Unseen Linguistic Traps

As we strive to bring Holy Spirit peace and hope to a culture unmoored by social injustice, racial strife, and political enmity, it can be difficult to know what to do -- particularly when a global pandemic keeps many of us confined to our homes. But do you realize that the words we use have a remarkable impact not just on how we communicate but on who we are and how our culture evolves? Our words have a profound effect on the people around us, whether we realize it or not, and it's important to recognize the ways we can unintentionally hurt others even with what we might assume is casual conversation.

Racism permeates our language so deeply that most of us are not even aware. Below are a few phrases that are directly tied to our nation's history of chattel slavery and racism. Let's commit to affirming and encouraging those around us with the words we choose rather than aligning with language that perpetuates unconscious biases:

Master bedrooms/bathrooms: Because of the slavery-era connotations in the word "master," many in the real estate industry today are calling for a shift to "primary" rather than "master." The change has not yet gained traction, however, as the majority of online private home listings still reference a "master bedroom" or "master bathroom."

Master/slave: In computer technology, engineers frequently use these words to describe a software or hardware process in which one component controls another. In recent years, programmers have begun adopting the words "primary/replica" instead.

Blacklist/whitelist: A blacklist typically references a list of emails, URLs, or IP addresses that are blocked, while a whitelist includes elements that are allowed. In order to dismantle the assumption that black=bad and white=good, some in the tech industry have begun using "blocklist" and "allowlist" instead.

The Masters: Sportswriter Rob Parker recently called for the Masters Tournament to change its name, particularly considering the history of the Augusta National Golf Club where the tournament is held. For much of its history, the Georgia club required that all caddies were black. Black golfers were banned from the Tournament until 1975, Black members were first admitted to the club in 1990, and women were first admitted in 2012.

Peanut gallery: While this phrase typically refers to the cheapest seats where rowdy hecklers are gathered, the term actually dates back to the 19th-century vaudeville era and references the sections of the theater where Black people usually sat. The radio show "Howdy Doody" later borrowed the phrase to reference where the show's live audience sat, and the term still refers to a source of inconsequential, uninformed criticism.

Grandfathered in: While the phrase is used today to suggest someone or something that is exempt from new rules, the legal term actually refers to the "grandfather clause" adopted by seven Southern states during the Reconstruction Era. Under the grandfather clause, anyone who was able to vote before 1867 was exempt from the literacy tests, property requirements, and poll taxes needed for voting. But slaves were not freed until 1865 and were not granted the right to vote until 1870, so the grandfather clause effectively excluded many of them from voting for decades.

Cakewalk: The original cakewalk was a dance performed by enslaved Black people on plantations before the Civil War. Plantation owners held contests in which slaves competed for a cake. The dance was later popularized in minstrel shows -- a high-legged prance with the head, shoulders, and upper torso tilted back.

The list goes on, my friends, and I pray that the current tensions will continue to unearth these injustices that have held our neighbors and friends trapped in a social structure with unseen linguistic traps. What can we do to claim love and truth in place of these long-standing biases? How can we bring to the forefront Jesus' command that we love others as ourselves?

For those interested, the song Miles danced to in worship last week was "Together" by the Christian group For King & Country. The group wrote and filmed the song in quarantine this past May, and the video is an excellent reflection on the challenges of 2020: Together.

Blessings on your week,

Jennie