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Actually, in the summer of 1972, Jackie Onassis--and her sister Lee Radziwill--provided the necessary funds to stabilize and repair that dilapidated house so that it would comply with local building codes. Unfortunately, Jackie was not able to force her relatives to accept mental health services, but in her last few years "Little Edie" had a career--of sorts--performing in small venues in Manhattan, and that produced a stream of income for her.
Yup, she had quite a following in the gay community because of her connection to Jackie.
To me it's a matter of control. Though not yet this particular change, it is another step in that direction. We are seeing increasing government control over the peoples' use of the English language as though there were anyone who actually had ownership of a living, evolving language.
This is also increasingly true of political interest groups. It is one thing to suggest using certain language for civility's sake and quite another to insist upon it or to punish people for non-compliance.
How language is used is of particular interest to me also and I think there are many who don't realize how powerful a tool it is when wielded in the mouths of people with undisclosed motives.
When a group or individual tells you you must call us this or use these words of description they are taking away your choice of how you express yourself. It's subtle and subtle is is good when you want to make changes. Like Al Pacino says in "The Devil's Advocate," "Never let them see you coming."
Sometimes I think, especially in writing, people somehow find it difficult to use the same word over and over again when they’re talking about some thing. Especially something like the homeless. So they start looking for creative ways to describe it, and then somebody picks up on it and it goes from there. Maybe in ways we don’t appreciate. Making it somewhat politically correct.
I get it. Right now because as I work my way through losing my husband, I’m reading a lot about grief. And the 9427 ways people say things other than dead is stunning.
I’m doing really well in my grief journey, another term I’m not crazy about but still use because pretty much it is a journey and I think one of the reasons why is because I didn’t use euphemisms, or sugarcoat it, or make it cute. My husband died. It’s hard, it hurts, and dressing it up and making it pretty won’t help.
By the way the latest one of that ilk is “transitioned.” I swear, if someone says that to me to my face I will smack them over the head with something. I have never heard anything so stupid in my life. The first time I heard it I literally rolled my eyes.
As stated earlier, I don't find "homeless person" inherently offensive.
However, I don't necessarily think "people experiencing homelessness" is bad phrasing. I mean, after all, they are still first and foremost people, right?
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I agree with this post and I'm quoting it here in order to reiterate something I think people don't often realize. Jowel explains it well and succinctly- they are first and foremost people. Prefacing that fact with a qualifier somehow changes that fact.. perhaps diminishes that fact.
Another similar example of this is when people say "adopted children", which always bothers me. (as in - Are those his adopted children?) They are children first and foremost. They only happen to be adopted. (So - No, they are his children. His children are adopted.)
Some may consider these evolutions of the way we use our language overly PC. I see it as gradual advancement and increased inclusiveness that doesn't seem to hurt anyone.
I could see it as being a more descriptive term for someone (or an entire family) who has fallen upon hard times due to losing a job or incurring a large debt due to a tragedy such as cancer or some other disease or injury, and is therefore kicked out of their home by their landlord or a bank.
This is different from the chronic "homeless" who are seen largely as alcoholics, drug abusers, or people with severe mental disabilities who have behaviors that preclude them from being able to engage in the basic social necessities that would gain them housing.
Sometimes I think, especially in writing, people somehow find it difficult to use the same word over and over again when they’re talking about some thing. Especially something like the homeless. So they start looking for creative ways to describe it, and then somebody picks up on it and it goes from there. Maybe in ways we don’t appreciate. Making it somewhat politically correct.
I get it. Right now because as I work my way through losing my husband, I’m reading a lot about grief. And the 9427 ways people say things other than dead is stunning.
I’m doing really well in my grief journey, another term I’m not crazy about but still use because pretty much it is a journey and I think one of the reasons why is because I didn’t use euphemisms, or sugarcoat it, or make it cute. My husband died. It’s hard, it hurts, and dressing it up and making it pretty won’t help.
By the way the latest one of that ilk is “transitioned.” I swear, if someone says that to me to my face I will smack them over the head with something. I have never heard anything so stupid in my life. The first time I heard it I literally rolled my eyes.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Going back to the 1960, they were called vagrants, or hobos, both very derogatory terms. Homeless was a word meant to remove some of the stigma, but now it's again become almost as bad, with people thinking of those living under the freeway or along the sidewalks, with a lot of drugs and other crime. There are a lot of people actually that have homes, but the homes are cars, old RV's, or very tiny homes in areas set up by cities and other organizations. For accuracy, there should be different terms, homeless for those living in a tent or under a tarp or cardboard, and unhoused for those in vehicles or those tiny houses without plumbing.
Going back to the 1960, they were called vagrants, or hobos, both very derogatory terms. Homeless was a word meant to remove some of the stigma, but now it's again become almost as bad, with people thinking of those living under the freeway or along the sidewalks, with a lot of drugs and other crime. There are a lot of people actually that have homes, but the homes are cars, old RV's, or very tiny homes in areas set up by cities and other organizations. For accuracy, there should be different terms, homeless for those living in a tent or under a tarp or cardboard, and unhoused for those in vehicles or those tiny houses without plumbing.
I remember depression-era relatives often using the term 'hobo.' It was not necessarily derogatory. There were a lot of hobos in the depression era. I remember one older relative, a farm girl, who told me that she would give them some work to do, feed them, and send them on their way.
I remember pretty clearly that the term 'homeless' came along in the 1980s when Reagan was in office. The media was desperate to pin a crisis on Reagan, and therefore invented the 'homeless' crisis. It was a political term all the way.
There were tons of hippies and yippies that were homeless in the 1960s, but we never heard 'homeless' applied to them. Instead they were often called 'free spirits' and the like.
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Solly says — Be nice!
