# Older Words Deemed Not Politically Correct **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 5, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680 "2004-07-05T19:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/61 "2004-07-12T05:00:38Z")
Well, back in my day, the definition of _tired queen_, or more often _tired old queen_, was an unflattering term for a gay man (possibly a drag queen, though not necessarily) whose shtick had gotten old and tiresome, and/or was beyond his years and no longer the center of attention or life of the party. In other words . . . someone unlike me. 🙂 Shaddup, **DrM**! ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/62 "2004-07-12T07:00:40Z")
> [@mike1dog](#): > > I remember reading somewhere once that some Indians consider Native American insulting, since there are no primates in America, it implies they are descended from something else, and are not human. That sounds kind of… silly, IMO. I don’t have any cites, but I’m fairly certain it has to do with natives not wanting to be known as “Americans”, since they were here before it was named “America”, by non-natives. On the subject of “kike”, Merriam-Webster states that the origin is unknown. But are there any theories out there as to its etymology? And, I’d like to repeat my request as to the original and/or negative meaning of “Dutch treat”? Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/63 "2004-07-12T07:20:18Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > So what the hell is a Tired-Queen anyway? Tired-queen… old, and sour and only 77. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/64 "2004-07-12T12:14:36Z")
> [@](#): > > On the subject of “kike”, Merriam-Webster states that the origin is unknown. But are there any theories out there as to its etymology? > **[Where did the slurs "Wop" and "Kike" come from?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=264862)** > > What the hell do they mean? I’ve heard it so many times. Other ethnic groups have understandable derogatory slurs (Nigger is a corruption of Negro, Polack is obvious, Spic I assume comes from ''Hispanic,") and the list goes on. But if you’re Italian... > [@](#): > > And, I’d like to repeat my request as to the original and/or negative meaning of “Dutch treat”? **Spectre of Pithecanthropus** said “It’s not really a treat.” “Going Dutch” (i.e., receiving a “Dutch treat”) means that you pay your own way. In other words, “Hey, I’ll treat you to dinner. You pay for your own food.” So “Dutch treat” is saying that Dutch people are stingy. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/65 "2004-07-12T13:11:58Z")
The planning director of New Orleans was forced out of his position after only a few days, because he described the messed-up politics of his department as a [_tar baby_](http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1081328141236040.xml). _Crippled_ is a no-no now. Isn’t _handicapped_ looked down upon now, with _disabled_, _challenged_ and _differently abled_ being uacceptable substitutes? I now _crippled_ is a no-no now, and I wonder how the Slashdot crowd got away with naming an open source image editor _[The Gimp](http://www.gimp.org/)_. A lot of older adults, including my father, use the word _colored_ to describe blacks/African Americans/people of color. They don’t use the term with racist intentions, but I’ll admit my brain skips a beat when I hear old farts use it. A SDMB cliche: _Oriental_ refers to a thing, not a person. I’ve also heard that the term _Gypsy_ is now considered rude, and that _Roma_ sould be substituted. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/66 "2004-07-12T13:39:10Z")
> [@Cajun Man](#): > > Well, back in my day, the definition of _tired queen_, or more often _tired old queen_, was an unflattering term for a gay man (possibly a drag queen, though not necessarily) whose shtick had gotten old and tiresome, and/or was beyond his years and no longer the center of attention or life of the party. > > In other words . . . someone unlike me. 🙂 Don’t be silly, **Cajun Man!** We never think of you as _tired._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/67 "2004-07-12T17:30:10Z")
> [@Manatee](#): > > Recently I’ve been getting gasps from students when I use some variation on “a chink in his armor.” On a gaming message board I frequent, the board software has a language filter, replacing naughty words with “ **edit** ”. I’m pretty good about keeping my language clean, so imagine my surprise when the dreaded **edit** showed up in one of my posts. The phrase I was attempting to post was “nip it in the bud”. another word: \*Queer \* (as in odd). ---
**Author:** ![Tiggrkitty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggrkitty/32/17966_2.png) [@Tiggrkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiggrkitty)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/68 "2004-07-12T18:19:09Z")
> [@Beauty Personified](#): > > The rest - “cheapskate”, “sissy”, “jerk-off” and “grease monkey” - I don’t understand. Sure the first three can be considered insults, but “politically incorrect”? I don’t know. I can only see “grease monkey” as being un-PC in that “monkey” has gotten a bad rap due to its use by racists to describe black people. > > Anyhoo… Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought “grease monkey” refered to someone that worked on cars or machinery. As far as I know it has NOTHING to do with a racists comment. My brother would refer to me as a grease monkey when I was working on my Camero because I would literally get covered in grease and oil, when changing out the rear end. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/69 "2004-07-12T20:17:23Z")
