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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

For being a bit bored and slightly irritated by people constantly being offended by a word!!

230 replies

xlr8 · 04/06/2008 00:31

Why is it that a word used by someone from a different..part of the country, upbringing , culture , education or decade offends so many people? Why do we all make such a big deal about not liking a word that someone has used to describe something?
What ever happened to sticks and stones????????

OP posts:
onebatmother · 04/06/2008 11:35

gingerbread.. person?
or anti-ginger??!

flowerybeanbag · 04/06/2008 11:39

Um, Organix still call them gingerbread men...

FioFio · 04/06/2008 11:40

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rebelmum1 · 04/06/2008 11:48

haven't the faintest but it is absolute truth, a marketing guru on a course I attended had been asked not to use the word Grey as it was offensive... it was a Government department of course he was training. He kept asking us if we were offended..

rebelmum1 · 04/06/2008 11:48

gingerbread person

rebelmum1 · 04/06/2008 11:49

yes I know but have a look in your local bakers woodhead or something next time

sarah293 · 04/06/2008 11:51

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2shoes · 04/06/2008 11:55

oh a thread about my thread......how clever.......not.

theBOD · 04/06/2008 12:02

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2shoes · 04/06/2008 12:05

i agree with fio and second what she said

2shoes · 04/06/2008 12:06

what a suprise this is the op's only thread under this name

peacelily · 04/06/2008 12:09

I find the word "epi" offensive and also the word "spas" ditto any words that refer to a womans genitalia.

Also agree about context and intent little Britain is thought of as genious but some of it's parodies and close to the bone.

It's ironic but does it sometimes go too far? taking on disbled, gay, incontinent, overweight, "chavs", etc. etc.?

lljkk · 04/06/2008 12:13

The thing is, if you're having a fit because you're epilectic, then you can't help it, and a word like "epi" should obviously never be thrown against you.

But if you're having a fit because you're a prat, then being called 'epi' would mean you could do better than to behave like someone who has a very good reason for not being able to control themselves.

Epi is doesn't have to be derogatory towards epileptics, it's derogatory towards people who don't practise self-control when they perfectly well could.

Ditto for words like dumb, spaz or retard -- those words shouldn't cause offense when used about someone who isn't mentally disabled/having cerebral palsy/mute. It's how the word get used that matters, not the word itself.

It's the reason that black people sometimes use the N word with each other -- it means, "You're being an ass or at risk of it, living up the worst stereotypes of OUR people, so get your act in gear and do better". Whereas when white people use the N-word, the historical power imbalance/true racism gets implied. One of those is mildly provocative, the other usage is outrageous.

-- Speaking as someone who never uses any of the above words, but I feel like I am on eggshells about what I might say nonetheless.

SNoraWotzThat · 04/06/2008 12:13

I was here last night TBH not sure where the thread was going.
I have not used the word but in my own ignorance, if someone said epi - I would have thought of epi short for epic as I said further down and thought of it as saying they were being dramatic ( in a grand style ) and not related it at all to anything else.

edam and others have made some very good points.

Hi 2shoes.

CatIsSleepy · 04/06/2008 12:15

to the OP, well, words are important I guess
on the whole it's better not to gratuitously offend people

FioFio · 04/06/2008 12:16

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edam · 04/06/2008 12:16

Bod, as it happens I hate Jimmy Carr. Horrible little man with his horrible racist/sexist etc. etc. etc. jokes. I don't think he is being satirical at all (he'd have to be a darn site wittier, for a start). We had him at a work awards ceremony - had to sit through gags about gypsies (ooh, they are all a bit dodgy, you know) and women being stupid. Thinking back, I wish I'd walked out!

People in groups that are discriminated against may choose to reclaim words, but it's a whole different matter when a white middle class man who has never suffered prejudice in his life chooses to use those epithets. Not very brave of him.

2shoes · 04/06/2008 12:16

Ditto for words like dumb, spaz or retard -- those words shouldn't cause offense when used about someone who isn't mentally disabled/having cerebral palsy/mute. It's how the word get used that matters, not the word itself.

please tell me you are taking the piss or are pissed.
if you think using the words spaz and retard are ok you really are odd.
ffs this place is bizarre.

2shoes · 04/06/2008 12:17

fio and expresion keeps comming to mind about some of the words on here and it ens in ......as shit

CatIsSleepy · 04/06/2008 12:18

edam I agree with you re Jimmy Carr
he is just horrible isn't he?

sarah293 · 04/06/2008 12:19

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theBOD · 04/06/2008 12:21

"People in groups that are discriminated against may choose to reclaim words, but it's a whole different matter when a white middle class man who has never suffered prejudice in his life chooses to use those epithets"

but why is it different? surely the whole foundation of racism/biggotry/sexism etc is that it is not ok to tell someone they can not do something that another person can because of their skin colour?

frogs · 04/06/2008 12:21

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edam · 04/06/2008 12:22

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theBOD · 04/06/2008 12:24

oh and everyone suffers prejudice in their life regardless of race,sex or class.
i have been referred to as a "white middle class man" in a tone that indicated i should be ashamed of such traits and that such factors invalidated my arguments on certain subjects and that is socially accepted. when in reality i am proud of my heritage.
and you can bet your bottom dollar that if i used a similar argument such as "well you are just a working class black woman" to indicate that this precluded such a person from being allowed an opinion on any subject in the world i would be rightly strung up as being a prejudiced prick.