An overly PC person at work today told us that we shouldn;t use the word “flip” anymore because it’s a slur against those from the Phillipines.
I went to the internet to see if there was any proof to this.
All I could find was one site saying it’s a shortened version of Phillipines used by neighboring islanders (which sounds plausabile). Another site claimed it stood for Funny Little Island People, which to mee sounds too much like a CABAL, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge or POSH rumor to me.
So what’s the real story. Is this a term I am not aware of or is this some sort of misunderstanding?
Burnmeup’s coworker here. The other coworker said that flip was derogatory in the context of “flip chart” and that she was trying hard to quit saying clip chart and start saying “easel.”
I have asked her if back flips and flip flops are okay.
Flippin’ heck, these PC’ers have flipped out, how flip.
Flip has many uses and meanings as a word, but it should not be used as shorthand for Fillipino (Phillipino) or where it could be mistaken for being used to mean either.
Flip chart is a chart that you can flip over (usually with a spring binding to easily allow this anyone seeing this as rude is being niggardly with the language.
It wouldn’t surprise me if it is, but since “flip” is a normal English word with its own inoffensive definitions, I don’t see a problem using it for anything other than as a reference to a person from the Phillippines.
Otherwise, next thing you know, we’re going to find out that “the” is a racial slur and will have to eliminate that from our vocabulary…
D
Yes, “flip” is a slur when used to refer to Filipinos. Shouldn’t stop you from using it in normal language. As a Filipino, I’m frankly more offended when someone misspells “Filipino” or “Philippines”.
Oh, for God’s frickin’ sake. Is “a chink in our armor” out the window too? Are you allowed to use “Spic and Span” powder to clean the break room? Just because a word is offensive in one context doesn’t mean it’s offensive in every context
Holy cow, I forgot to post my response to the OP, sorry.
So while I believe that a slur is really only a slur if you intend it to be a slur, apparently not everyone feels that way. Black folks (is that ok to say?) get to call each other the N-word because they obviously do not intend harm. I don’t get to use the N-word because I’m not black. I get to call my sister a JAP because I’m Jewish myself (but not the princess type). However, I don’t mind if you all call her a JAP, as long as you do it with love
I have a friend who isblack and his name is Peter. I know a lot of people named Peter. So I started to call him Black Peter. To me this was a name of honor because it is the title of a song by my favorite band, The Grateful Dead. He didn’t like it and asked me to not call him that. I felt really bad because I never intended to offend him, but I suppose I did or he wouldn’t have asked me to not call him that.
So my point is better safe than sorry. You never know who takes offense at what. I’m sure Filipinos call each other “Flips” all the time. But it’s probably safest to call a person’s race by their proper name (in this case Filipino).
“Black Peter” is (in some parts of Europe) Father Christmas’s friendly little helper, vaguely analogous to Rudolph or a prominent elf in American culture. Not sure how he scans with black Americans; maybe your friend just wants to be recognized for something more personal or individual than his blackenss?
I’ve never heard that Grateful Dead song. Is it Christmas-related?
You have a point that he may have wanted to be recognized for something other than being black. And I suppose that’s where I was being “insensitive”. I didn’t mean to be insensitive, I just don’t feel that race is something to be sensitive about. You’re white, you’re black, you’re Filipino - great! I feel it should be embraced. But I am guilty for noticing it.
Actually, the song is rather sad. It’s about a man who’s dying, but his friends are there to be with him. So that’s nice. And it is very pretty.
I’m sorry BurnMeUp for hijacking your thread. I couldn’t not answer Krokodil. BTW Krokodil, if you want to talk to me more start a thread in MPSIMS. I’ll be happy to see you there.
You can get in trouble for saying things that just sound like offensive words these days; for example, just for using the perfectly cromulent word that has no racial connontations, niggardly ended up pressuring one Washington DC mayoral aide to resign.
I just read Raymond Chandler’s “The Simple Art of Murder”, a collection of short detective stories written 1930’s - 1940’s. Several of the hard-boiled, tough-guy dectectives refer to Filipinos as ‘flips’.
BMalion brings up a point I neglected to mention. “Flip” as a derogatory word for “Filipino” was largely in use during the Philippine-American colonial era. I believe it fell out of favor shortly after World War II when we gained independence from the US. Since the word has other useful and non-derogatory meanings, I’m not surprised that a web search doesn’t turn up its derogatory use.
That is very interesting that someone would be asked to resign for a word that has nothing to do with what it somewhat sounds like. It’s rather unfair.
I just looked up “niggardly” on Merriam-Webster. It’s origins are Scandinavian. It’s meaning does not come close to a stereotype for black people.