> [@Tiggrkitty](#): > > Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought “grease monkey” refered to someone that worked on cars or machinery. As far as I know it has NOTHING to do with a racists comment. My brother would refer to me as a grease monkey when I was working on my Camero because I would literally get covered in grease and oil, when changing out the rear end. Yes, that’s _exactly_ what it means. It’s a term often used with good humor, to describe car mechanics. I’ve never heard it used in a racist context. Frankly, I think anyone who tries to assign racist overtones to it is just smoking something. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/70 "2004-07-12T20:38:34Z")
JULES That’s what I’ve been sitting here contemplating. First, I’m gonna deliver this case to Marsellus. Then, basically, I’m gonna walk the earth. ``` VINCENT What do you mean, walk the earth? JULES You know, like Caine in "KUNG FU." Just walk from town to town, meet people, get in adventures. VINCENT How long do you intend to walk the earth? JULES Until God puts me where he want me to be. VINCENT What if he never does? JULES If it takes forever, I'll wait forever. VINCENT So you decided to be a bum? JULES I'll just be Jules, Vincent -- no more, no less. VINCENT No Jules, you're gonna be like those pieces of shit out there who beg for change. They walk around like a bunch of fuckin' zombies, they sleep in garbage bins, they eat what I throw away, and dogs piss on 'em. They got a word for 'em, they're called bums. And without a job, residence, or legal tender, that's what you're gonna be -- a fuckin' bum! ``` ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/71 "2004-07-12T20:43:59Z")
The hamsters jumped the gun on me there. Allow me to give credit where credit is due. My last post was meant to be a quote from the script of _Pulp Fiction_. Quentin Tarantino, the PC police are coming for you. ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/72 "2004-07-12T21:15:20Z")
As I understand it, referring to people as “hillbillies” is no longer acceptable. The preferred term is “sons of the soil”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/73 "2004-07-12T21:24:43Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > The planning director of New Orleans was forced out of his position after only a few days, because he described the messed-up politics of his department as a [_tar baby_](http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1081328141236040.xml). How can Tar Baby be offensive, it’s just the name of a character/monster from Brer Rabbit. It is like finding Hobbit or Orc offensive. Also the nature of a Tar Baby that you get stuck to it and struggling just makes things worse seems appropriate for a company suffering from missmanagement. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/74 "2004-07-12T21:53:41Z")
According to the politically correct human resources department here at work I’m no longer supposed to call my female co-workers “sperm receptacles”. OK, tell me the new oversensitive term they’ve come up with for this month, and I’ll use that until you all decide that one’s offensive too… ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/75 "2004-07-12T23:40:23Z")
> [@occ](#): > > As I understand it, referring to people as “hillbillies” is no longer acceptable. The preferred term is “sons of the soil”. Who’s gonna tell **son of the soil queen**? ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/76 "2004-07-13T05:51:11Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > How can Tar Baby be offensive, it’s just the name of a character/monster from Brer Rabbit. A character who just happens to be **black** , though. From [this page](http://www.gsu.edu/~dsihhj/harris.htm): > [@](#): > > What about Brer Rabbit’s nemesis, Tar Baby? As author Toni Morrison says, the phrase was once used as a racial slur by an older generation. Ironically, the nickname _Tarbabes_ is used by California’s Compton High School, whose student body is overwhelmingly composed of African-Americans. However, as [this entertaining list](http://www.halcyon.com/marcs/mascoths.html) informs us: > [@](#): > > At one time, the campuses of Compton College and Compton High School were on the same site - the very site that Compton High School is on today. Compton High School adopted the mascot name of “Tartar Babies” because the college’s teams were known as “Tartars”- but the local press shortened the name to “Tarbabes.” The mascot is “Baby Tartar,” who wears a diaper and carries a big sword. ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680/77 "2004-07-13T07:47:29Z")
The candy they now call “licorice babies” were once (are still) known as “tar babies” by some people. My grandparents used to call them “nigger babies”. :eek: My mother picked up that term as well, but I’ve long since weened her off calling them that. (Although I wouldn’t be surprised that that’s the first name that comes to mind when she sees the candy or gets a craving. Not that she’s racist, it’s just that’s the name she grew up knowing them as.) **Johnny L.A.** - Thanks for the slur origin thread link and the explanation about “Dutch treat”. If I had actually thought about the modern meaning of the term, I _might_ have figured it out. :rolleyes: Anyhoo… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-words-deemed-not-politically-correct/253680.md?page=3)