D&D General Just sweeping dirty dishes under the rug: D&D, Sexism, and the '70s

[abirdcall]

The word "mentally" can sometimes precede it, if that helps.

I've noted that it's actually making something of a comeback in some online spaces for reasons I can't fathom and which is deeply unfortunate, but it is still incredible awful and I wish people would stop.

That is gross but I can believe it. We are seeing a swell of that in general I think.

I work in a hospital and I still cringe whenever I hear it. Which 90% of the time is preceded by 'motor' and the other 10% I can't remember but there are a couple of terms where it is correct.

It is not the correct medical term for a developmental or cognitive condition though and so there should be no excuse.

I hear 'female' multiple times daily. It's always as an adjective but I can't help but think of the ferengi anyway.

 

[MGibster]

n the US, “r” was the formal, respectful, preferred, and correct term for decades. E.g, ARC, a major organization helping people with this disability, had “R” meaning what you think it means. But it was nevertheless used as an insult, so things eventually changed and the nice word became unnice.

It's the euphemism treadmill. It's when a word that was once acceptable becomes associated with or acquires a negative connotation. Idiot, imbecile, and moron used to be words you would use to describe someone's whose mental acuity was below norm. While in graduate school, I read an article published in 1927 where the author defended a man by point blankly saying he was a "moron not an imbecile."

I laugh sometimes at the treadmill because it's kind of silly, but language changes and I try to keep up with the times. I might refer to males and females, but only together. These days I would never say, "Female employees" because a lot of people are going to tense up in a way they wouldn't if I referred to male employees. And for good reason too, as others have pointed out female is often used as a way to dehumanize women these days.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

It's the euphemism treadmill. It's when a world that was once acceptable becomes associated with or acquires a negative connotation. Idiot, imbecile, and moron used to be words you would use to describe someone's whose mental acuity was below norm. While in graduate school, I read an article published in 1927 where the author defended a man by point blankly saying he was a "moron not an imbecile."

I laugh sometimes at the treadmill because it's kind of silly, but language changes and I try to keep up with the times. I might refer to males and females, but only together. These days I would never say, "Female employees" because a lot of people are going to tense up in a way they wouldn't if I referred to male employees. And for good reason too, as others have pointed out female is often used as a way to dehumanize women these days.

This is 100% correct.

And to me, it means that there is a futility to fighting language use, when the issue will always be the underlying cause.*

However, that's not an excuse for using offensive language. Language changes, and is contextual, and we need to remember that it's about communication. We use it communicate meaning- to our audience (the message). But it conveys a lot more as well. It can say something about the speaker.

The main thing is I to remember that everyone wants to be treated with respect. So I try to make sure that I use words that reflect and show them that respect. Except bards, of course.


*A less controversial example of this is the constant treadmill of corporate obfusca-speak for firing people. They are constantly switching the euphemisms because it's not the word, it's the action.

 

[MGibster]

*A less controversial example of this is the constant treadmill of corporate obfusca-speak for firing people. They are constantly switching the euphemisms because it's not the word, it's the action.

At work, I used to send out a memo of changes to employment every two weeks to various managers and employee groups. This would list all the people who were newly hired, all promotions, and all terminations (never with details on why someone was terminated though). In HR language, a termination simply means the person is no longer employed. They might have retired, decided to go back to school, got a job somewhere else, or they might have been fired for cause. i.e. Termination is a neutral word.

One day, I get an email from the senior vice president HR reported to directing us to change termination to separation in the memo. Termination sounded too negative and he wanted to soften things up by calling it a separation. The VP of HR, the guy I reported up to directly through the chain of command, gave me call and jokingly said, "Why don't we just call it 'buh-bye' instead of separation?"

Honestly, it can be difficult trying to keep up with how language changes or even with semiotics. I used to have a Revolutionary War era flag hanging in my office until it became associated with a political movement here in the United States. What went from a quirky historical decoration had turned into a political statement so I took it down to avoid sending the wrong message to others.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Honestly, it can be difficult trying to keep up with how language changes or even with semiotics. I used to have a Revolutionary War era flag hanging in my office until it became associated with a political movement here in the United States. What went from a quirky historical decoration had turned into a political statement so I took it down to avoid sending the wrong message to others.

A long time ago, I bought two flags when I was in college. I bought both of them because I thought they looked really cool. And they did! One of them was hanging in a window.

Some time later, I was told that the one hanging in the window? It was associated with .... let's just say terrible people.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

"Termination" definitely sounds to me like being fired.

Or alternatively:

In any case, I'm sure that soon enough, the robots will be taking care of both.

 

[Autumnal]

Nitpicking correction:

“A is re*rded” was for a long time a formal diagnosis.

“A is a re*rd” was, as far as I know, always a vulgarity, just a widely tolerated one for a long time.

And of course now both are deprecated.

 

[MGibster]

"Termination" definitely sounds to me like being fired.

We do categorize reasons for termination.

Termination > Voluntary > Other Job
Termination > Involuntary > Workforce Reduction
Termination > Voluntary > Retirement
Termination > Involuntary > Performance
Termination > Involuntary > Gross Misconduct
Termination > Voluntary > Moving
Termination > Involuntary > Death
Termination > Voluntary > Education

“A is re*rded” was for a long time a formal diagnosis.

I find it odd that people can't even type it out. I get not calling people the word, but it's odd to me that it's deemed so bad around here that you can't even type it out. I'm not typing it out only because I'm unsure whether it's actually a forbidden word here regardless of the context.

 

[Autumnal]

It’s a fairly brutal insult. A lot of people with developmental disabilities want it to be as shameful as racial slurs. So do a bunch of people who don’t have developmental disabilities but have been targeted by it. Like me.

 

[PHATsakk43]

A long time ago, I bought two flags when I was in college. I bought both of them because I thought they looked really cool. And they did! One of them was hanging in a window.

Some time later, I was told that the one hanging in the window? It was associated with .... let's just say terrible people.

As a white, cis-, het-, 45-year-old dude from NC, I also had a flag pinned to my bedroom ceiling as a kid that I definitely would not have today. I think the difference between me and someone trying to either deny or justify the attitude built-in to D&D is that I’m not trying to convince anyone that my “Battle Flag of Northern Virginia” was somehow “okay” in 1995 but not today. It was never okay. I wasn’t quite as aware of how much it offended people, but I wasn’t ignorant of its context either.

As to the particular topic, well, even as a member of the target audience at the time, I felt the sexualization and objectification was ridiculous in the 80s & 90s TSR stuff (the “Women of Fantasy” calendars were sold through at least 1994) and, honestly, they weren’t cool, but cringe.

Like, that was the stuff that I actually hated about the game, even as a puberty stricken teen, I didn’t want to be seen with that sort of stuff. It was not just objectifying, but it also looked like the kinda stuff a guy who had zero chance of getting a girl to talk to would have. Incel wasn’t a term, but you definitely would not associate “chick magnet” with the dude who has the TSR “1993 Women of Fantasy” calendar.

As for bards, bards rule. EZ-E and Dolly Parton are bards. The Nature Boy Ric Flair is a bard.

I think people don’t like PC classes that can’t be villains, and I’ve seen more paladins as the BBEG than bards.