Race to the finish

[andrewducker]

Note - the final question isn't just in reference to the question above - it's about _all_ potentially offensive statements.

[Poll #1437698]

Comments

[wildeabandon.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about the last two questions. I don't remember any occasions when I've encountered people doing those things. I have called people on more subtle examples of racism (and sexism, homophobia &c)

[chuma.livejournal.com]

Context context context.

[andrewducker]

Absolutely. That's why I ticked three items in the last one - I've not spoken up when people meant things in a non-offensive manner, and when I wasn't personally offended, and for other reasons too - sometimes I don't have a problem with what would be horribly offensive in another context.

[drainboy.livejournal.com]

*seconded* *thirded* *fourded*

[lizzie-and-ari.livejournal.com]

fifthted.

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

Sixthed!

[zz]

jewed.

i mean, seventhed.

[sageautumn.livejournal.com]

I feel silly... and I'm pretty certain I avoid them, and object to them... ...but other than name-calling words, I can't think of any racist or homo/hetro swear words.

I think/guess it's probably one of those, "If you heard it, you'd know it," things.

[natural20.livejournal.com]

I have made what could be considered racist comments such as "Sassenach bastard," hence my answer to one of the questions. This is, mind, something I have only done to people I know and, iirc, it's always been done in a slagging sense.

And while I would consider someone saying "That's a bit Irish" in a derogatory fashion to be racist, I don't make similar racial comparisons (that I'm aware of) to my island neighbours. And I certainly wouldn't consider the comment above, made in jest to my friends, to be like that, but others may think differently?

[derumi.livejournal.com]

That last one was a bit confusing, so I checked "I was scared to speak up" (because it's dangerous when you're surrounded by a bunch of racists making fun of you when they can threaten you physically or career-wise), "I have always spoken up" (otherwise, because I think I very well should) unless "I haven't encountered anything objectionable" (depending on what was said and what the context was).

edit: Sudden thought - if I couldn't re-edit my own comments, would I proofread before I hit send?

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

Can you provide examples of heterophobia beyond the tongue and cheek "filthy breeders" thing from an earlier post? I'm honestly curious.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

You missed an option in the last poll - someone else did so first - I've only encountered such things online, and in all cases, many others had complained.

[andrewducker]

True - had that happen myself on numerous occasions.

[khbrown.livejournal.com]

Ah, but are you then a free-rider on someone else's PC condemnation? And thus part of the problem rather than the solution?

[andrewducker]

I don't generally feel that dogpiling does much good. So if someone is already having the situation explained to them me jumping in probably just muddies the waters.

[broin.livejournal.com]

I wonder why you got a lot less interest in this poll.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

I think you need to add James Nicoll's "I object to the poll!" checkbox in spots.

Specifically, "twat" is not a sexualised swear word - it doesn't belong in the same category as "fuck" at all. It's a inherently sexist word, like cunt.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

Yes, I only ticked yes to that first one because I use "fuck" a lot, but I make an effort to avoid using gender-specific swearwords and would never use "twat" or "dick".

[andrewducker]

Interesting. Over here cunt/twat are equally applied to men.

[khbrown.livejournal.com]

How about a poll on consuming texts that use these terms and whether or not we find this offensive or justified by contexts?

Also, I would like to have seen an ironic / unironic poll division, or within a bracketed context (e.g. using the 'N-word' in reference to someone else's comment about 'Niggers'; thus you can now safely meta-meta-quote me)

Have you or Julie ever thought about doing a qualitative versus quantitative analysis of facebook poll results and comments? -;)

[andrewducker]

Well, I mostly do polls for the comments, and if I was going to make them "bullet proof" then they'd need to be about 5 times as long, so no :->