After conversing with a friend about this topic, I concluded that the very groups who are subject to this type of offensive language feel they are permitted to use these words because they are the target. Because my friend is female, she feels her usage of the “B-word” is permissible, but she admits if a male utters this word, she would be greatly offended. Somewhere along her train of thought, her logic seemed askew. If society delineates certain words as “offensive,” they should be offensive, period, no matter who speaks them.
How can we work toward bettering our society and creating a more acceptable environment for future generations when this type of language is being tossed around? No matter how harmless the speaker thinks the word is, they cannot predict how harmful it is to the people around them. Language has power. It latches onto our conscious and subconscious minds and often dictates our perceptions, and we don’t realize it.
Being a woman doesn’t authorize me to use certain words. Our society seems to favor the use of any and all derogatory words, and this manner of speaking has seemingly become a social norm. Even here on the U’s campus, these words are thrown around frivolously. What do we gain when we use these words? A sense of pride, knowing we have put down someone else? I know when I mistakenly utter these words I feel this sort of shame and wish I could take back that half-second it took to speak it. People who are targeted by these words should understand the detriment and realize that when they use them, it allows others to use them. It naturalizes the words so others do not feel as bad when they use it. The best time for these words to begin their demise is with our generation. Show our elders and those younger than us that we are the more progressive, accepting generation. And remember it is not just a word when that word is the premise for negative connotations toward any group(s) of people and perpetrates stereotypes.