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[SliceSabre]

I'm starting to find the word problematic, problematic.

 

[FartOfWar]

Every day I survive these terrible pico-aggressions

 

[God Dayumm]

Hmmm

This is amazing

Or in PC-talk: "entertain-abled"

 

[Skellig Gra]

My mind fails to process how "oriental" can be a problematic word.

It is and it isn't. It was used like 40-50 years ago as a derogatory term for all Far East Asians. If you are using it to refer to the specific area of Asia known as the Orient then its perfectly fine.

 

[darkazcura]

Oh, UNH. Never knew you were thar crazy.

 

[Dennis]

Freshperson. There, I solved a major problem for you, America.

 

[dramatis]

I would think 'fat' would come before 'obese' or 'overweight'...

Anyways, these words are lightweight. But I suppose teenagers trigger a lot easier than adults...

 

[Violence Jack]

Came in expecting to see something like negroes or retarded on that list. Who even says most of these words when talking to people? I've never called an Asian person "Oriental".

 

[Averon]

I'm starting to find the word problematic, problematic.

The word "problematic" has exploded in popularity over the past 2-3 years.

 

[God Dayumm]

Probably to ensure transsexual people aren't microaggressed against.
Oriental is the only word on that list worth avoiding.

It's stupid because trans people can be fathers or/and mothers

 

[The Lone Courier]

Yeah, it's becoming a challenged term because it's gendered.

Add senior for ageism.

 

[demon]

Retarded

 

[Azuran]

I would think 'fat' would come before 'obese' or 'overweight'...

Anyways, these words are lightweight. But I suppose teenagers trigger a lot easier than adults...

Fat probably got saved from eternal doom just for being a scientific word.

 

[hipbabboom]

Context is always important but that's true about every word. This list is insane.

**terrible**

Political correctness gone awry.

GOD! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?!!

 

[mre]

But *gasp*

“European-American individuals”

has the word American in it, and American is also a problematic word according to them.

Well, according to the language guide itself, which should be referenced even when using terms suggested by the guide, this should then evolve to "European-Resident of the U.S.".

Here's the guide: https://web.archive.org/web/20150419052545/http://www.unh.edu/inclusive/bias-free-language-guide

 

[Sesuadra]

is tuition fee a word on the list? or student loan?

 

[WyndhamPrice]

Came in expecting to see something like negroes or retarded on that list. Who even says most of these words when talking to people? I've never called an Asian person "Oriental".

You must not have a lot of senior citizens in your classes

 

[Maniel]

This is dumb. These words are all rather neutral in their connotation.

 

[LeleSocho]

It was used like 40-50 years ago as a derogatory term for all Far East Asians.

No wonder i couldn't understand, stuff is 50 years old.

 

[SocksAndShoes]

Every day I survive these terrible pico-aggressions

Holy shit, that's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen.

"Words shouldn't equal murder..BUT THEY DO"

UM....

 

[mre]

Came in expecting to see something like negroes or retarded on that list. Who even says most of these words when talking to people? I've never called an Asian person "Oriental".

Those were on there:

Preferred: Black or African American
Problematic: negro, negroid, colored person, dark

Preferred: person who is learning disabled, person who has a cognitive disability, person with a learning or cognitive disability, persons
with intellectual and developmental disability
Problematic: retarded, slow, brain-damaged, special education student

 

[Hari Seldon]

Surprised they didn't ban LOWER MY TUITION

 

[Hexa]

This stuff is downright ridiculous. Thank god for the anonymous internet.

Every day I survive these terrible pico-aggressions

Brilliant!

 

[Skellig Gra]

No wonder i couldn't understand, stuff is 50 years old.

I've only ever heard it used as a generic term not really in a derogatory way. It's like when people think all Asians are Chinese. Some people can get really offended by that.

 

[BlackJace]

"Freshman"

 

[gutshot]

Here's why fat didn't make the list.

Note: “Fat”, a historically derogatory term, is increasingly being reclaimed by people of size and their allies, yet for some, it is a term that comes from pain.

It is being reclaimed by "people of size and their allies". Their allies!

 

[LiK]

shitlist

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

The word "problematic" has exploded in popularity over the past 2-3 years.

It's a weasel word for calling something racist, sexist, transexist, etc. in a muted, "acceptable" way. It's great because to accuse something of being racist or sexist is something people might reasonably scrutinize, whereas "problematic" lies in a nebulous area where weak arguments can have more leeway.

 

[Nachos]

Can't wait to go the local Health and Fitness club. Oh, I'm sorry – I meant the local Non-Disablement and Minimized Body Fat club. Oh, I'm sorry – I meant the geographically-favorable Functioning Body and Kilocalorie-Uninhibited financially-taxing congregation.

Oh, I'm sorry – the English language is exclusionary to those who can't speak it. Let's just yell random vowel sounds until we each get our general point across. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[mre]

Look at that. Y'all need to get as progressive in the rest of the country as we here in the South have been for centuries.

