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'
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
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