Words Have Power

“Words have power” is a phrase that I have always kept in the back of my mind when speaking and interacting with others. After reading "Girl or Woman? Dorm or Residence Hall? What's the Big Deal About Language: The Power of Language" by Stephen John Quaye, it was clear to me that this statement is true. There is so much history rooted in the words we use and it is important to understand their meanings and understand the difference between intent and impact. When using words such as freshmen, it is important to understand how in our conversation it was not our intent to be offensive but because of the deeply rooted history with that word, using it can affect someone in a negative way.

I believe the article scratched the surface about Native Americans and the history rooted in “Redskins”. I wish the author explained why the slang word “Redskins” is not okay. For a country that stole land from the Native American people and have oppressed them since the “discovery” of America, it is ironic that people have pride in using them as their face of a sports team. This reading reminded me of a video I saw online. This video perfectly shows how the use of language and imagery can really have power and provoke different feelings and responses.

“The challenge with the symbolic nature of language is that when there are few alternative images or messages conveyed through language, people will regard the symbols provided by language as the one and only true representation of a group.” (Quaye, 2011. pg. 282) After reading this from Quaye (2011), I immediately thought of how America views terrorist, and how the selective usage of that word and the imagery news outlets tie with the word, shape society’s perception of who terrorist could be. News outlets have shaped who and what we consider terrorist/terrorism. The language used in the media and the imagery used, points all the fingers at those of Islamic faith and others from different countries but rarely depicts anyone outside of that as terrorist. This also is shown in the media for different races of individuals. When showing Black people in the media, the media refers to them as thugs and use images to support that rhetoric. One thought that comes to mind is the difference in the depiction of Black protesters/riots vs. White protesters/riots. Here is a video that touches on this topic.

Quaye (2011) stated that oppressed groups find ways to use oppressive terminology and language to redefine themselves in a more powerful way. He continued and talked about how the LGBTQ community has used the term “queer” to take away its power and negative meaning. I see this present in women with the word “b*tch”, as well as in the African American community with the “n” word. In today’s society, women have taken the word “b*tch” and reclaimed its meaning for themselves. Many women today, proudly refer to themselves as a “b*tch” or “bad b*tch” to assert their confidence and independence. Similar is how the usage of the “n” word in the Black community is used today as a term of endearment for some.

In the reading, it states that being aware of the power of language and monitoring our words may change our thinking, because consciously thinking of our words leads to examination of what those words mean to us. I definitely can identify with this statement and have experience with critically examining a word I did not know held a lot of power. One term that I do not use anymore, but is frequently used, is the term “butthurt.” I was not aware of the negative connotations or perceived meanings behind it until a colleague of mine (who identifies as gay) educated me on it. Acording to my colleague, the etymology of the term “butthurt” can be linked to anal rape. This term has a sexist and homophobic undertone that I was not aware of prior to talking with my colleague. This has made me reflect on myself, my future in student affairs, and areas I need to grow in. With developing my professional identity, I need to be more cognizant of what I am saying and educate myself more. I need to reflect more on my impact vs. the intent that I may have when speaking. Although a word or term I use may not be a big deal to me, I need to be more aware that I could be perpetuating negative implications and ideas. I will continue to have an open mind and be willing to learn in order to grow. I believe that having intentional conversations with different students and faculty about certain words and terms will help in knowing the power in words.