Words can be powerful. They can change lives and societies. There are many ways that words can be used. Words can be used out of its original context in ways that can offend or hurt people. Words hold weight in ways that many people cannot imagine. In today’s society many people call each other names and using words without knowing its true meaning and how a word evolved to its so called “new meaning”. The words I decided to focus on are commonly used in our society and can be offensive to many: retard, faggot, or fag. I chose these words to shed light on how they are used, taken out of context, and inconsiderately neglected by how others abuse its terminology.
What’s a retard? The word ‘Retard’ is used to mean relatively slow in mental, emotional or physical development. This word appeared first in Middle English in 1400 (dictionary.com). This word has changed between 1400 and now in a way that is used to demean a person’s character and mind set. What is interesting about the use of the word retard or retarded is that it commonly used in society and has in some cases has become the word of choice within many individuals speech. Frustration of having to take an exam or talking about people is usually attached with using this word out of context, which is pointless and offensive. The fact that this word is said regularly toward and amongst individuals brings my attention to Labeling Theory. According to Howard Becker he says “The deviant is one to whom that label is successfully been applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label” (Becker, 1991, 39). If a person says something or acts in a certain way that is frowned upon by another person, they can be labeled. A person who is most likely to use the phrase ‘retard’ or ‘retarded’ is someone who is ignorant and thoughtless to those who have disabilities. The underling construction of the word retarded is that people are mentally slow and incapable of doing something that others are able to do. The word is in many ways compared to being called dumb or stupid because it also gives the label that one is incapable or lacks an ability to do certain things (The Power of Words, Blog 3, 2012).
The community impacted by the “r word” is those who are considered physically or mentally challenged. Being called retarded is also similar to the phrase “That’s gay”. Another theory that comes to mind in relation to this issue is the Shaming Theory. A person can be perceived as deviant because of an act or behavior, which is tied into stigmatization. John Braithwaite mentions that shaming means all social processes of expressing disapproval that has the effect of provoking remorse in the individual being condemned by others who become aware of the shaming (Braithwaite 1989,34). Many people view this community as “retarded” and “stupid” automatically when that is not the case. The clip below shows how offensive words can be and how we need to be careful of the words we choose to use when speaking to or around other people. The members of the relevant community show that this word needs to stop being used.
I personally have grown to understand that being called retarded or retard is not acceptable to this community, even though society may view them that way. I have a relative who is a part of this community (The Power of Words, Blog 4, 2012). And I can say he fits in just fine with society without a needing label. The norms that are socially constructed in this country have made individuals think ignorant, selfish and careless. That way of thinking does not make issues better. A message from Wanda Sykes brings attention to this. The clip below relates to this issue also, though it is another phrase commonly used. Not realizing what we say is insulting to other individuals. Case and point, phrases like “That’s so retarded” or “What a retard” are phrases that hurt people’s feelings and put them down (The Power of Words, Blog 4, 2012). . People need to watch their words and think of those they will affect before they say it.
The other word I wanted to focus on in depth is the word ‘Fag’ or ‘Faggot’, which refers to a homosexual male. Now it is a generic term of contempt, roughly equivalent to, "I'm a better man than you are and, on a side note, you look somewhat effeminate!" (UrbanDictionary.com). I regard to the history of this word, the origin of faggot, the word for a bundle of sticks, is unknown (UrbanDictionary.com). The English word comes from the French fagot and there is a cognate in Italian fagotto, so there may be some common Latin root (Wordorgins.org). But if so, it has been lost (Wordorgins.org). The current connotations of this word are to either put down a male who is seen as acting to feminine or acting in a way that is not masculine enough for certain individuals. Many people can use this word offensively towards others who consider themselves to be gay or lesbian. Those who are more likely to use the word out of context are heterosexual males and even females who hate or dislike homosexuals and those who prefer a certain life styles. To shed some insight on how this word and how it can be used in certain ways, below is a video clip of comedian Chris Rock. Chris Rock gives a humorous but honest example on the context of how the word ‘fag’ can be used and how people need to watch what they say and how they say it.
The underlying social constructions of this word as mention before are aimed at individuals who are homosexual or even straight heterosexual men who act feminine, and may tend to like or do things that are not considered masculine. This reminds me back when I was in high school where name calling and joking with others was common. There were many students who were careless about others feelings and were disrespectful to people who were considered outcasts. I can remember there being one fight about every two weeks in my school. Something that has stuck with since high school was when my friend Andrew was called multiple names by other male students during gym class. Not very many people knew he was gay, and those that did kept quiet. Andrew was not the best athlete, but he caught on to sports very quick. That day in gym we were playing basketball and Andrew had cost his team the game. Because of this he was called a fag, a queer, and pussy for his style of play. I will never forget the look on his face when he was called all those names. I can tell it tore him up inside. A few days later I noticed Andrew had not been in class for a few days. When he eventually returned to class and the same guys made fun of him after another loss while playing a competitive sport. I can remember these guys calling him the same names as before. Unexpected, Andrew stood up to the guys and simply said he was comfortable with who they said he was. The response was priceless and something I will never forget. It was like he was completely at calm with who he was and did not care about what others thought anymore. I say that to say this, words to have an affect on people.
