinking, Who the fuck is Elliot Page?! Then all hell broke loose when someone dared to mention Elliot was once Ellen Page. OHHH!!! O.k.... But the cancel culture mob was livid talking about how painful it was to bring up someone's "dead name." New term to me... Their what? Some of you might be scratching your heads, too.
Dead Name
noun
The birth name of a transgender person who has changed their name as part of their gender transition.
"Ellen is his dead name"
O.k., I get that. And mentioning somebody's dead name would be offensive if this is someone you maybe have only known them after their transition. But for someone like Elliot Page, I'm sorry, you've been in the public spotlight for nearly 20 years. There has to be at least some, I don't want to say grace period but, yeah, a grace period where you give the rest of us time to acclimate to your new (to us) identity. I mean, I know multiple people who have transitioned and I didn't know them before. So to me, if someone were to mention their dead name, I would scratch my head trying to figure out who they're talking about. I know a Millennial Karen and she was ALL UP IN ARMS over someone daring to use Elliot's Dead Name... on the DAY HE MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT. Hey, Baby Karen, can you maybe wait a few days before you get offended if nobody knows who Elliot is Day 1? In fact, I'm pretty certain Elliot wasn't as upset as you were over the mention of it.
Look, I'm trying to keep up with all of these things but like I was saying, everything seems to be changing on an hourly basis. What was once ok and acceptable can become insulting almost overnight. You can't, well, you can and some DO get offended the moment something changes and not everyone's on-board with it. But the entire world doesn't, CAN'T stop and turn on a dime. How about rather than getting pissed off about somebody for any imagined slight, you turn that energy into making the change, being the change and TEACHING the change. After all, the more you rant and rave because the world hasn't changed enough is exactly the reason why Boomers are ranting and raving because the world has changed too much.
Oh... that stings, doesn't it? You're more like Boomers than you ever want to admit in this instance.
Oh... that stings, doesn't it? You're more like Boomers than you ever want to admit in this instance.
There. Anyone I didn't piss off, raise your hand.
Don't worry sugar tits, I'll get to you next.
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