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News & ArtsMonday, September 14, 2009
Savage Love Neologisms "R" Us
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 8:57 AM
Leotarded makes NPR.
ULABY: And it's not just movies rethinking retard as an easy laugh. A few months ago, popular sex advice columnist Dan Savage renounced his use of the word.Mr. DAN SAVAGE (Sex Columnist): You know, I just sat down to write the column, and I'd used the word retard in a column recently, and I was sorting through the mail and there was a handful of letters taking me to task. And I thought, all right, I won't use it anymore. I'll use a new word. I hope you like this one better.
ULABY: The new word was leotard. As in, you are totally leotarded.
Mr. SAVAGE: It was just me being a jerk, frankly. You know, I've heard people now use "the R word" in reference to retard, and it just seems so pansy-assed, if I may use that phrase.
I'm also annoyed when I hear people say "the F word." I realize that everyone wants to feel equally oppressed these days, but "retard" and "faggot" simple aren't insults on a par with "nigger," A.K.A. "the N word." And I wouldn't say that I've renounced the use of the word retard, NPR, but rather embraced "tard" as a suffix and singled dancers out for abuse.
1
I heard that piece while driving home last week. I don't know if the Slog content-filters (does Slog have content-filters?) will allow me to share this, but: it was a little surreal to be listening to NPR at 6:30 PM and hear nigger, chink, fag, and pansy-ass in a five-minute span. Not that I was offended, because the words (save Dan's own use of pansy-ass) were used in an academic/meta context. But for prime-drive-time NPR, it was surprising.
2
Well, thank goodness you haven't given up the word "retarded"...You can still look like a jerk to anyone over 15 years old.
What is your deal with needing to hold on to that? Are you still rebelling against authority figures who can't tell YOU what to do??
Please see http://www.aamr.org/content_104.cfm
What is your deal with needing to hold on to that? Are you still rebelling against authority figures who can't tell YOU what to do??
Please see http://www.aamr.org/content_104.cfm
3
If you have to resort to insults in the first place, then you have issues to resolve. And not just the fact that you're an asshole.
4
I believe this phenomenon is called a "euphemism treadmill."
Like a real treadmill, it's a lot of work but no measurable progress over ground.
Let us remember that "retarded" replaced "moron" and "imbecile," in order to be LESS OFFENSIVE.
Regardless, whatever word is used, someone will always be offended, and we'll be right back where we started.
Like a real treadmill, it's a lot of work but no measurable progress over ground.
Let us remember that "retarded" replaced "moron" and "imbecile," in order to be LESS OFFENSIVE.
Regardless, whatever word is used, someone will always be offended, and we'll be right back where we started.
6
Umm Dan
in reference to leotarded rants... you have some cleaning up to do..
In several places here this has now been posted:
---- snip -----
Atlanta Police LGBT Liaison Officer Dani Lynn Harris said there was a complaint of illegal activities at the Eagle. After the complaint was made undercover officers were sent to the Eagle where they discovered enough information to secure a warrant for the raid.
In an interview with Southern Voice on Friday morning, Harris said the APD officers followed the same procedures they would have used for raiding any other nightclub.
In a third interview late Friday, Harris said that the raid originated from two anonymous complaints: one to the mayor's tip line and the other to Crimestoppers. The complaints alleged that Thursday is "sex night" at the club and that gay men were having sex not only in the club but outside as well, she said.
“The original complaint received is that on Thursday night at the club is sex night. … It's saying the club is a sleezy place on Thursday all that goes on is solicting of sex," Harris said.
According to Harris, the complaints claimed that the club owners retaliated against neighbors by pointing speakers at residential apartment complexes nearby and playings sounds of gay men having sex.
--- /snip ---
C'mon Savage
Where's the public retraction to your earlier allegation?....
You wasted so much time and space on SLOG last week with your rants.... now we find out that it is likely they were completely justified.
Are you going to man up and print a story with some form of apology?
Dan?
*cricket* *cricket*
in reference to leotarded rants... you have some cleaning up to do..
In several places here this has now been posted:
---- snip -----
Atlanta Police LGBT Liaison Officer Dani Lynn Harris said there was a complaint of illegal activities at the Eagle. After the complaint was made undercover officers were sent to the Eagle where they discovered enough information to secure a warrant for the raid.
In an interview with Southern Voice on Friday morning, Harris said the APD officers followed the same procedures they would have used for raiding any other nightclub.
In a third interview late Friday, Harris said that the raid originated from two anonymous complaints: one to the mayor's tip line and the other to Crimestoppers. The complaints alleged that Thursday is "sex night" at the club and that gay men were having sex not only in the club but outside as well, she said.
