Racial slurs!

[The Valkyrie]

There are legitimate reasons, as there are also illegitimate ones.  I got hammered a few years back for using a slur humorously.  And talking about how slurs are used can be cumbersome when they must be avoided.  It's a complex topic, made none the easier by Tibbs and company's prior rulings on the matter.

FWIW, I’m not a huge fan of banning slurs totally (rulz is rulz). The rule as it stands makes impossible to post certain music videos, or to quote particular passages from great works of literature.

But I don’t see anyway around it. If the rule were relaxed, or even amended, waterheads like Pavlov would abuse it and fill their posts with racial, ethnic, and gender slurs just for the hell of it. Even the well-meaning posting of these words would engender almost constant Staff discussions and hurt feelings (‘So-and-so said it, why can’t I?’).

On balance, even though the blanket ban isn’t perfect, it’s probably the best solution.

Boru

There's a certain word that was, and still is, used in Australia to refer to gay people.

It starts with "p".

When I was growing up it was used frequently, not necessarily in an offensive manner, it was just part of the vernacular.

I've had to, on several occasions here, think twice about posting it.

Not that I thought people would be offended by it, I know our gay members would laugh with me, but because if a new person came on and saw someone else using it, especially a member of staff, they might get pissed if there are repercussions on them.

Easier for me not yo use it.