this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2024
22 points (92.3% liked)

Asklemmy

44115 readers
860 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy πŸ”

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

  1. Open-ended question
  2. Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
  3. Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
  4. Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
  5. An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_[email protected]~

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
top 11 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 months ago

Does the term describe yourself? If not, you haven't reclaimed it.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 months ago

If you have to ask, probably don't use it.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 3 months ago

Language is constantly evolving. There is no clear line. New words are added, meanings change, and it depends on the intent of the speaker too.

However as a mater of practice I choose to never assume it has been reclaimed. It's always possible that someone hasn't received the update.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago

If you're not part of the group, then don't use it. I'd say maybe the only exception is "queer". I'm fine with people using queer to describe their friends and family who are queer. Not everyone is OK with it though, but it's pretty common. With queer, don't use it unless the person you're talking to self identifies as queer.

[–] xmunk 8 points 3 months ago

You don't.

As much as we might like to say terms can be reclaimed the judge of that is the listener... you need to comprehend how all the people you're talking to or who hear your words repeated will feel about it - just avoid derogatory terms.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Has that ever actually worked? Cause I know no examples of universally "reclaimed" words. Just some that are fine if you strictly use them to refer to yourself.

[–] erusuoyera 22 points 3 months ago (1 children)

"Queer" is probably the only one that has (mostly?) been.

[–] southsamurai 4 points 3 months ago

Yeah, it's now a term that people request they be referred to as by others, not just in group.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

When you see someone write it on the back of their jacket and saying β€œit’s cool, we’re taking it back” whenever someone calls it out.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

My grandmother had the utmost respect for Jewish people.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

reclaimed or nullified?