After reading “Respect imperative for change” in the Dec. 3 Exponent, I think something needs to be said about derogatory words. It is not the words that hurt people; it is the people using the words that hurt people. The words that are discriminatory toward women and people of color are used in different contexts. The can be derogatory or not. I hear women call out to their friends, “What’s up, bitch?” Their intentions are not to offend their friends, it’s simply a different way to say hello. The same goes for the N-word; I hear it all the time in rap music and its intentions are not to degrade those people who are listening. As a woman, I do not find discriminatory words to be hurtful unless those people saying them mean for them to be hurtful. In today’s society these words are becoming more popular as ways to relate to other people. They become sexist or racist words when they are meant to hurt or oppress those people. I certainly do not promote the childish acts of writing these words on walls or dry erase boards. We are supposed to be adults; let’s find something better to do with our time. Words are simply letters put together on a piece of paper; people are the ones who make them something more.

Meagan J. Dallman
Chemistry Major