Is it socially acceptable to describe someone as a bit weird?

The fact that literally everyone does it - including you, without a doubt - suggests that it is, in fact, completely socially acceptable.

'A bit weird' is an insult so is it socially acceptable to insult someone? Gossip/private conversations can be socially acceptable...but it wouldn't be acceptable to say that about someone in a wider conversation. Same as any other insult really.

So not a form of 'othering' for us more a form of belonging

I call most of my friends and family a bit weird! It's a term of endearment.

Should we also ban the word nice?

because I have often had that word used in a bullying way - usually involving sniggering in the background - we can’t go around banning words and expect people to be more kind and tolerant as a result because people find a way

we need to hear the intent not the word

You can say anything you want. We still have for the time being freedom of speech.

Yes! I think this sums it up for me too.

But we are all different
i guess it’s how it’s used - when friend call me wierd because I like camping they are just meaning “you would never catch me doing that “ but there is no “othering” about it at all

you can say “oh nice” and mean it as an insult

it’s not the words we should be judging , limiting , it’s the intent

I agree it shouldn’t be used unkindly and it has been towards my autistic son who is a bit odd at times to be fair. I wouldn’t use it as an insult either, of course I wouldn’t. However it is a very commonly used word amongst youngsters it seems.

Nothing to do with nowadays, people often say it, including youngsters, eg "He is seriously weird", even "Stop being so weird!".

I couldn't find the right words to voice this, but you and @Owly11 said it perfectly.
It's the deep feeling that I would have been burnt at the stake or drowned or put in a camp or any kind of institution in a bad accident of birth.

@WongKarWai @Callmebubblesdarlingeverybodydoes I sometimes describe myself as fat , on a bad day, but I would find it deeply offensive if someone else was to call me that behind my back or to my face.

I'm happy to call myself weird because there's no denying it but I f**king despise others saying it about me in bad faith.

@faerylights “Just because someone doesn’t agree with you, or doesn’t understand you, doesn’t mean they’re insulted”
Equally just because someone doesn’t say something the way you would choose to it doesn’t mean you need to nit pick and be tiresome. It’s boring…….

Yeah quirky and eccentric would be seen as more positive descriptors, creepy definitely negative, and weird and odd can go either way. I like eccentric though, there's someone at my work who is definitely eccentric.

I’ve started avoiding this just in case! I usually go for ‘he’s his own man’ or ‘ he knows his own mind’ in these situations😂obviously also works she or they so every one is covered 🤞

I've been called weird for years. It does depend on tone and context how its meant.
I'm all kinds of weird - most comments go over my head these days.

I’m fed up of people not understanding the issues around judgement of another person and conflating it with the kind of daily judgements a person makes.

Judgement based on proper information and facts is absolutely fine.

Judgement when it’s opinion based on a very shallow level of information, combined with an air of superiority is not fine and not something most people do on a daily basis.

E.g person weaves about in the street and looks very unsteady:

Judgement : That person looks like they might be drunk, I’ll keep an eye in case they run in traffic = that’s fine
Judgement: Look at that drunk idiot, I can’t believe someone would be drunk at this time of day, they must be an alcoholic, I’ll avoid them like the plague = not ok.

Yes that's how I see it.
It's a form of " othering" Stigmatising someone for not been one of the crowd.
Opening the pathway towards exclusion and persecution.

personally it could be lifesaving if the weirdness is that creepy could be a serial killer, thief, drug dealer, liar type.
I consider it polite and an act of public service to friends or family if people give me weird vibes.

Sure. I said there's not enough "Weird as in unusual and you want to know more" people. I like them 😀

No, I meant when describing someone out of the ordinary about whom one might want to know more.
They're interesting, surely. Not weird.

I’m weird and I couldn’t care less

But would you be offended if someone called your children weird and used that as a reason to ostracise them or upset them?

I think calling yourself weird or odd is one thing, but it shouldn’t be normalised to call other people weird as it’s too easy for it to be used unkindly.

In our neurodivergent household, “bit weird” is fairly normal. I wouldn’t be offended by it at all.

Eh? I love interesting, but that wasn't in the bit I quoted.

Are you asking about when people use the word "interesting 🤨" as a euphemism for weird?