“The original complaint received is that on Thursday night at the club is sex night. … It's saying the club is a sleezy place on Thursday all that goes on is solicting of sex," Harris said.
According to Harris, the complaints claimed that the club owners retaliated against neighbors by pointing speakers at residential apartment complexes nearby and playings sounds of gay men having sex.
--- /snip ---
C'mon Savage
Where's the public retraction to your earlier allegation?....
You wasted so much time and space on SLOG last week with your rants.... now we find out that it is likely they were completely justified.
Are you going to man up and print a story with some form of apology?
Dan?
*cricket* *cricket*
7
@3 - criticizing someone's insults works better when you don't add your own.
Which just goes to prove: insulting people is FUN.
You douchebag.
Which just goes to prove: insulting people is FUN.
You douchebag.
8
So moron is o.k.? I hope so. Moron is so apt these days. I've done some pretty moronic things things myself.
9
I think retarded is a perfectly good word.
slow or limited in intellectual or emotional development or academic progress. see: Kanye West
slow or limited in intellectual or emotional development or academic progress. see: Kanye West
10
Working on a post about the Eagle now.
And you believe the police? Just like you believed them after the raid in Fort Worth? Because they couldn't lie to cover their butts?
Dope.
And you believe the police? Just like you believed them after the raid in Fort Worth? Because they couldn't lie to cover their butts?
Dope.
11
"Catamounts, I'm not sure how many of you recall Fred Powler from our Eastern Valley days, but if you do, and knew him for the joy-bearing boy he remained even while being pelted with bombardment balls, you wouldn't abide the way people toss the R-word around, either"
—Home Land, Sam Lipsyte
—Home Land, Sam Lipsyte
12
In August at our family reunion, my minor nieces and nephews adopted the term "leotarded", seeing that many of them study dance, it was easy. With any luck "leotarded" is spreading through the 7-14 age youth of NYC and LA.
14
Can someone explain what a "leotard" is, other than a garment worn by dancers? What does a leotard have to do with a stupid person, other than the word's phonetic relation to "retard"? If the only meaning of leotard is "another way of saying 'retard' without actually saying 'retard'," then it's totally useless and defeats the whole purpose, no?
Personally, I hate calling anything or anyone retarded, and I think we can probably muster the creativity to just avoid the whole concept altogether. "Leotard," really, is just as offensive. Don't we have enough words for "stupid" that we can just retire "retard" entirely? Off the top of my head: moron, imbecile, dullard, intellectually vacant, fool, jackass, idiot, stupid, stupid as hell, stupider than a deceased rodent, stupider than Kanye West, etc.
Personally, I hate calling anything or anyone retarded, and I think we can probably muster the creativity to just avoid the whole concept altogether. "Leotard," really, is just as offensive. Don't we have enough words for "stupid" that we can just retire "retard" entirely? Off the top of my head: moron, imbecile, dullard, intellectually vacant, fool, jackass, idiot, stupid, stupid as hell, stupider than a deceased rodent, stupider than Kanye West, etc.
16
14 ftw
'leotarded' is retarded.
Dan never got past the 10 year old 'making up silly words and saying "poop!" ' stage of development-
socially retarded, I think they call it...
'leotarded' is retarded.
Dan never got past the 10 year old 'making up silly words and saying "poop!" ' stage of development-
socially retarded, I think they call it...
18
schmacky,
I understand it to be, by Savage's definition, an athletic and gifted person who dances. So, I introduced to my nieces and nephews, because many of them study dance, rather than continually point out that it's unkind to make fun of others. So, if they must poke fun at someone, they can poke fun at themselves. I just wanted them to stop and consider the feelings of others, before they resorted to name calling. It did reduce the number of insults that flew between them the entire week they were together.
I understand it to be, by Savage's definition, an athletic and gifted person who dances. So, I introduced to my nieces and nephews, because many of them study dance, rather than continually point out that it's unkind to make fun of others. So, if they must poke fun at someone, they can poke fun at themselves. I just wanted them to stop and consider the feelings of others, before they resorted to name calling. It did reduce the number of insults that flew between them the entire week they were together.
19
For some years now, I've been using 'quintard' for this purpose. I saw that as a street name, and it struck me funny immediately. "Quintard Street? Is that where people are five times as stupid?"
So it stuck. "What a quintard!" now ranks with Bugs's immortal 'What a maroon!' in my list of epithets.
So it stuck. "What a quintard!" now ranks with Bugs's immortal 'What a maroon!' in my list of epithets.
