(![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
elspethdixon Nov. 19th, 2007 07:46 pm)
elspethdixon Nov. 19th, 2007 07:46 pm)The more I hear about Heroes, the happier I am that I don't watch it (so, now they have stereotyped Latin Americans as well as a stereotyped Japanese guy and storylines blatantly ripped off from comics).
However, reading the comments on Heroes' treatment of Latin American characters has reminded me of something that bothers me every single time this kind of discussion comes up.
I really dislike the phrase "skanky race issues."
The original definition of the word "skank" is a kind of dance performed to reggae music, but the word's most commonly acknowledged meaning, well:
skank - n - a person and especially a woman of low or sleazy character (Meriam-Webster)
skank - n - One who is disgustingly foul or filthy and often considered sexually promiscuous. Used especially of a woman or girl. (www.freedictionary.com)
Here people discuss the slang definition in a thread at answers.yahoo.com Answers include "a dirty, sleazy, slutty female," "a ho," and "a filthy, promiscous girl."
When people wish to express that the way race/Characters of Color are handled in something is problematic and/or makes them uncomfortable, is a term most commonly used to insult sexually active women really the best word to use?
I've never aired this discomfort in discussions of race issues before, because it would be hijacking the discussion over semantics, but am I the only one who'd like so see some other adjective than "skanky" used?
However, reading the comments on Heroes' treatment of Latin American characters has reminded me of something that bothers me every single time this kind of discussion comes up.
I really dislike the phrase "skanky race issues."
The original definition of the word "skank" is a kind of dance performed to reggae music, but the word's most commonly acknowledged meaning, well:
skank - n - a person and especially a woman of low or sleazy character (Meriam-Webster)
skank - n - One who is disgustingly foul or filthy and often considered sexually promiscuous. Used especially of a woman or girl. (www.freedictionary.com)
Here people discuss the slang definition in a thread at answers.yahoo.com Answers include "a dirty, sleazy, slutty female," "a ho," and "a filthy, promiscous girl."
When people wish to express that the way race/Characters of Color are handled in something is problematic and/or makes them uncomfortable, is a term most commonly used to insult sexually active women really the best word to use?
I've never aired this discomfort in discussions of race issues before, because it would be hijacking the discussion over semantics, but am I the only one who'd like so see some other adjective than "skanky" used?