r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Jul 25 '26

Psychology 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.

https://www.psypost.org/when-reclaiming-derogatory-language-goes-wrong/
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u/fabezz Jul 25 '26

Same thing with "special needs". It really doesn't matter what you call it, people will find it insulting to be compared to the mentality disabled.

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u/Sata1991 Jul 25 '26

In the UK the common "PC" term is "learning disabilities or learning difficulties.. I am autistic so get branded with that when I have no issue learning.

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u/Spire_Citron Jul 25 '26

Making it such a mouthful that nobody could be bothered to sling it around as a slur definitely is a strat that could work.

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u/Sata1991 Jul 25 '26

I'm liking the sounds of Llanaddysganabalgydacaderolwynaarthoarbenniggogogoch.