#slur reclamation

[randomcartoonbro]

Heya!! My top surgery consultation is right around the corner and I still need a bit of financial help to pay for the surgery, so I've added some new designs to my RB to help with that :D . If you're a fellow queer punk, I think you'll enjoy these. If not, there's other softer designs up there too that might suit your fancy! Check it out!

[cripplecharacters]

Probably not an ask you'd likely get I assume, but...what re your thoughts on people using the word "delulu"? What exactly does it mean to say that?

I'm asking because it almost feels like a slur, but most people who use is are disabled, so idk what to personally think of it

Hello,

Okay, so before I get into answering this, warning for uncensored use of ableist slurs, though briefly and to compare histories.

Objectively, yes, "delulu" is a slur. A slur is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as an insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation or a derogatory or insulting term applied to particular group of people. When using the firts definition, the word "delulu," derived from delusional and meant to act as though someone is merely delusion rather than being worthy of being listened to, using the misrepresentation and incorrect public image of people whoe experience delusions to discredit the person they're attacking. In calling someone "delulu," they're basically using a medical symptom as an isult. It basically says "This person is severely mentally ill with delusions that make them paranoid (or other things,) so they have absolutely zero valid points and we should not listen to them at all." They compare people they don't like to a stigmatized group to both drag the person they're arguing down and to further perpetuate the stereotypes around delusions and thus impacting the lives of people who have them.

When using the second definition, it's a bit more complicated. My research has showed that, while some people who have delusions are fine with the word or even use it to refer to themselves, it's generally seen as an ableist insult when used by an abled person against them. For example, like how the term cripple is regarded by the cripplepunk community- we can use it, maybe even to describe ourselves, because we know the weight and struggles behind that word. When someone who isn't physically disabled uses the word, they don't ususally, if ever, understand the history behind the word and what it used to be used for, as a weapon against the physically disabled.

"Delulu" is a slur, yes, but it's not yet a major one. It's a very new thing and, while it certainly has done damage to the community, doesn't hold the same weight in innocent blood as a lot of the bigger slurs do. Cripple and retard have some incredibly disturbing history and a horrific amount of innocent blood spilled using them because they've been around for so long. "Delulu" is only one of many pop psychology terms that are becoming slurs when used by those to whom they don't apply (for example, the term brain-damaged is quickly becoming a word used against people with TBIs, and is slowly becoming something people without TBIs are learning they shouldn't use, but those of us in the TBI community can use it should we so choose.) I don't know if they could progress to the same severity as cripple and retard due to how different medical science is today, but I think everyone would rather not take that chance.

Anything that uses a sign, symptom, or name of a mental disorder as an insult is a slur. Such as the word autistic in certain contexts. It's very much not a slur on its own, but when used by one person to insult another, it becomes a slur. If you see a weird word like that, or a psychology term being used like that, it's probably being used as a slur.

Other things you might want to look out for are the context behind people using words like narcissist, psychopath, sociopath, deranged, psychotic, compulsive/pathological liar, etc- those are the ones I see most often being used in ableist ways (at least the only ones I'm allowed to say,) because they're easy to villainize. If they're basically anyone other than someone with the corresponding disorder who's using the term to refer to themselves or the comunity should be considered untrustworthy until you can find a legitimate, science-backed reason for them to say what they did, and as long as they aren't misusing the terms and speculating on what shouldn't be speculated about, like the mental health of people they don't know and can't possibly accurately diagnose. It's best to avoid using signs, symptoms, and conditions as insults, even when replaced by cutesy terms (delulu, restarted, aucoustic, etc.) Tha's basically turning that word into a slur and one really shouldn't do that.

When in doubt, take a step back.

Mod Aaron

[demetriandelibinaryboyfriends]

Hi happy pride month to them and them only

[maive-the-sheep]

I will never FEEL affective empathy.

I will never FEEL guilt or shame.

I will never FEEL compassion or sympathy.

Just like my mom, dad, mom's mom, aunts and uncles and cousins, and more.

So many in our family seem incapable, no matter how well raised.

Yet my ACTIONS are more GOOD then the average person that says they feel so much affective empathy, care, compassion, guilt

Think of it. People's guilt can trick them to thinking they are good just because they feel bad...even if they don't put in the effort to improve, keep doing the harm.

