The Meaning Has Been Lost

Photo illustration by Raisa Habersham | VOX Staff

By Adia Harris | VOX Staff

“This party better be off da chain cuz, and deez hoes betta be jukin,” said some random boy smiling and waving at a group of females as he entered a party I recently attended. All the girls giggled at his charm, so distracted that his choice of words went completely unnoticed — except for by me.

We have allowed what used to be considered derogatory words toward females to become socially acceptable in certain circles. Looking around my peers, I see expletives like “hoe” and “bitch” are no longer worth a slap in the face, but merely a general way for guys to address the estrogen-filled bodies around them. I can’t help but wonder if a line is being seriously crossed. (See “Shhh! The Hush List” at right.)

The funny thing is I can’t remember when saying such offensive things became acceptable; one day it just was. These put-downs became the new vernacular, even for girls to say amongst ourselves. If you call yourself the “baddest bitch” it signifies that you don’t put up with any crap and deserve to be respected, you’re the dominant female. I don’t know how that particular meaning was derived, but somehow, that’s what it means today.

My guy friends and even my brother speak of girls by using the word “hoe” with regularity, and they respond with an impatient “You know what I mean” whenever they’re questioned about it.

In a way, I do know what they mean. I can’t sense any disrespect in their tone, and I rarely sense any emotion in their voices at all when they say the word “hoe.” And that’s what I think worries me most.

I am starting to believe that the disconnect between the usage and the meaning of derogatory words brings about certain ignorance to those who use and accept them.

Therefore, guys continue to say them and girls continue to listen and dance to them mindlessly. When I go to parties and watch girls dance to misogynistic lyrics, the saying “a person is smart, but people are stupid” comes to mind. As a group it is so easy to conform to the way things are. We think, If it’s so bad, then why does it seem everyone is having a good time?

Like underage smoking or drinking, it’s at the point where if the people involved are having fun, they believe that what’s going on really isn’t all that bad. They think it’s all just part of that defiance that comes with being young. Don’t get me wrong, like the majority of teens I’m all for having fun, and at times even the trouble that comes with it. But I believe one must be aware of what troubles can arise. These words that we throw at each other, especially toward females, do have an impact. And it can be a devastating one.

We need to stop using such language so casually before even worse things like violence also become matter of fact and acceptable in our day-to-day existences.

Adia is a senior at Chamblee High.