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This may seem kind of stupid but I am kind of stupid, is there a list somewhere of phrases that are stupid or insensitive racially or gender biased? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I just got up from conversation with a couple of older black men, that I said "well I got to go back to work and start cracking the whip." And it occurred to me then that it was probably a really insensitive stupid thing to say.

Sadly, it hadn't occurred to me until it's already said.

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[–] florge@feddit.uk 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Could you explain the firewater one?

[–] Nemo@midwest.social 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It's sort-of an antique trope whose main thrust is implying Native cultures are backward and unworldly because they don't have distilleries (though, point in fact, some of them did ferment alcohol).

[–] snooggums@kbin.social 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Firewater and other drinking stereotypes were about the myth of Native Americans all being raging alcoholics, which are as racist as saying black people are inherently violent or Jewish people inherently coveting money.

The alcohol abuse rates of Native Americans aligns with poverty issues, just like everyone else.

[–] Tavarin@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago

I honestly had no idea until now that firewater had anything to do with Native Americans. I just thought it was a term for alcohol, and don't use it myself anyway.

[–] Bitrot@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Never heard it that way. It is a calque of a Native American name from the northern plains. I always thought a white person using it was offensive due to negative stereotypes about native Americans and drinking (and also mocking somewhat, like walking about saying “how” or speaking pidgin).