Inaccurate assumptions

By Betsy Purner

After attending the open forum to discuss the recent theme party, I began to think about other ways we offend each other besides dressing up as certain stereotypes. Personally, it is the words we choose or the assumptions we make in conversation that offend me the most and are, at the same time, the offenses of which I am the guiltiest.

For example, why do we use the terms "gay" or "retarded" to inappropriately describe something that we find disagreeable? Our professors are not retarded for assigning an essay and our friend is not gay because she didn't want to go out last night.

As an ally of the queer community and a cousin of a mentally handicapped person, I can't help the churning feeling of discomfort in my stomach when someone uses these words in front of me. I used to keep quiet and ignore the offense because I was embarrassed I was being too sensitive, but that stops now.

We sound unintelligent and ignorant when we use these words and we owe it to each other to educate one another on how we are being offensive. Another word which is more common in my vocabulary but I am currently working to squash is "ghetto."

Why do we call something that is trashy, cheap or in reference to the African American community ghetto? I would think this to be very offensive to a Jewish person forced to live in the ghettos during World War II or to the minority groups who, for economic reasons, cannot escape living in low income urban neighborhoods.

Finally, when we assume anything about a person's gender, sexual orientation, economic status or racial heritage we are being offensive. This is extremely difficult because we are bombarded by the media to believe that all Latinos are Mexican, men with lisps are homosexual and persons of authority are male.

However, if we are to be truly educated persons we need to stop assuming and start noticing the beautiful diversity the world provides.

One real way we can work towards inclusive excellence on our campus is to start using inclusive language and have the courage to point it out to each other when we don't.

Betsy Purner is a senior environmental science and religious studies major and a SCCAP program coordinator.