Blog Post 3: Deviant Blogging & The Importance of Language

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Language evolves. The meanings of words change over time. In the image above, the word "gay" meant happy, and the rainbow did not have the same connotations it does now. Words, and how they are used, are another example of social constructions. The meaning of the same word can vary over time, by location, by context, and by the person saying/hearing it.

For your third blog post, you will be looking at blogs written by people who have been labeled deviant, and you will teach us what they think about language. Not language in general, but how some words that relate to deviant labels have value attached to them. Some groups are asking us to stop using certain words (such as "the r word"), while other groups are reclaiming (often called reappropriating) words (such as "queer"). For your post, you will research the history of a word or phrase, and find out deviant bloggers (members of deviant communities) are saying about that word. These words or phrases could have come from identities or assumptions about gender, race, class, sexuality, gender identity, occupation, ability level, size, or anything else that marks a person or group as "other" from the default.

If you think about most of the insults we throw around at each other, they can often be traced back to a group or status that is considered "deviant" in our culture. When we do not like something, we may call it "lame." That word, as innocuous as it seems, has a meaning--to be lame is to have difficulty walking. So when you say something is lame, you are referring to a physicality that would fall under the umbrella of disability.



Think about the word in the image above--gay. To be gay meant to be happy (well, it still does), but in the 1940s (according to the Online Entomology Dictionary) it started to also be used as slang for homosexual. If you look at the word "gay" now, it is a pretty safe word to use to talk about someone who identifies as a gay male--and in fact is considered "more updated" language than calling someone homosexual. But some members of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning) community feel that calling anyone in the community "gay" is lumping everyone together too much, because it erases gender and individual identities (such as lesbian, and bisexual) and one's gender identity (e.g. being transgender) has NOTHING to do with their sexual orientation (such as gay, lesbian or bisexual). You also very frequently hear "that's so gay" used as an insult, so there are several campaigns asking people to stop using "gay" in a negative way. So for some people, "gay" has been reclaimed as a positive word. But for others, "gay" should only be used to describe gay men, and is otherwise insulting, and for others still, "gay" should only be used in reference to someone's sexual identity, and only in positive or neutral ways.



We have read (or will read) two articles that may help get you thinking about the emotions and power behind language: the article by Kelly Osbourne, and the post about ableist language. There are articles and debates all over the blogosphere about reclaiming words, such as this post about reclaiming the word "slut" and this encyclopedia entry on the reclaiming of "Jesus Freak" among Christian youth.

For your blog post, choose a word or phrase that is currently, or has been, used in the United States an insult that refers to a group that is perceived as deviant. You have seen examples in class, or you can listen around for ideas, or feel free to come talk to me. You could also start here.

Once you have chosen the word or phrase:

• Explain the history (entomology) of the word or phrase. Some words will be easier to research than others--do the best you can.
• What used to be the connotations?
• What are the current connotations?
• Who is more or less likely to use this word or phrase?
• What are the underlying social constructions in that word or phrase?
• What communities are impacted by the use of this word or phrase?
• How do members of the relevant communities feel about the word or phrase? Are some people reclaiming the word? Are others asking us to stop using the word?
  
• Is it a word that is more or less acceptable to use if you have a certain deviant label (you are a member of that community)? For example, in the LGBTQ community, some people use words like "fag" or "dyke" to describe themselves or others in the community. If you are not part of the community, however, you may be sanctioned for using those words--at the very least, those same words may be seen as insulting.
  

This is not meant to be exact checklist or outline for your paper, but you should find a way to answer each of those questions in your thoughtful, academic analysis.

Explore the Deviance Blog List on the right side of this screen for ideas, and for research into the power of the word/phrase on the communities impacted. These blogs may not give you the exact information you need, but can hopefully get you started and thinking in your search.

Remember, blog posts should be between 600 and 1500 words, and citations are necessary. See blog post tips, if you do not remember. You must also integrate and cite at least THREE of the assigned readings/sites/videos from the course materials.

Note: as we will be learning, some of these words are very loaded! You are wading directly into controversy, insults, and people's humanity. Please be respectful in your analysis, and how you choose to discuss the word or phrase in your blog. People may stumble across your blog, and it is not our goal to traumatize anyone--be kind, compassionate and professional.