# Pejorative Descriptions of Groups **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 22, 2023, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405 "2023-05-22T09:33:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/1 "2023-05-22T09:33:08Z")
There are lots of collective nouns for people that are now considered unacceptable, The one beginning with N is the most obvious, but there are many others. Since the middle of the last century, so for 60/70 years, the word “gay” has been acceptable to describe people who are attracted to members of the same sex, although it’s mostly applied to men. It was used earlier, but mainly to describe people with a casual attitude to sexual behavior. Most alternatives such as “queer”, “pansy” and “poofter” among many others are now considered pejorative, which leads me to wonder how “gay” has survived as acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/2 "2023-05-22T10:41:29Z")
Gay isn’t acceptable in some contexts. For instance it would be unacceptable to call something or someone “gay” that isn’t actually gay ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/3 "2023-05-22T10:47:52Z")
Poofter? I’ve never heard it, but it sounds perjorative just as it is. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/4 "2023-05-22T12:25:07Z")
Indeed. Try shirt lifter, brown job, fairy, or fag. ---
**Author:** ![NinthAcolyte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ninthacolyte/32/13676_2.png) [@NinthAcolyte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinthAcolyte)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/5 "2023-05-22T13:04:22Z")
As @Grrr states above, context is everything. Which words are or are not acceptable is (or at least should be) determined by the people to whom they apply. “Queer” has been fairly thoroughly reclaimed to the point where it’s now part of the “official” acronym, LGBTQIA+. There are a minority of (mostly older) folk who still strongly prefer not to have that label applied to them and a still-smaller minority who strongly object to the term being reclaimed at all, but on the whole the ship has sailed. Still, the term shouted in anger by an enemy has enormously different resonance than the term used endearingly by a friend or proudly self-applied - I’m sure you can think of some other examples. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/6 "2023-05-22T15:15:23Z")
I also wonder how “white” has survived as an acceptable term for people of European descent (but not too far south in Europe). I can’t imagine why anyone would want to be called “white,” because it sounds awful. Caspar the ghost is white, I’m not. /s (in case anyone was wondering) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/7 "2023-05-22T15:26:34Z")
aside: I was about to mark “White” on my census form, then looked at my hand on the paper, checked the Other box and wrote in “Pink”. I do wonder about “Caucasian”… does my race really hail from the Caucasus Mountains? /aside ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/8 "2023-05-22T16:31:50Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Poofter? I’ve never heard it [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TiHsJ0Dz7e8/hqdefault.jpg "Arrested Development - GOB - Poof Magazine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiHsJ0Dz7e8) ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/9 "2023-05-22T16:38:35Z")
Monty Python - [The Bruces Sketch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L220PFMkunI) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/10 "2023-05-22T16:38:52Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > “queer” This is a word that has been reclaimed. Not sure it’s ever really used pejoratively any more. See **Queer** Eye, LGBT_ **Q** _+ etc ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2023, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/11 "2023-05-22T16:39:14Z")
> [@NinthAcolyte](#): > > Still, the term shouted in anger by an enemy has enormously different resonance than the term used endearingly by a friend or proudly self-applied - I’m sure you can think of some other examples. It’s associative… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yuEBBwJdjhQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Word Association - Saturday Night Live") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuEBBwJdjhQ) ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2023, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/12 "2023-05-23T07:17:13Z")
I don’t know why but it annoys me when someone says “So I was watching a movie with an African-American actor, and a white actor” Just say black if you’re going to just say white. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/13 "2023-05-25T23:02:07Z")
The language changes. I’m 73, and when I was about 12, “black” was still an offensive thing to call a “negro.” At that time, “African-American” would have baffled people. Here in central Indiana, “colored person” was the polite term. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/14 "2023-05-26T03:04:05Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > This is a word that has been reclaimed. Not sure it’s ever really used pejoratively any more. See **Queer** Eye, LGBT_ **Q** _+ etc When my congregation was interviewing for a new minister, one of the candidates self-identified as queer. We are a welcoming congregation, and had openly gay staff members before, but the word “queer” was too much for our mostly 65+ year old members to even utter. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/15 "2023-05-26T03:14:32Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Most alternatives such as “queer”, “pansy” and “poofter” among many others are now considered pejorative, which leads me to wonder how “gay” has survived as acceptable. Queer is somewhat contentious among some folks. I don’t mind referring to queer studies when talking about academics and Q is part of the ever growing alphabet soup of LGBTQ+, so there are people who refer to themselves as queer. But I would never casually refer to anyone as queer because it was a perjorative for so much of my life. Edit: And I’m reminded that I need to read the replies before I post my own. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/16 "2023-05-26T03:17:58Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Just say black if you’re going to just say white. I believe the guidelines have changed to refer to Black because the lowercase is a color and not a person. Not sure what the guidelines are for white. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/17 "2023-05-26T04:56:09Z")
I remember a Monty Python sketch which had a weekly contest on what sort of derogatory term to call different groups. That week was the Belgians, and “sprouts” was put forward, but they finally settled on “those dirty Belgian bastards.” ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/18 "2023-05-26T06:51:39Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Poofter? I’ve never heard it, but it sounds perjorative just as it is. I thought it was an Australianism, but it may be used elsewhere. I certainly am not surprised a non-Australian wouldn’t have heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/19 "2023-05-26T11:38:22Z")
Australian and British. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405/20 "2023-05-26T11:41:53Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Poofter? I’ve never heard it, but it sounds perjorative just as it is. IIRC, poofter had a bit of regular usage on South Park during it’s early years. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pejorative-descriptions-of-groups/984405.md?page=2)