People's empathy can make them overwhelmed by suffering to the point they either do nothing or outright push for "quick fix" to stop seeing it, like removal of benches or spikes cause homeless.

People's compassion gives thoughts and prayers more so then helpful actions.

I on the other hand feel powerful helping someone when i knew without me likely no help or suffer worse (like by peoples bad advice)

I see the long term prisoners dilemma and know it's in my selfish hearted interest...to act helpfully, forgiving, but not a pushover. Transport, science, art, knowledge, stability, less death, garbage cleaning, economic stability. Long term for it all and how all connected means i ACT helpful and kind will always result in benefits i want. And I'm not slowed down by FEELING those things.

I may be the "psychopath" as I've been so called cause genetic aspd. But all that matters is ACTIONS.

Your EMOTIONS do not make you good or bad, they just are.

And appearing and viewed as good are much different then acting good acts.

[crazycatsiren]

Regular reminder that "gypsy" is for Romani people to reclaim, not for you, white witches, to use to feel cool.

[crippled-peeper]

ID: #i think it’s cause it feels fucked up to say people with deformities or differences are freaks #even if you’re a saying you love them

why do you feel this way about people with deformities and not anybody else reclaiming “freak”? why is it ok for trans, autistic, or mentally ill people to “reclaim” “freak” but not physically disabled people who are deformed and who historically and currently called “freaks”?

I am called a freak and a cripple all the time. I should be allowed to reclaim that just as much as I can reclaim “faggot” and still love myself. I am sorry that it makes you uncomfortable but reclaiming slurs is not an exclusive thing for ablebodied queers and neurodivergents

[pixeljade]

Queer Fact Of The Day: "FAGGOT GENDER" is a valid troll name

[absolutelybatty]

The four at pride in a neighboring city! Neil had to work and couldn't join, unfortunately.

[nadankurchak]

палiтра / ukrainian palitra flag!

this flag is an ukrainian-specific flag for queer people who reclaim the slur palitra! palitra is a queerphobic slur from russian internet meaning palette, referring to queer flags resembling color palettes this flag was inspired by the notable ukrainian artist марiя примаченко (mariya prymachenko)! this flag was made with ukrainian people in mind, but anyone can use!

[doctorr-ivo-robotnik]

Fuck the bi/pan phones, you can say it

-⭐️

Good.

[theravenflies]

My take on people reclaiming the r slur, as someone with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Warning, I will be referring to a racial slur in this post. It will be censored.

The r slur means slow. It is made specifically to mock "slow" people like me, people with a specific group of disabilities that impair us in a very specific way. Unless you are someone who is slow, that word does not apply to you and your cannot reclaim it. Honestly, even I hesitate to say it because while I have one of those specific disabilities, I am not intellectually disabled and so my ability to use that slur, to me, is not promised and I do not want to offend.

"Who are you to tell me I can't reclaim a slur used on me?"

Okay, so here's the thing. I'm Irish. Back in the day, racists used to call the Irish white n-words. That slur has been used against the Irish just as the r slur has been used against you. For the Irish, people hurled the meanest thing they could think of at us, and to them, comparing us to Black people was the worst thing they could possibly do. Similarly, ableists have referred to you as the r slur because they think that comparing you to people with intellectual disability is the worst possible insult they can hurl in your direction. Are you following?

Do the Irish have the right to reclaim the n-word just because it was used against us to "insult" us by comparing us to Black people? No, of course not. Because even though that word was used against us, it's a slur against Black people. Irish people who aren't Black don't get to reclaim that slur. Only Black people can reclaim it.

Similarly, if a straight man who was just a bit too queer-looking is bullied and called the f slur, because comparing him to gay people is the worst insult his bullies can think of, does he have the right to reclaim the f slur? No. The slur doesn't apply to him. It's been hurled in his direction but at the end of the day, he isn't gay. Just like the Irish aren't Black, and you are not intellectually disabled.

The r slur was made specifically to target people with intellectual disability. Outside of people with intellectual disability, there are very few groups to whom that word applies.

You can't reclaim a slur that doesn't apply to you. Even if it was used against you, there's a difference between being insulted by being compared to someone like me and actually having that word hurled at you because you are like me. I'm sorry people were ableist to you, but that's not your slur to reclaim. There are ones that apply to you. Ableists were very thorough. Please reclaim one that applies to you.

