# Do you consider "wigger" a racial slur? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 30, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-wigger-a-racial-slur/358761 "2006-05-30T17:36:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-wigger-a-racial-slur/358761/61 "2007-06-08T11:27:59Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Ultimately, though, it’s racist to think that there is something uniquely wrong with a White kid trying on African American culture (of whatever stripe) for size. As \*\*Guinn \*\*noted, it’s very common for people (especially teenagers) to reinvent themselves from time to time. [/QUOTE] Seriously. The first white kids to get into rock’n’roll probably got smeared in the same way. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-wigger-a-racial-slur/358761/62 "2007-06-08T11:53:57Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Seriously. The first white kids to get into rock’n’roll probably got smeared in the same way. [/QUOTE] Elivs, the first “wigger”! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-wigger-a-racial-slur/358761/63 "2007-06-08T13:34:09Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] I agree, although I think it is bit more complicated. I think context is key as to whether or not the term is racist. Consider these examples (meant to be illustrative, not exhaustive): White guy calls another White guy a “wigger”, in the sense of “why on earth would a White guy want to act like a nigger”. **Racist**. Black guy calls a White guy a “wigger”, in the sense of “this is our culture, and Whites need not apply”. **Racist** Black guy calls his White buddy a “wigger”, in the sense of “wigger, please” (to borrow a phrase from **Askia** ) as a way of kidding him (in the good-natured way friends rib each other all the time). **Not Racist**. Now, we can argue if it is as offensive and hurtful as calling a Black person a “nigger” (I think it isn’t), but that’s a different issue. Ultimately, though, it’s racist to think that there is something uniquely wrong with a White kid trying on African American culture (of whatever stripe) for size. As \*\*Guinn \*\*noted, it’s very common for people (especially teenagers) to reinvent themselves from time to time. [/QUOTE] You skipped the most common reason people hate wiggers – that they’re putting on an obnoxious minstrel show which is _insulting_ to blacks. They’re not acquiring the culture or “trying it on,” they’re _parodying_ the culture. They’re lampooning it. They might as well be wearing blackface. I rejct the suggestion that most people object to wiggers because they think the white kids are “lowering themselves” to the level of blacks. Most people object because it’s obnoxious and fake and affected and stupid and _offensive_ to blacks. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-wigger-a-racial-slur/358761/64 "2007-06-08T13:44:19Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] Lame-ass white kids trying badly to imitate black street lingo and mannerisms is more offensive than the word “wigger” by a factor of about 1000. [/QUOTE] Wow. I actually agree with something Dio said. I’m scared. Somebody hold me. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-wigger-a-racial-slur/358761/65 "2007-06-08T13:53:57Z")
I appreciate that this thread has remained civil, but it includes contriutions from posters who are no longer members. In the interests of avoiding any overreactions to older posts or absent posters I am closing this zombie. Anyone is welcome to start the discussion in a new thread with a link to this one. [ /Moderating / [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-wigger-a-racial-slur/358761.md?page=3)