# Is "JAP" (Jewish American Princess/Prince) an Offensive Term?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 10, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980 "2011-06-10T15:03:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/1 "2011-06-10T15:03:22Z")
An issue raised in the Portman thread is whether the term “JAP” (refering to “Jewish American Princess or Prince”, NOT referring to Japanese folks) is an inherently offensive term.
**Twickster** stated as follows:
> [@](#):
>
> “JAP” is considered offensive. Please don’t use it.
Not at me I might add - but I was curious, because I’ve heard the term commonly used (I’m Jewish myself) and never thought of it as particularly offensive.
So as not to hijack that thread, I was advised to move any discussion here. What do you think? Inherently offensive, or not?
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### Author:  [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/2 "2011-06-10T15:15:29Z")
Maybe it is, but I don’t really care, because I have only ever heard the term used by people who were Jewish.
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### Author:  [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/3 "2011-06-10T15:17:17Z")
To me, and many people, the term ‘jap’ will only ever mean a derogatory term for someone from Japan.
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### Author:  [@FasterThanMeerkats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FasterThanMeerkats)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/4 "2011-06-10T15:20:39Z")
Looking at the original thread, it was compared to the n-word, so you may want to clarify your poll to add some middle ground. e.g:
- Extremely offensive on the level of outright racial slurs
- Mildly derogatory
- Neither offensive nor derogatory
Folks might believe J-A-P is a put-down, but nothing to get worked up over and not on the level of racial slurs, while others might believe it’s extremely offensive.
Just a thought.
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### Author:  [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/5 "2011-06-10T15:22:12Z")
> [@Vihaga](#):
>
> Maybe it is, but I don’t really care, because I have only ever heard the term used by people who were Jewish.
Heh, true story: I was talking to my buddy’s wife, who is an Iranian immigrant, and she was complaining about her feckless, overindulged younger sister.
Her: “she’s growing into a real IAP”
Me: “Yap?”
Her: “Iranian-American Princess”.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/6 "2011-06-10T15:25:57Z")
“Jap” will always be a slur for Japanese people. Jewish American Princess, like others have said, can be offensive - I’d never say it, but the only person whom I ever heard it was calling herself one.
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### Author:  [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/7 "2011-06-10T15:27:49Z")
> [@FasterThanMeerkats](#):
>
> Looking at the original thread, it was compared to the n-word, so you may want to clarify your poll to add some middle ground. e.g:
>
> - Extremely offensive on the level of outright racial slurs
> - Mildly derogatory
> - Neither offensive nor derogatory
>
> Folks might believe J-A-P is a put-down, but nothing to get worked up over and not on the level of racial slurs, while others might believe it’s extremely offensive.
>
> Just a thought.
It’s a good idea, but I don’t think I can edit my poll choices once made … but yeah, that’s what I’m getting at.
My impression was ‘can be a put-down, but not an ethnic/racial one - basically, it is saying that this particular Jew is overindulged, not that all Jews are - so not really comparable to the n-word (which implies that _all_ Blacks are inferior). Also, a term sometimes embraced by the target of the term.’
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/8 "2011-06-10T15:31:24Z")
Hate that term and I personally find it offensive. It represents a charicature of a perceived subset of Jewish culture and is negative and ugly.
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### Author:  [@Deegeea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deegeea)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/9 "2011-06-10T15:31:44Z")
Any nickname that implies ill behavior and implicitly imputes it to an entire ethnicity, gender, or other group that it’s common to have an “ism” about will turn of its own weight into an offensive slur.
This one is no exception. Ethnicity+princess to describe spoiled young woman? Sexist on the face of it, and slurring of one’s own ethnicity is hardly unknown. (see oreo, FOB, and so forth)
This type of behavior (acting overly entitled and spoiled) is hardly restricted to any gender or ethnic group. You see it in people of all ages, colors, it comes from a combination of intrinsic personality and environment (like most traits).
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### Author:  [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/10 "2011-06-10T15:32:27Z")
Yes. It’s kind of of like saying that Jewish men are sheisters…both are money-grubbing jerks. JAP is more offensive to me because it sounds sexist. I think now Jewish men just say “Long Island Jewish Girl” as a euphemism for JAP and “New York Jewish girl” as one who is ‘trendy’ but not a dolt…JAP, to me, is kind of like rich Valley Girl meets bat mitzvah: Jewish women who are are perpetual thirteen year olds.
[Jewish American Princess & The Frog](http://www.babelgum.com/clips/4020786)
I personally hate the word. Other comedic Jewish stereotypes I don’t mind so much (like Jewish mothering or Jews who suck at sports) because I think they make fun of otherwise endearing qualities.
JAP, imho, is offensive to women when used by Jewish men. When used by non-Jews, it’s a bit ignorant or flat-out [wrong](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/frank+zappa/jewish+princess_20056819.html).
