Offensive Terms

[East]

I was just thinking about this in the one thread where I used the term "pussy boy"...which is a term both the guys who are and the guys who like them use for themselves...but I think it probably sounds offensive to other people....

I hear alot of re-education attempts for people who say tranny and chicks with dicks...and I get that some of the terms have evolved with a general consensus...which I can accept. I also would not call any individual who was offended by any name that name again...because it offends them personally...but should they speak for everyone else?

The worst one for me though and the one I struggle with the most.....African American...uh...I can't even get it out of my mouth. For me...I know alot of Black people..always have...and I have had this conversation with alot of them over the years...and not a single one of them refer to themselves as African American nor do they want to be referred to as African American....

..and should I start saying Mexican American?...or Chinese American?...or Euro American?

...and on that note..WHY is a Mexican born Chinese person referred to as "Chinese" instead of "Mexican"???????

...so who comes up with these names?...and when do we decide what is offensive and what isn't? I know Jesse Jackson came up with the African American label...

Shouldn't all the voices involved come to a general consensus? ...and is there room for dissent?

What if tomorrow TPTB decided instead of gay..we should be called RainbowRoadWarriors?...for whatever reason they come up with...are we all going to be OK with it?

Alot of people wish we were all called Queer.....and they consider themselves generally as being more evolved and advanced on the issue of labels...are they right?

Discuss...

[Albie]

First of all, I want to always be called RainbowRoadWarrior, cuz that sounds awesome.

I don't talk to people who get offended by non-offensive things. I avoid them. I never hear anybody outside of tv say African-American lest it is just awkward.

[East]

First of all, I want to always be called RainbowRoadWarrior, cuz that sounds awesome.

LOL...it just came to me...I kinda liked it too.

[Dreamer]

I don't care for labels so much these days. We're all human. Just call me that.

[Butterfingers]

As for pussy boy, that seems a bit ambiguous, is it in reference to a str8 guy who wants a pussy? Or gay who wishes for the same? I had always heard it used in regards to a bottom in a sub type role.

Now the African American vs. Black thing, I use black, I have never had a black person get offended at it. I discuss civil rights with the blacks I know or meet ( I am a bit of an activist on a one to one basis when I meet a white bigot) most blacks I know are more concerned about not getting shot or beat up by some person in authority than they are about being referred to as African Americans.

[East]

As for pussy boy, that seems a bit ambiguous, is it in reference to a str8 guy who wants a pussy? Or gay who wishes for the same? I had always heard it used in regards to a bottom in a sub type role.
.

Ahhh...now that you mention sub...I have also heard it used in a derogatory manner for some subs who like verbal abuse and humiliation....

I didn't even think of that....

It is NOT the context I was using that in. I am not putting down the guys who like humiliation or verbal abuse either...two consenting adults doing whatever they do is fine with me...it just isn't what I was referring to.

[ceez]

This reminds me of a story I heard about a professor at a nearby university. He is from Africa and became a U.S. citizen to teach here and I guess he heard some one use the term before because in his class as sort of an icebreaker he asked the students if anyone in class is African American, when the students raised there hands he would ask them what part of Africa they're from. I always thought if you're born in America then you're American because if you want to get technical then I'm an African Native Scottish American.

Not sure about all the other offensive stuff though, if I think it might be offensive then I just don't say it.

[Miles]

First of all, I want to always be called RainbowRoadWarrior, cuz that sounds awesome.

LOL...it just came to me...I kinda liked it too.

Conjures up images of a Mad Max-themed orgy or something

[LJay]

"Shouldn't all the voices involved come to a general consensus? ...and is there room for dissent?"

It'll never happen, East. Nor should it really. We all look at things differently. I think what is important to that we be able to discern lack of malice behind whatever terms are used.

Political correctness asks us all to think in one way. People are just not like that. It would be awful if we were. I'm happy to settle for differences being respected.

[TwisttheLeaf]

I dunno man. I identify as "queer". Not because I'm "more evolved and advanced on the issue of labels", but because it's the term that is the most familiar to me. And possibly because "gay" was always very much an ISSUE of my fathers when I was growing up, but never once did the word "queer" leave his lips.

That said? My father was a first generation immigrant from Korea. My mother, a first generation immigrant from France. AND YET, outside of Washington state? It seems a good portion of the population I run into is -shocked- when I talk and have absolutely NO Asian accent at all. They call me "Chinese" or "Asian" or "Japanese" or "Oriental" (rarely does anyone even guess Korean oddly enough... and not once have I -ever- been called French *LOL*) ..... yes, these are a part of my heritage. But I'm American, yeah? I've even had an ass in Missouri tell me "You immigrants need to go back home" in assumption that I'm an immigrant?

The thing is tho, I'm not insulted by any of it. It just displays how ignorant -they- are, and has absolutely nothing to do with me. I think that maybe more should take that view.