21
The "R-word" is fucking stupid. However, I think using "retard" as a slur isn't such a nice thing to do especially considering it is a community that can't really defend itself.
23
As a substitute for "retarded", I much prefer "advanced."
Try it, it works great:
"That's some seriously advanced bullshit right there."
(Hat tip to Bob the Angry Flower.)
Try it, it works great:
"That's some seriously advanced bullshit right there."
(Hat tip to Bob the Angry Flower.)
24
@10 Nice comeback.
All police departments are not the same. Furthermore, trying to tell your readership that you believe in such an overarching conspiracy, seriously reduces your credibility from anyone who is not a worshipper.
It would seem that the police followed protocol, and obtained a legal warrant to conduct the raid.
But when you are so certain that teh gay is being oppressed, your reason and logic (and credibility) go right out the door.
All police departments are not the same. Furthermore, trying to tell your readership that you believe in such an overarching conspiracy, seriously reduces your credibility from anyone who is not a worshipper.
It would seem that the police followed protocol, and obtained a legal warrant to conduct the raid.
But when you are so certain that teh gay is being oppressed, your reason and logic (and credibility) go right out the door.
25
Use the word Fucktard. The key difference between retard and fucktard is that a fucktard is fucktarded by choice or action, whereas the retard is retarded by a condition with no choice involved.
26
Thanks Kim @ 18, but I still don't understand. Is a "leotard" supposed to be a retarded dancer? How does that make it better? And why has Dan singled dancers out for abuse?
The use of the suffix "tard" (in my view, @ 25, even "fucktard") relates directly back to retard, and I think that sucks. A cheap shot is a cheap shot.
Calling someone a "tard" of any sort is unacceptable linquistic mean-spiritness. We're better than that.
The use of the suffix "tard" (in my view, @ 25, even "fucktard") relates directly back to retard, and I think that sucks. A cheap shot is a cheap shot.
Calling someone a "tard" of any sort is unacceptable linquistic mean-spiritness. We're better than that.
28
imbecile was more offensive than retard? Awesome!
The problem with fucktard is the f-bomb thing. Anything with fuck involved gets that additional emotional punctuation that is only appropriate in extreme cases. 'Tards are plentiful in this world but one has to really work at it to be a fucktard.
It's like all-caps. If you use it too much, it loses impact.
The problem with fucktard is the f-bomb thing. Anything with fuck involved gets that additional emotional punctuation that is only appropriate in extreme cases. 'Tards are plentiful in this world but one has to really work at it to be a fucktard.
It's like all-caps. If you use it too much, it loses impact.
29
schmarcky @ 26,
If I understand the definition correctly, no. "Leotard" is someone who is talented, gifted, flexible, and athletic. Dancers fit that description. He attempted to switch the focus to something more positive, traits we seek to emulate, and he needed it to be a phonetic match.
I think he first used it on a pod cast, and said (I'm paraphrasing) that he was going to replace retarded with leotarded, because he was only going to poke fun of the athletic, talented and flexible.
Still, it's poking fun and that always carries an element of mean spiritedness. Even when done in jest.
If I understand the definition correctly, no. "Leotard" is someone who is talented, gifted, flexible, and athletic. Dancers fit that description. He attempted to switch the focus to something more positive, traits we seek to emulate, and he needed it to be a phonetic match.
I think he first used it on a pod cast, and said (I'm paraphrasing) that he was going to replace retarded with leotarded, because he was only going to poke fun of the athletic, talented and flexible.
Still, it's poking fun and that always carries an element of mean spiritedness. Even when done in jest.
30
I think 'ignorant' is the word of choice rather than using words that describe anyone with genetic issues or birth injuries (lame, retarded, imbecilic, moronic etc.) Ignorance is a condition that can be changed (or embraced as many of the Beck/Fox news/birthers prove on a repeated basis.)
32
"If the only meaning of leotard is "another way of saying 'retard' without actually saying 'retard'," then it's totally useless and defeats the whole purpose, no?"
Uh, yeah, that's the joke, leotard.
Uh, yeah, that's the joke, leotard.
33
I don't get why people have to exchange retarded for for some sort of retard vein word. Leotarded, tard are just as bad as saying retarded. The reason people get offended is that you use a group of people as an insult.
Either just get rid of the whole retarded as an insult thing, or give retarded people some other word to use to describe themselves, then wait 50 years so we all forget about retarded being connected to them.
Bad form everybody, i guess.
Either just get rid of the whole retarded as an insult thing, or give retarded people some other word to use to describe themselves, then wait 50 years so we all forget about retarded being connected to them.
Bad form everybody, i guess.
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