I want to talk about oppression.

[banjololo]

This is probably only vaguely related to this community, but I figure y'all are probably cool with off-topic rants 'n' rambles, and it is a subject that likely affects everyone in some way.

Comments

[lastiheard]

please don't delete this entry.

[banjololo]

hokay

[algomuyraro]

well, you can't make everyone(/thing) happy all the time.

[banjololo]

True. But I'm just trying not to use oppressive language.

[down_wind]

Is the term "vegetative" used in the context of a person who has been in a coma oppressive to plant matter?

[banjololo]

Personally I don't think so, because it's meant to be a descriptor, not an insult.

[headrushfiction]

actually, i've always cringed a little at the use of "vegetative", but i'm not sure why. maybe because it's so closely related to calling someone a "vegetable"? it just sounds so dehumanizing. which i suppose isn't exactly oppressive to plant matter, but i can't tell if that was sarcasm on your part or not anyway.

[banjololo]

Good point, haha I was only thinking from the point of view of a plant, not from that of the person in a coma. I guess if someone is offended by being called vegetative then they shouldn't be called that. But either way I don't think it's oppressive.

[sayyoudo]

what is this i don't even

[banjololo]

Hmmm, yeah I think you're right... I really see what you're saying here. Good point!

[headrushfiction]

this is something i've been struggling with a lot lately too. i really want my language to be inclusive and respectful, but you're right - it seems there is no non-oppressive way to insult someone. and so much of what we say is awfully deeply ingrained that it's hard to be conscious of it all the time

[banjololo]

Could you expand on reasons behind not using "gender variant" and "queer"? My routine for deciding whether a term is inclusive pretty much consists of deciding whether I could use the term not only to describe many different people, but also to describe myself. I don't identify within the gender binary, but I don't currently identify as anything that begins with the prefix "trans." Therefore I use "gender variant" because it seems much more inclusive. Similarly, I don't identify as L, G, B, or T- but I also don't identify as straight- so "queer" seems to me to be a better blanket term. I've always disliked the lumping together of "T" with the rest of the queer soup, because gender identity is such a different concept from sexual orientation, so that's why I differentiate. I'd love to hear other points of view though, so I can continue to hone my word choices.

[banjololo]

oh and me being a word nerd, I occasionally will say "hebetudinous" where others might say "retarded", as a more severe alternative to "stupid" or "idiotic". It's not quite a synonym, but it's so much fun to say!

[banjololo]

Although "hebetudinous" really is much closer to a synonym to "retarded" than "stupid" or "idiotic" are...