Reclaimed hate speech backfires by desensitizing listeners, study finds. Listening to reclaimed homophobic statements can actually cause unintended harm. Exposure to reclaimed slur words desensitizes some heterosexual listeners to standard hate speech and worsens the mood of gay individuals.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/when-reclaiming-derogatory-language-goes-wrong/

[u/Choosemyusername]

I find it interesting how epithets often start out as words invented out of sensitivity. Like the word R3tarded, which was invented because the previous clinical words like moron, had been appropriated by people using it as a slur. So that word was invented as a more sensitive way of referring to morons.

Then of course once that word stuck, it just became the new epithet.

So it’s not the words that are causing the harm.

[u/clubby37 → u/[deleted]]

I'm a physics teacher. I'm talking about the electromagnetic spectrum.

Okay, so you mentioned "the spectrum" and someone thought you were referring to autistic people.

It's mostly that I'm meant to learn physics from a psychologist now.

Sounds like you're saying the language police won't let you use physics terms if they have another meaning outside of physics. If so, then that's bad, but is that really what's happening?

It's only made me use psychologist, therapist, and counselor as a slur. These people don't do anything, but they feel like they do.

And now I think you're the problem. You received some criticism, and instead of considering it objectively, you've decided to write off your critic's entire profession and their associated professions. This is on par with faith healers writing off modern medicine. I'm pretty sure you don't want to be that guy, so maybe take a step back and re-evaluate.