Glossary of Language
Preferred: Folks, People, You All, Y’all
Problematic/Outdated: Guys (when referring to people overall)

 

[213372bu]

Stupid clickbait article? Stupid clickbait article.

Clickbait or not this was legit.

I was even going to put up Washington Post or NYmag but I decided this was the least clickbait article of them all.

Edit: Tried to clean up the title of the OP too :\ , personally hate clickbait.

 

[God Dayumm]

Look at that. Y'all need to get as progressive in the rest of the country as we here in the South have been for centuries.

What about "you people"?

 

[Monocle]

How about instead of wasting time with 5-dollar euphemisms people just say what they mean?

I bet the authors of that guide are the kind of jerks that say "utilize" when "use" will do.

Retarded

Pardon me, but I think you meant "differently gifted."

Yeah, it's becoming a challenged term because it's gendered.

I think it's disgusting that you would casually drop a charged word like "challenged." What if a specially abled person read that?

 

[Riposte]

This is all around pretty funny stuff.

Preferred: people of size
Problematic/Outdated: obese*, overweight people
“Obese” is the medicalization of size, and “overweight” is arbitrary; for example, standards differ from one culture to another.
Note: “Fat”, a historically derogatory term, is increasingly being reclaimed by people of size and their allies, yet for some, it is a term that comes from pain.

People of SIZE.

 

[Skellig Gra]

What about "you people"?

What do you mean "you people"?

 

[marrec]

Preferred: person-using welfare
Problematic/Outdated: “welfare queen”

Alright this has to be satire.

What's the preferred alternative to "trap queen"?

 

[Tertullian]

“Obese” is the medicalization of size

you don't say.

 

[Levyne]

My college didn't like the use of "freshman" either. They wanted us to use the word "first years"

 

[Fury451]

Freshperson. There, I solved a major problem for you, America.

Watch your language.

 

[Tertullian]

My college didn't like the use of "freshman" either. They wanted us to use the word "first years"

Did you attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

 

[mre]

What about "you people"?

What do you mean "you people"?

Damn straight.

 

[marrec]

It's a weasel word for calling something racist, sexist, transexist, etc. in a muted, "acceptable" way. It's great because to accuse something of being racist or sexist is something people might reasonably scrutinize, whereas "problematic" lies in a nebulous area where weak arguments can have more leeway.

I think when used appropriately "problematic" can be a way to describe a complicated issue that isn't just overtly offensive. Unfortunately it's become extremely misused and overused in the last few years as everyone on tumblr finds new ways that you and I are being "problematic".

As an academic resource, this is actually great reading for understanding problematic language and it's useage.

As a practical guide to interacting with other people though, this is ridiculous.

 

[dream]

Fuck me, "fat allies" just made my entire month.

 

[mre]

Alright this has to be satire.

I think the writers of this guide just had their heads so far up their asses they didn't realize that Poe's Law'd themselves. I mean:

Preferred: people of advanced age, old people*
Problematic/Outdated: older people, elders, seniors, senior citizen
*Old people has been reclaimed by some older activists who believe the standard wording of old people lacks the stigma of the term “advanced age”. Old people also halts the euphemizing of age. Euphemizing automatically positions age as a negative.

Preferred: person who lacks advantages that others have, low economic status related to a person’s education, occupation and income
Problematic: poor person, person from the ghetto
Note: Some people choose to live a life that is not connected to the consumer world of material possessions. They do not identify as “poor”.

Preferred: person living at or below the poverty line, people experiencing poverty
Problematic/Outdated: poor person, poverty-stricken person

Preferred: person-experiencing homelessness
Problematic/Outdated: the homeless, which reduces the person to being defined by their housing rather than as a person first - one who does not have a home

 

[Fury451]

I think when used appropriately "problematic" can be a way to describe a complicated issue that isn't just overtly offensive. Unfortunately it's become extremely misused and overused in the last few years as everyone on tumblr finds new ways that you and I are being "problematic".

This is a very succinct explanation of how problematic the misuse of "Problematic" has become. It seems hijacking and misusing words until they start to lose all original meaning is becoming a common issue in our current society.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

I think when used appropriately "problematic" can be a way to describe a complicated issue that isn't just overtly offensive. Unfortunately it's become extremely misused and overused in the last few years as everyone on tumblr finds new ways that you and I are being "problematic".

Hmmm, sounds problematic.

 

[marrec]

Fuck me, "fat allies" just made my entire month.

I always bring fat allies with me to the club so I look better by comparison.

 

[ohNOitsRO]

Pointless and a waste of time for everyone

 

[Cagey]

Fuck me, "fat allies" just made my entire month.

People of size allies, you asshole.

 

[stolin]

We need honest direct language...
George Carlin on soft language 1990