Rep. Eli Crane used the derogatory phrase in describing his proposed amendment to a military bill. Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty asked that his words be stricken from the record.

    • asteriskeverything@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      1 year ago

      The logic behind this change is that it puts the PERSON first. You’re first and foremost a person, and then after that you’re using a descriptor. Usually this terminology is used to be collective of anyone not white, because it’s used in context of the unique experiences that anyone not white has to navigate all their life, at least in US. Examples such as people of color are more likely to be pulled over by police, people of color have a harder time finding makeup that suits their skin tone, etc.

      If you’re just talking about an individual or a group without that context it’s much more common to hear them just referred to as black, or whatever ethnicity they are, if its even relevant.

      I know it can all feel arbitrary when words are suddenly not okay anymore, but I think it is because these acceptable terms for marginalized people eventually get used so often in a hateful context, they may try to adopt a new term. I mean many women now cringe hard and go on alert for red flags whenever they see women referred to as female, maybe can’t even stand it anymore despite the context, because it has been so consistently used by a very specific type of person.

  • EvilHaitianEatingYourCat@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    1 year ago

    Not a native English speaker here. I had to scroll comments to even understand what’s the problem. i still don’t understand what’s that “mega substantial difference” between “colored people” and “people of color”. That’s like, literally, grammatically the same. Sorry guys you are just trying hard to set yourself apart from that moron.

    • Xerø@infosec.pub
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      You just admitted that English isn’t your native language, and you probably aren’t an African American. So this is one of those things you are just not going to get. It comes down to more than just the language, it’s the shared history that gives those words the weight they carry. And you can choose to privately be insensitive to that history, but publicly you don’t have to say everything you think.

    • Muchtall@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      arrow-down
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      It’s because liberal politicians here in the U.S. love to play games with words. When a word or phrase doesn’t fit their political motives, they change the word or the definition of the word. There are literally words that we can’t say in the US due to “politically correct” pressures, but if you were in any other part of the world, the same words would be perfectly acceptable. The “negative connotations” are completely overblown by the same people who wield the power of cancel culture.

      • Nezgul@reddthat.com
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        1 year ago

        Yeah! Kinda like how those liberals try to cancel people for wearing make-up and putting on a wig! Or for kneeling! Or for playing Dungeons and Dragons! Or reading Harry Potter! Or going to the bathroom! Or eating mustard! Or wearing beige suits!

        These damn liberals!!!

        • Muchtall@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          0
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          Oh. I didn’t realize the term for pedophilic perversion had changed to “wearing makeup”. My bad. I wasn’t keeping up with the latest terminology. Please don’t cancel me.