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### Author:  [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/11 "2011-06-10T15:34:45Z")
> [@Malthus](#):
>
> My impression was ‘can be a put-down, but not an ethnic/racial one - basically, it is saying that this particular Jew is overindulged, not that all Jews are - so not really comparable to the n-word (which implies that _all_ Blacks are inferior). Also, a term sometimes embraced by the target of the term.’
That’s exactly how I feel: if someone referred to all upper-middle class Jewish girls as JAPs, I’d find that offensive and bigoted, but when trying to describe a particular individual, it can be a useful shorthand. I mean, I’d never use “trashy” as a generic term for poor white Americans, but if I were trying to describe my sister to you, calling her “trashy as hell” would save me a lot of explanation.
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/12 "2011-06-10T15:36:31Z")
What does JAP add that simply saying “spoiled” or “Princess” misses? What does Jewish add? There’s the slur- attributing to ethnicity.
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### Author:  [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/13 "2011-06-10T15:41:35Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#):
>
> What does JAP add that simply saying “spoiled” or “Princess” misses? What does Jewish add? There’s the slur- attributing to ethnicity.
Yeah! All you’d have to do is say “Paris Hliton” and your audience would get it. 😃
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/14 "2011-06-10T15:42:44Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#):
>
> What does JAP add that simply saying “spoiled” or “Princess” misses? What does Jewish add? There’s the slur- attributing to ethnicity.
My take also. Saying someone is spoilt or princessy is one thing. How does “Jewish” figure into it? I know plenty of Catholic/Protestant/etc spoiled bitches from Long Island as well as some Jewish ones.
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### Author:  [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/15 "2011-06-10T15:42:44Z")
> [@Deegeea](#):
>
> Any nickname that implies ill behavior and implicitly imputes it to an entire ethnicity, gender, or other group that it’s common to have an “ism” about will turn of its own weight into an offensive slur.
>
> This one is no exception. Ethnicity+princess to describe spoiled young woman? Sexist on the face of it, and slurring of one’s own ethnicity is hardly unknown. (see oreo, FOB, and so forth)
>
> This type of behavior (acting overly entitled and spoiled) is hardly restricted to any gender or ethnic group. You see it in people of all ages, colors, it comes from a combination of intrinsic personality and environment (like most traits).
I don’t think any reasonable person would deny that acting over-entitled isn’t restricted to any one group, gender, ethnicity.
Often, people are using this term to describe themselves. I don’t think it implies that all Jewish women are “JAPs” (or men, as the term is sometimes used).
Theissue here is that of resticting people from referring to aspects of their own culture based on rules designed to avoid giving offence to folks of other ethnicities.
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/16 "2011-06-10T15:44:13Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#):
>
> Yeah! All you’d have to do is say “Paris Hliton” and your audience would get it. 😃
and BTW, Paris Hilton’s family religion is Roman Catholic.
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### Author:  [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/17 "2011-06-10T15:44:19Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#):
>
> What does JAP add that simply saying “spoiled” or “Princess” misses? What does Jewish add? There’s the slur- attributing to ethnicity.
Because it situates them within a particular culture (generally, the culture of the person making the description). This person is ‘one of ours’.
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### Author:  [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/18 "2011-06-10T15:47:36Z")
> [@Malthus](#):
>
> I don’t think any reasonable person would deny that acting over-entitled isn’t restricted to any one group, gender, ethnicity.
>
> Often, people are using this term to describe themselves. I don’t think it implies that all Jewish women are “JAPs” (or men, as the term is sometimes used).
>
> Theissue here is that of resticting people from referring to aspects of their own culture based on rules designed to avoid giving offence to folks of other ethnicities.
There is nothing positive about JAP. There are also girls who self-identify as sluts. Girls who self identify as JAPS do not embody what Jewish culture embraces.
“Jappy” girls are the antithesis of what a Jewish girl is supposed to be. It’s like men needed a euphemism for a Jewish shikse. The “stereotype” of Jewish American Princess is basically the stereotype of rich East Coast girls who have no brains and only know how to shop. There is no ‘phenomenon’ about it.
_Where does a man hide his money from his JAP wife?
Under the vacuum cleaner._
_Where do you hide a black man’s welfare check?
Under his work boots._
No different.
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### Author:  [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/19 "2011-06-10T15:48:57Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#):
>
> and BTW, Paris Hilton’s family religion is Roman Catholic.
Exactly.
Jewish American Princess is basically spoiled and dippy girls. There’s no _Jewish_ about it. It’s a matter of wealth and materialism.
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jap-jewish-american-princess-prince-an-offensive-term/584980/20 "2011-06-10T15:51:08Z")
> [@Malthus](#):
>
> Because it situates them within a particular culture (generally, the culture of the person making the description). This person is ‘one of ours’.
Being Jewish myself I’ve never used it and only heard it used as a derogatory insult. It’s also a derogatory charicature that implies it’s a Jewish thing, not just an entitled, spoiled thing.
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