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Date:         Fri, 17 Dec 1999 13:01:57 -0500
Reply-To:     Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject:      context- Comments on 'words to avoid'
Comments: To: Ron Lussier <coyote@andromedia.com>

Want to make something clear for all cause I've received a couple lil' e-mails...

This wee list of mine is not meant as moral guidance, nor is it meant to be all inclusive, so other offensive words (like bitch, n*gger, etc.) are not included. This list is used to review marketing/change communication: web content, speeches, brochures, white papers, presentations, and such. Most folks would never write a speech, and include 'bitch' or "fat body". I *have* seen many of the others on my list, including 'milk toasty', referring to some effeminate colleagues in a predominantly male org., and the phrase (in a speech to a board of directors) "feeling like we got gypped/jipped".

Gotta go:

G. Matthew Bulley Bulley-Hewlett Corporate Communications Counselors www.bulley-hewlett.com Cary, NC USA 888.468.4880 tollfree

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-----Original Message----- From: Ron Lussier [SMTP:coyote@andromedia.com] Sent: Friday, December 17, 1999 12:16 PM To: 'Bulley'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Comments on 'words to avoid'

Hey, it's Friday!

> Here's the list, no offense: > [...] > Jip as in: 'he jipped me!' > Gypsy, Gyp, as above

I was amazed and appalled when I first learned that 'jip' was short for 'gypsy'. I used to use that term all the time!

> Diesel > Dyke

I don't think that 'Diesel' is offensive unless followed by 'dyke', though most dykes are calling themselves that nowadays. Like 'faggot', a lot of this is in the context. If you angrily call someone 'hey, you ugly dyke' then it's offensive. If you casually mention 'I'm going out with my dyke friends' it's not, at least here in San Francisco.

> Fag, faggot

Gay men are a lot more touchy about 'faggot' when coming from straight folks. Perhaps it's because most of us got taunted with that term in elementary school ('dyke' wasn't common when I was growing up.) It can be used between friends, sort of like 'nigger' amongst black folks.

> Milk-toast

This is way dated. If anyone called me that I'd laugh at them. If you're including dated terms, why didn't you add 'bull-dagger'?

> Homo

This will probably always be offensive. It *sounds* offensive, doesn't it? Short, grunty. You sound like a Neanderthal saying it.

> Fairy

Treat like 'faggot'. Okay amongst friends, not when talking about a third party, unless you don't like them.

I notice you ommitted 'bitch'. This term is another that can be used affectionately, but in other contexts is offensive. Actually, it may be offensive to women when gay men call one another 'you bitch!'.

Coyote . : . '. . : . .' -- ._ '._.-'''-._.' _. Ron 'Coyote' Lussier '-..' '..-' Macromedia, Inc. coyote@macromedia.com --._ /.==. .==.\ _.-- San Francisco, CA 1.415.365.6467 ;/_o__\ /_o__\; 1991 Vanagon Syncro -----|` ) ( `|----- Westfalia _: \_) (\_/) (_/ ;_ --' \ '._.=._.' / '-- _.-''. '._.' .''-._ ' .''-.(_).-''. ' Joyous .' ' : ' '. Solstice! ' : ' '


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