Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz. referred to Black people as "colored people" Thursday in floor debate over his proposed amendment to an annual defense policy bill, prompting a stern rebuke from the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Lawmakers were debating a series of GOP-backed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, which the House aims to pass by the end of the week.
  • zalack@kbin.social
    12·
    1 year ago

    Turn out it’s the definition of rational as it can be empirically supported. From further up in the thread:

    There actually is proper data showing that this kind of thing can actually make a meaningful difference, and surely we’re all evidence-driven people here, right?

    A 2008 experiment researched teenagers’ perception of epilepsy with respect to people-first language. Teenagers from a summer camp were divided into two groups. One group was asked questions using the term “people with epilepsy”, and the other group was asked using the term “epileptics”, with questions including “Do you think that people with epilepsy/epileptics have more difficulties at school?” and “Do you have prejudice toward people with epilepsy/epileptics?” The study showed that the teenagers had higher “stigma perception” on the Stigma Scale of Epilepsy when hearing the phrase “epileptics” as opposed to “people with epilepsy”.

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01899.x

    Not an exact parallel, but the point stands that these kinds of language patters can genuinely influence perception.

    • Sanctus@kbin.social
      42·
      1 year ago

      Its that simple, making People the prominent noun in the semantics makes people humanized. Adding colored beforehand denotes some imperative difference that must be considered for it to be placed before their humanity.

      • echo@sopuli.xyz
        26·
        1 year ago

        This is honestly ridiculous logic. That’s how adjectives work. Calling someone a tall person isn’t dehumanizing them.

        • zalack@kbin.social
          41·
          1 year ago

          Totally ignoring the evidence provided that it does make a difference.

          Also, to state the obvious, tall people aren’t a marginalized group in our society so it may not activate the same nueral pathways that lead to bias.

          • echo@sopuli.xyz
            21·
            1 year ago

            The study you quoted isn’t the same thing. It would be more like comparing “people of color” with “coloreds”. And to your point about how tall people aren’t marginalized, that’s kind of my point. “Colored people” is offensive because it’s been used derogatorily for so long, not because of the word order. That same wikipedia article points out that there are several marginalized groups that reject people first language. It mentions Deaf and autistic people, but anecdotally I’ve never seen anyone take offense to “gay people” or “trans people” either. It’s just the specific history of the adjective “colored” being applied to people that makes the difference.