The word Folx

[MillicentTrilbyHiggins]

Can someone please explain to me why this is replacing the work folk?

My social media is full of it, but whenever I ask anyone all they can say is that it's "gender neutral" without explain how/why. One person even blocked me for asking why 'folx' is gender neutral, but 'folk' isn't.

Anyone?

I am not sure. It seems a marker, a shorthand phrase, a phrase for the in-crowd, a dog-whistle, even.

It's not replacing it. The word folk is still widespread and acceptable.

Some people are doing it to lots of words to make them more 'inclusive'

www.dictionary.com/e/letter-x-gender-neutral-language/

@Lockheart yes I know 'folk' is still acceptable. Maybe 'why are people trying to replace it' would have been a better question?

@FatAgainItsLettuceTime but how is it more inclusive? I can see the argument for Mx, Womxn and latinx. But folk is already gender neutral. Changing it to folx makes no sense.

@MillicentTrilbyHiggins I cannot help you I'm afraid, not a clue, think it's all ridiculous myself, just providing a link to the answer about why some people are doing it.

@FatAgainItsLettuceTime thanks. I think it's all nonsense too. Especially as no one can actually explain the answer to why it's more inclusive. Weird bloody world we live in!

When I was younger and I would write stories I used to always try to give my characters names with either an X or a Z in them. It just felt special and different.

Think this is just the same really. If they just said ‘right folk let’s do blah blah’ then they’d just be using a normal word and nobody would know they are special. But if they request ‘folx’ to be used then they’ve got attention and people have to listen and do things specially for them and that makes them feel special to have adjustments made like that. Like they’re so special they don’t fit in the regular old language everyone else uses. As old as time, really. Nothing is as common as the wish to be remarkable, and everyone would love to think they are so special they don’t fit in with general folk.

It directly includes certain groups of people, rather than passively including them. If you're not part of the queer community, then it's not about you, so don't worry yourself about it.

How does it do that, then?

I guess to show these are no ordinary folk, sorry folx.

It's a load of bollocks. Bollox. Or no bollox. Whatever, it's annoying!

@BadNomad but how? Why is folx more inclusive?
Is humxns more inclusive than humans?
Pexple more so than people?

Folk is already a gender neutral term. So why have some people started using a different gender neutral version of it?

Because people in that community know the person is talking to them.

I hate this word! But it's actually quite helpful when someone uses it, because then I know they are an idiot.

It’s pure cutesy virtue signalling, that’s all.

Just another aspect of the idiocy of current identity obsession politics, which prefers to focus on pronouns and internet babble, rather than doing anything of real value about the major issues of today’s world. Why get involved in real activism on economic inequality, poverty, violence against women and girls, climate crisis, homelessness, etc., when you can add an “x” to cutesy “gender neutral” words on social media and then congratulate yourself you’re a social justice warrior?

That seems quite exclusionary rather than inclusive, which is interesting. You can only be part of this community if you know the correct terminology.

I think y’all are just showing your heteronormative cisgenderedness here. It’s inclusive but it excludes people who don’t understand which makes it very inclusive, don’t you see?

Folk = people in general
Folx = queer people and others

If you're not part of the queer community, then it's not about you, so don't worry yourself about it.

Also @BadNomad you said the above. So by that reckoning, I don't need to worry about the 'correct' term for any community I'm not part of?

So can I call gay men homophobic names because I'm not a gay man so don't need to "worry" about using the wrong terms. What about black people? Can I call them whatever I want because I don't need to worry about understanding if/ why what I'm saying is wrong? Can i call trans people by any slur I wish? I mean I don't have to worry Myself because I'm not a gay man/ black person/trans person.

How are we meant to 'do better' and learn if those in the know just tell us not to worry?

You folk are still included in "folx". You're just not the main focus.

Wut?

You don't want to know. You're not looking to understand. You just want to dismiss it as "woke".

Except… lots of people who are gay don’t like the term “queer”, as it’s a still actively used slur.

So is “folx” there just for “cool young people who may or may not be gay or may just identify as gender diverse or like the “queer aesthetic”, but not any of those old fashioned gay people over 30 who don’t “self-identify” as “queer”?

As a bi woman who doesn’t “identify as queer”, do I get “folk” or “folx”? So confusing!

Mind you, it’s well known that in the US the term “Latinx” is largely used by virtue signalling where people, and widely disliked amongst the Latin-heritage community. Oh dear!

So many rules. (Or rulx.) So little time! 🤣

*virtue signalling white people, that should have read!