Reclaiming language

There are some words which have been used as slurs against particular oppressed groups in the past but which that group now regularly uses to identify themselves. This is called reclaiming language and is often used as a protest or resistance against discrimination which a group has faced. For example, some members of the LGBTI community would refer to themselves as Queer. This word has been and still is used as an insult against LGBTI people. However, in using it to identify themselves, for some individuals Queer has become an empowering label. It is important to understand that not everyone from a particular group will feel as positive about using a reclaimed word to describe themselves. In addition, reclaimed words are only usually acceptable when they are used by a person from that community to describe themselves and in a context which isn’t discriminatory.

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