I think my biggest pet peeve of all is the use of derogatory terms. I absolutely can not stand it when I hear them. I know that most of the time when these terms are used, they are not really meant in that way, but that still does not make them ok to be used. The ones that bother me the most, probably because of all the work and time that I have spent with people with special needs, are the "R" word (retard/retarded) and mental. Using these words is extremely disrespectful and hurtful. It is not ok to say "something was 'retarded'" or "someone is acting like a 'retard'" just because something is out of the ordinary. It is also not ok to say "those kids just went 'mental'" when referring to children being wound up and full of energy. Not only are these terms very offensive, but they are also hurtful to people with special needs. I have seen it first hand, and it is very upsetting having to comfort someone because they heard another person using these terms. This should NEVER have to happen.
I'm sorry for the rant, but this is something that I feel extremely strong about and I believe that everyone should make a very conscious effort to pay attention to what they are saying and using alternatives and politically correct phrases. Below is a list of derogatory terms and phrases, as well as possible alternatives. Please take a look at them and try using the alternatives instead.
| Derogatory Words & Phrases | Possible Alternatives |
| Black sheep | Outcast |
| "Guys" (when referring to a mixed group) | Friends; folks; group |
| Oriental (when referring to people) | Asian (using the specific nationality, i.e. Korean is even better, when possible) |
| Acting like wild Indians | Out of control |
| Girls (when referring to coworkers) | Women |
| Policemen/postman | Police officer/mail carrier |
| Manhole | Utility hole |
| Chairman | Chair |
| Handicapped | People with special needs; people who are physically/mentally challenged; people with disabilities |
| Retarded | Developmentally challenged |
| Gifted children | Advanced learners |
| Race | Ethnicity or nationality (There is only one race--human) |
| Uneducated (when referring to adults) | Lacking a formal education |
| No culture (when referring to parts of the U.S. where the opera and the theater are scarce or nonexistent) | Lacking European culture |
| The little woman; the wife | Your wife; his wife |
| "Don't go postal on me!" | No alternative; someone in your audience may have relatives who are postal workers - should not be said |
| Acting blonde | No alternative - should not be said |
| Old people | Seniors; "Chronologically Advantaged" |
| Bitchy or "PMSing" | Assertive |
| "White" lie | Lie (Calling it white does not make it okay) |
| Flip chart | Easel (Flip is a derogatory word referring to Filipinos) |
| wheel-chair bound | A person who uses a wheel-chair |
| Jew down | Negotiate |
| Half-breed | Multi-ethnic |
| Blacklisted | Banned |
| "Manning" the project | Staffing the project |
Thank you for reading this. I really appreciate at it, and also the people who are hurt by these terms. Thank you.
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