Greetings STARFLEET,
Language and society co-evolved, and the language we use today reflects that. That’s why sexism is prevalent in everyday speech in the U.S. today. In fact, many people do not realize how sexist everyday language is.
Some of these sexist linguistic items are subtle. Take the word hysterical, for example. The word is rooted in ancient Greek when medicine stated that a woman’s uterus wanders throughout the body causing problems. The term existed in various eras and was used to confine or kill women.
Hysterical or in hysterics is a subtle example of everyday language that only seems to apply to women. Others like frigid and perky also seem innocuous but have roots that identify them as sexist towards women.
More prominent examples exist, of course. The phrase ‘hit like a girl’ implies that women are weak and incapable of fighting. It’s commonly used as an insult and heard on the primary school playground, indicating just how early sexism starts.
Another example is b*tch, which society has used to describe women doing something against convention since the 1400s. Yet it’s still used in common parlance in phrases like ‘hurts like a b*tch’ or ‘b*tchfest’ if it’s not used to describe women directly.
Yet another term that pops up is pussified. In modern parlance, it refers to someone who has gone soft or changed due to the presence of a woman. It still implies that the female genitalia is an insult.
Some of these terms are currently under reclamation, so some people use them. However, it still means that the words should not slip out in everyday conversation, especially not as insults.
By becoming conscious of the sexism in everyday speech, we can create a better environment on our ships and across the fleet. After all, the words we use tell people a lot about who we are and what we stand for.
Be Kind, STARFLEET.
While in itself something of a short list, it does imply other words and phrases as well. Just…be mindful of what you say, and work on changing the way you think. 🙂
When referring to “pusification”, that is based on the Latin word “pusillanimous” which was meant “showing a lack of courage”. Referring to female genitalia, well, that didn’t develop until the 19th century. Either way, neither use of the word is considered polite. Quite frankly, I have my moments of being vulgar, and I do try to exercise a degree of discretion and diplomacy from time to time.
I do consider myself a student of George Carlin. Not only was he funny as hell, but he had an outstanding outlook on words. Words are not good or bad in their own right. It is the intent behind the person who is using those words. There are two parts of communication, speaking and hearing. There are also two different meanings to what is being said; What the person intended to convey, and what the person wound up receiving. Sometimes they align perfectly, sometimes they are slightly askew, and sometimes there is a wide disparity.
Part of the major disparity we have between viewpoints is we tend to entrench ourselves in the bastion that we are for what is good and noble, and anyone who doesn’t agree is rooted in everything that is wrong and evil in this world.