On the Reclaiming of Oppressive Words...

Hey ever-body! It's blog time again! I took both a literal and figurative vacation, so it's been a while since I've had the energy and inspiration to write another blog post. But lucky you, I just got very inspired! Today's topic is the reclaiming of oppressive words. This has come up several times in my personal conversations, especially with my good friend Chris, and it came up again in relation to a little something called SlutWalk.

First, for those who aren't familiar, I shall explain the basic concept of "reclaiming" words. Essentially, it occurs when a group of people with a shared identity (usually one that is oppressed or marginalized) decide that they want to take a word that has been used to subjugate them (e.g. bitch, whore, fag, n-word) and twist its meaning, so as to strip it of its oppressive power, thereby "reclaiming" the word as their own--to use in their own way. It's a concept that operates on the idea that language is fluid, and while meaningful, can change and adapt based on how it is used. Feminists are some of the most prominent proponents of reclaiming oppressive words, probably because there are just so dang many of them for women.

Now, for those who are even more unfamiliar with the SlutWalk campaign, here it is (to the best of my understanding). In Toronto recently, a representative of the police department was quoted as saying, "Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized," expressing a repugnant, but common view. Because women are so often blamed for their own sexual victimization, based on a variety of factors, but especially on the way they dress, many feminists and activists have started organizing events called SlutWalks. SlutWalks entail a march/protest on sexual assault, while dressed in provocative clothing. Portland and Seattle have both held such events, among other urban cities, and I have been invited to join them a few times now. I declined.

My opposition to these marches relates not only to the concept of embracing a particular form of self-expression that is not typically my own (dressing provocatively), but more importantly, to the concept of reclaiming the word "slut" for women. As a necessary disclaimer, I want to say that I fully agree that one's appearance (man, woman, or otherwise) should have no bearing on the probability of them being sexually harassed or assaulted. I think blaming the victim in that manner is unacceptable and functions as a distraction from the real problem, which are the perpetrators of sexual harassment and assault. I also respect those who organize and participate in SlutWalks, in that they are actively exercising their freedom of speech and assembly, and they are actively doing something to fight sexual oppression. Unfortunately, I can't get behind the manner in which they are doing it.

For me, the reclaiming of oppressive words has always made sense in theory, but it has never shown to be effective in reality. I believe language is fluid to an extent, but I think it takes a lot of time for it to change meaning, and sometimes I don't believe it's worth the wait. To offer an example of how the reclaiming of an oppressive word has been ineffectual, take the n-word (yes, that's right, I don't feel comfortable even typing it out in full. That's just me.). It is a word with a history of oppressive use towards black people, with a particularly harsh connotation. However, as we all know, it has been "reclaimed" by many members of the black community, and is often used playfully or even endearingly. Arguably, it is also still used by black people in a derogatory way, as in many hip-hop lyrics, gangsta talk, etc. But what's more conspicuous to me is that it is still a word that non-black people are forbidden from using, as doing so is indicative of disrespect, at best, and hate, at worst. Now, I am not arguing that white people should be allowed to use the n-word, but rather that black people reclaiming it has generally not achieved the intended goal. Because, if the goal of reclaiming a word is to deprive it of its oppressive power, then why is it still powerfully oppressive when white people use the word? I believe the same argument can be made for words like, "fag," "retarded," "cunt," and "slut," among others. Just because the in-group (the group that has reclaimed the word, based on a shared identity) has changed the word's connotation in its own interactions, doesn't mean the out-group uses the word any less hatefully or ignorantly. This is why I propose simply eradicating such words from our day-to-day language, which is difficult for some, but entirely possible. Why not use new words to describe and empower ourselves, rather than recycle the ones that have so much baggage attached to them? Surely we are more creative than that!

I wouldn't call myself a slut, nor would I call anyone that I respected a slut. For that matter, I probably wouldn't even call a lot of people I don't respect a slut, simply because of its oppressive history. I want to demonstrate that it's possible to change people's attitudes and behaviors about women (or LGBTQ folks, or people of color, or the differently abled) without trying to re-appropriate hateful, ignorant, or flippant language, and also without trying to re-appropriate group-stereotypical behavior. (What is marching down the streets in a bikini top and mini-skirt really telling people who tend to sexually objectify women's bodies?). I hope you readers will join me in making this statement! As always, thanks for reading.