If you're not black do you say the 'N word'...

[McGruff]

When singing along to songs?

So many mainstream songs have it in now. I don't sing in public or anything but I will sing along with it in the shower, tidying up etc.

But what if its karaoke?

It's not a word I'm comfortable saying in any context out of my own mouth, ever. But when it's part of a song I love and I'm singing along. Should I censor myself?

No. I don't like the word same way l don't say the c word l don't like that either. Mind you l can't think off many songs with the word in

I've not encountered the situation, probably because of my music tastes.

I would never say "n*er" in my own speech or writing except in the context of discussing the word itself. But if I am quoting someone else I will quote it as it is, not impose my own censorship. I think making a word completely taboo is going too far.

Yes, if the context calls for it. It’s an offensive word if you’re using it to refer to somebody because you’re racist. It’s not offensive to repeat a lyric or band name which musicians have been content to have in their own music, or to read it if it’s a word in a book, or to explain to a child that n*er is a very very offensive thing to call somebody and explain why this is and why you should never use it to refer to anybody else and why some black people have decided to reappropriate it in an attempt to remove its power over them. I don’t know any black people who would think somebody was being racist by saying it if they were referring to NWA or reading To Kill A Mockingbird.

Nope.

I would never use it

songs using the "n" word are hardly mainstream. Not sure your granny would like them.
No, I'd never use that word, it's racist and I'm not.

Sorry @MrsTerryPratchett - I meant teacher said they could just say the letter 'n' instead of the word. His school is very culturally diverse and he was really upset thinking he'd have to say the full word out loud.

The only song I know with it in is Oliver's Army, and usually it's the radio edit that is played in our house. I don't say it ever and have discussed with my children how offensive it is. DD did Mice and Men this year, and there were a number of discussions around the use of the word whilst they studied it (she attends a school that is 50-60% pupils from BAME backgrounds, probably 15-20% of whom are Black British or have black British mixed heritage.

Nope, its in a lot of music I like and I never sing along to it

I occasionally have to say it at work - I do discrimination law and sometimes at tribunal it is necessary to read out racial abuse someone is alleging which includes that term.

I was in LA at the time of the O J Simson trial and it was baffling watching the witnesses defence and prosecution leaping through hoops trying to circumnavigate actually using the word. while talking about other people's possible use of the word. People would be asked if they had ever heard of so and so saying the 'n word' and they would then have to get it clarified if they were being asked if they so and so had said the 'n word' or had said 'the n-word'. and so on.

If the lawyer had just been able to say, "Did detective X call my client a n*er?" the case would have been over in half the time.

Definitely not, I hate that word and the K word which is equally offensive.

songs using the "n" word are hardly mainstream.

Good lord. NWA have been listed as one of the top 100 most influential acts by Rolling Stone Magazine, made two triple platinum albums, and have had an Oscar-winning biopic made about them. Dr Dre has won seven Grammy Awards; Snoop Dogg has sold 35 million albums worldwide, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has won countless music awards.

“Hardly mainstream”??

You might not enjoy listening to their music but one could argue it borders on racist to dismiss entire musical genres which focus on black artists as “not mainstream” because you don’t pay attention to them.

I just think it is really strange that the word itself seems to be banned for white people to use. Fine, don't use it to describe someone or as a slur but no word should be banned and what is it with not typing it. Everyone knows what word you are referring to, the letters won't cause any damage. There is nothing wrong with using the word in context. It is not the word that is dirty but peoples use of it. It is like people who type f*k or C*t like why?????

I don't, and I'm not lying. I just skip the word when I'm doing my awesome rapping.

What's the K word?

An Hispanic actress (can't remember her name but she was in Jane the virgin) is in trouble for exactly this. She posted a video of her singing along to a fugees/Lauryn Hill song with the word in. Massive backlash and calls to boycott her new show.

In her case she was daft. Just don't sing the song and definitely don't post it (she'd probably have been ridiculed for skipping it out anyway). I find the whole 'we're reclaiming the word to take away its power but anyone who isn't black is still using it in a negative fashion and therefore racist' too much of a minefield so no, I wouldn't sing it ever.

I use it if I'm singing along to a song that uses it, but only when alone.

First under NO circumstances do I use that word & I would hit the roof if any of my dc ever used this expression-
But
(OFF SUBJECT but linking with the teacher & reading from book) We read the "Wooden Horse" at high school & teacher read "basted" instead of the swear word - that was hilarious & actually made us think about the word she avoided more

If I’m singing a song alone in my car I’ll sing all the lyrics. Wouldn’t in company or if my DC with me. Don’t listen to many songs with it. Can only think of Empire State of mind JayZee on my playlist cos I’m old! Would never use the word though.

LaserShark
Whereas when I teach it and read it aloud, I do say the n word. We also discus in detail the context, attitudes etc.

I give students the choice when reading. When we are discussing the text I don't say it, but am happy for students to say "when the author uses the word n*er..." They also have the choice whether they wish to write it in full when quoting in their essays or star it out. Anyone who takes the mick, is offensive etc would be sanctioned and would probably be facing isolation for a racist incident

So far I've never had any students have an issue with that approach. They know there is a difference between studying a text that presents attitudes of an era and being offensive using the term today.

I don't think there's a right or wrong way when teaching texts like Of Mice and Men.

No, I leave a gap.

No, never! It’s actually unthinkable to me to say it out loud under any circumstance. I’m so used to listening to radio edits that I also never really sing swear words in songs either. I don’t get the appeal - if you can and would censor yourself in public then why actively change that in private

I was singing along to Gold Digger this morning and sung it, but it felt a bit weird tbh.

My teen DDs say in English the teacher gives a choice as a pp said. The teacher reads it as it’s in the context of the text they’re studying. She also reads other swear words that are in the text.

Lola your approach sounds great; I think the most important thing to do is to have that clear discussion with the class about it. I just realised I couldn’t bring myself to say the word so I explained that and I didn’t. I gave students permission to use it when quoting the text as well if they wanted to or to star it out - I’m pretty sure they did all star it out. I just simply couldn’t say it and for the same reason I can’t say it if singing along to Lemonade as a pp mentioned.