Andrew’s situation can easily be related toward Labeling Theory. Instead I feel that Michael Kimmel and Matthew Mahler’s article What Triggers School Shootings relates to this as well. Kimmel and Mahler mention some interesting problems that kids face, and what causes kids to lose it. Kimmel and Mahler say “The impact of homophobia is felt not only by gay lesbian students but also by heterosexuals who are targeted by their peers for constant harassment, bullying, and gay baiting. In many cases, gay baiting is “misdirected” at heterosexual youth who may be somewhat gender nonconforming. This fact is clearly evidenced in many of the accounts we have gathered of the shootings”. (Kimmel, Mahler, 2003, 78). Even with being called names and being harassed Andrew kept his calm and accepted what he was despite what others thought of him.
The communities who are impacted by the word faggot are the LGBT community, and even heterosexuals. There has been some debate over the use of the word from the LGBT community. According to Mara Keisling and Randall Jenson in their debate If LGBT Community Should Use Words Like 'Faggot' And 'Tranny', they mention “While some maintain that the words should be avoided at all costs because of how stigmatizing and demoralizing they can be, others believe that the words lose their negative associations and become empowering when they are reclaimed by LGBT people”. (Huffington Post, 2012). This is very typical for both sides of the argument. Some people want to not use the words and others do not find anything wrong with using it. This also is in many ways related to race and the use of the ‘n’ word among African Americans.
I consider myself to be African American, and when it comes to the ‘n’ word I choose not to use it because I feel that there is no reason for its use. My parents did not raise me to use such words. I grew up in a strict Christian home and that had an influence on how wisely I chose to speak my words. My cousins and black friends use the word all the time and it never offends me because I know not to perceive it as aimed directly towards me. On the other side of using this word, other individuals may use it as a way of expression. If a white person says the word it is viewed as racism or it can also be taking into the context of trying to act black. When black people use the word it can be taken as an expression or offensive term depending on how it is said. Both words are offensive to many but others people do not see the harm in calling an individual this name because of choice. To illustrate what I mean, below is a clip from poet Julian Curry on the ‘n’ word. Curry breaks down the use of the word in many forms and how it has shaped America and the African American culture. Another clip that I came across is one opinion of a person who opposes the use of the word gay and faggot. He explains the reasons why it should not be used.
In conclusion, I chose to research on the two words retard and faggot because I never knew the history, extent, and full context of how the word can be used. There is no doubt that these words are powerful and impact lives people are careless to consider. Let us remember that people have been murdered, harassed, bullied, beat up, demoted, discharged, fired and emotionally traumatized because of the use of the words in which we speak. This country has had a history of troubled times which has shaped who we are as a nation. It is important to know the history of where words originally come from and focus on how they became a different meaning in society today. These words can be meant to target deviant behaviors and the characteristics of individuals who do not fit the norms of this society. In the film Tough Guise, Jackson Katz does a great job discussing the differences and changes in the true meaning of what it means to be masculine. He also goes further to mention that society and media place a standard on males to put pressure on other males to maintain their masculine standard. The beginning of this film starts out by showing what happens to guys if they do not meet masculine standard. They guys all responded by saying they would be called names. The weight of words has become controversial and can become a problem for all those who are offended no matter what sexual orientation or race you are. If we all stop and take a moment to understand that words are powerful, and watch what it is we say, the problem may improve.
Word Count: 2079
Work Cited/ References
Becker, Howard S. Labeling Theory. Chapter 7. Readings Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
Braithwaite, John. Shaming Theory. Chapter 6. Readings Deviant Behavior. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/retardation
http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/more/285/
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fag
Jhally Sut, Katz Jackson. Tough Guise (Unabridged) Violence, Media & the Crisis in Masculinity, 1999).
Lightner, Rod. The Power of Words, Blog Post 3, 2012.
Keisling Mara, Jenson Randall. If LGBT Community Should Use Words Like 'Faggot' And 'Tranny'. Huffingon Post. 2012.
Kimmel Michael and Mahler Matthew. Chapter 13, What Triggers School Shootings. Calhoun, Conyers and Thio. 2010. Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA
