OPINION|
A year or so ago my then-editor, Brittany Meiling, deleted the word “master” in a story of mine in which I'd used the phrase “master bedroom.”
Huh? What? Why?
As an editor should, she explained why.
The phrase goes back to the days of slavery when the master had a house and in that house was the master's bedroom.
That made sense to me and it's just as easy to say the “biggest bedroom.” Nothing was lost to me as a writer.
In recent years, I've changed how I use — or don't use — certain words. Most of these changes involve words that were grounded in our nation's history of slavery. We often say these words and write them without knowing the original meanings.
Here is a short list of other words and phrases and practices I've deleted from my repertoire. Some of these I learned and added while researching this column.
Only one of the following has an entry in the journalists' bible — the AP Stylebook.
Use ‘enslaved people' not ‘slaves‘
I had always used “slaves” until a reader a few years ago cordially explained to me why “enslaved people” was better.
The people who were owned by others were not inherently “slaves.” They did not choose their situations in life. Being a “slave” was not part of their fundamental identity. Instead, they were unjustly “enslaved.”
Don't use the phrase ‘cake walk‘
According to the website Black Music Scholar:
“‘Cakewalk' is a term that is evolved since the existence of slavery. It was meant for slaves to entertain the master by dancing in ways that were erotic and uncivilized. Whoever the master thought was the most entertaining would win a cake or special luxury food.
“Many Blacks agreed to this because of the harsh conditions slaves were forced to live under. The idea of having cake was rare and many were willing to work for it. This tactic kept slaves in accordance with their masters. It allowed the master to maintain control.
“This dance became very popular after the Civil War and the emancipation of slaves. The dance was reconstructed in different ways, but still served the same purpose to dehumanize slaves. It developed new names and versions over time. Names such as a ‘prize walk' and ‘taking the cake' are a few examples.”
For more information on cake walks read this 2013 NPR story.
Don't use phrase ‘sold down the river‘
Today, it's synonymous with betrayal. The phrase likely originated in reference to the selling of enslaved people and transporting them down the Mississippi River.
If you use ‘basket case,' be aware
Today, this saying is for a person who has difficulty coping. It was first used during World War I to describe a soldier who had lost all four of their limbs and had to be carried in a basket.
Don't use the words ‘Gypsy' or ‘gyped‘
Instead, they are Roma, an ethnic group that has lived in Europe since their migration from India more than 1,000 years ago.
“Gypsy” is problematic because it became a derogatory slur against Roma. The word “gyp” comes form “Gypsy,” and means to swindle or cheat.
I have a vague recollection of when an editor pointed this out to me. I was at the Springfield News-Leader. It was in a column. I think I said something like “the Gypsy who tells fortunes.”
Don't use the word ‘Eskimo‘
For this one, there is an entry in the AP Stylebook.
“In general, avoid the term ‘Eskimo' for the native peoples of northern North America except when paired with a group's ethnic name in Alaska: Inupiat Eskimos, a Yup'ik Eskimo community, a Cu'pik Eskimo, etc.
“Follow the preference of those involved in the story, such as identifying someone simply as Yup'ik.
“The term ‘Eskimo' was assigned by non-native people, and in some cultures, has since taken on offensive connotations. The term ‘Inuit' is used in Canada and Greenland and by some groups in northern Alaska.”
Don't use the word ‘uppity‘
Today, it means “haughty” or “snobbish”— putting on airs, being stuck up. It has a racist past.
“Uppity” was used by many whites to disparage Blacks for not acting inferior when around white people.
Don't deadname people
“Deadnaming” is when journalists and others refer to someone who is transgender by the gender they were at birth and by the name used before transition.
I first encountered this issue when colleague Jackie Rehwald wrote about the 2017 stabbing murder of transgender teenager Ally Steinfeld.
Steinfeld's parents routinely referred to Ally as a male with the name Joey.
Rehwald wrote the following while she was a reporter at the Springfield News-Leader:
“The News-Leader, which based its initial reporting on official court documents, does not report information from social media that cannot be verified. In this case, Steinfeld's sister was contacted and she confirmed that her sibling often used the name Ally and had talked to her about being transgender, so the News-Leader reported both names and avoided the use of gendered pronouns outside of direct quotes.”
The story explains why this is a big issue in the transgender community.
Don't use the word ‘thug‘
Many people today believe the word is used by whites as a euphemism for the N-word.
An April 2015 story on NPR delves into the controversy and the history of the word.
This is Pokin Around column No. 147.