[cripplecharacters]

Why do you use the term "cripple" in your url? Isn't that offensive? (I've had that aimed at me, and it was very hurtful /physicallydisabled)

Hello,

It's reclaiming it.

Most, if not all, of the mods for this blog are physically disabled. You're right, the word is a slur, it's offensive, and it shouldn't be used by abled people after all of the times it's been used by them to hurt us. However, some people like those of us in the cripplepunk movement, have decided to take that word that's caused the community so much pain and turn it into a source of power. It's taking the power out of the word, kind of. Heck yeah I'm a cripple, you can't hurt me with that word anymore.

Of course, you always, absolutely, 100% have the right to find that word offensive and hurtful with all of the times it's been turned against our community and against you. You have every right to not want to apply the word to yourself or have others apply it to you. Us here, though, we have a different way of dealing with this word.

We're reclaiming it.

Mod Aaron

[timsstims]

Handsome Jack calls you a faggot board /schröjoke 🪳

[ ♪ ] Liar / Korn

if you squint close enough it looks like he’s saying “youre a faggot”

[magnetothemagnificent]

You can't simultaneously reclaim a slur and then insist it's not a slur. A word has to be a slur to begin with for you to "reclaim" it. I'm all for reclaiming "queer" if you want to, I call myself queer, but you can't then also spread misinformation that it's not a slur and never was. If it's not a slur, then you're not reclaiming anything.

I'm a Jew. I call myself a kike. Proudly. But I would never insist that because I and other Jews are comfortable using it to describe ourselves, that it's no longer a slur.

I think some of you are so caught up in the euphoria of your own reclamation that you recoil when others don't have the same euphoria. But it's perfectly normal to not have the same experiences. Someone saying "hey, please don't call me this word, I'm uncomfortable with it" isn't oppressing you just as much as you aren't oppressing someone for saying "hey, I like this word, please call me this word".

You will encounter people who call themselves "queer" but not "gay", "gay" but not "queer", "faggot" but not "queer", etc etc. And this diversity of experience is beautiful and important.

And this doesn't even touch on the fact that the social context and gravity of certain words are different in different regions and countries, and insisting that everyone abide by one region (read: Northern USA)'s definition and context of a word is extremely American-centric and paternalistic.

Not everyone should have the same relationship to different words. Diversity is important, otherwise it just becomes an echo chamber.

[bi-dykes]

Bi dykes and bihets are going to break into your house and steal your lava lamp (as we should) There is no insult or slur that you can throw at us that’ll change the fact that we are bisexual <3

note: bihet is just reclaiming the insult, it is not an identity or romantic/sexual orientation. bisexuals are not hets <3

bi dyke flag made by @dykenotdeer

bihet insult-reclaimed flag made by @femmebis

[stormy-caffeine]

Term and flag are not mine! Posting for term visibility only. Originally coined by LGBTA Wiki user Mineshaft on 1/15/22. Info carrd by coiner found here.

Pansyian / Pansyic

"Pansyic is the exclusive attraction to men and to any nonbinary people who aren't women, majority woman-aligned, female-aligned, or woman-related. Or in simpler terms, nonwomen exclusively loving other nonwomen. A Panysian is someone who is Pansyic.

Please note that: Feminine-aligned people are included in Pansyic!"

Defined on the LGBTA wiki as: "Pansyic, also known as pansyian, refers to any binary men, men-aligned or non-woman-aligned non-binary individuals who are exclusively attracted to other men or non-women-aligned nonbinary individuals."

Pansyian is an exclusive equivalent to Floric.

Flag Meaning

Dark blue-grey represents love for all body types (bears, twinks, otters, and wolves).

Light blue represents masculinity.

Green represents the historical significance of green carnations in LGBTQ+ history and panysians who are on the aromantic spectrum.

Off white represents anyone underneath the trans umbrella, gender non-comformity, and pronoun non-conformity.

Salmon pink represents femininity, femmes, and love.

Lighter purple represents the history behind lavender flowers in LGBTQ+ history, androgyny, and pansyians who are on the asexual spectrum.

Dark purple represents diversity and community.