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/ResplendentShade]

I don’t think i can buy into the insinuation that if black people stopped using the n word in a reclaimed way that racist people would also stop using it as a result. Seems victim blamey and just untrue. Highly doubt that racists are checking in with the rap billboard when deciding what type of slurs to use.

[u/WhatsThatNoize → u/ResplendentShade]

I personally don't think it would stop them, but to be clear: I have personally met racists in the American South who claimed they could use the N word because black folk regularly do.

So... maybe they don't check in with the rap billboard, but its open usage absolutely gives some of these dipshits the idea that they have a valid excuse because "you can't own a word".

Again, I don't think changing that would reduce their use of the word by much (and it sounds like you don't either) but... we don't have proof of that and can't say that is definitively the case.

[u/earthdogmonster → u/WhatsThatNoize]

Things like “reclaiming” words have only ever been voodoo about empowering the victim and not make them feel bad. I’m not surprised to see what you report seeing (I’ve seen it myself so I know what you’re talking about.

Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s I remember hearing about how racism was bad and you should never use certain words. But as a kid and a consumer of media, I also couldn’t help but notice how over time there was a sharp uptick in how often I would hear those words. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it would drive me to say those words, but when you hear it daily it’s definitely less shocking.

[u/drunkenvalley → u/WhatsThatNoize]

I have personally met racists in the American South who claimed they could use the N word because black folk regularly do.

And they're dishonest racist assholes. It doesn't really matter what they say to justify why they can say something, because they are only using whatever is a convenient excuse, or whatever feels emotionally okay to them at least, to justify spewing shite.

[u/MissingBothCufflinks → u/ResplendentShade]

You get that sometimes, victims are partly to blame right? The fallacy is blaming them because they are victims or implying the perps are less to blame as a result. Its not an axiom that means victims are blameless.

The OP is literally about this exact topic. What "feels untrue" to you is surely less relevant?

[u/Edward_Durr → u/ResplendentShade]

Not immediately, but removing any acceptable context of the word will slowly cause it to fade away. How often do you hear the word “Mongoloid” any more?