By Tania Morin
This list comprises of phrases that need to be gone. Dead. Never to be used again. Unseen and unheard of for future generations, or phrases that become footnotes in the book of historical embarrassments. This list is made up of popular sayings that encompass a range of issues and levels of importance, from social justice, to annoying lapses in grammar.
1. S/he “friend-zoned” me.
If you’ve said this in the past, I can only assume one of two things have happened. You either made a new friend, and if this is the case, congratulations! Aren’t you lucky. Or, you’re angry because a girl/guy you’re attracted to has told you that s/he doesn’t feel the same way. Your anger at this person for not liking you back means that you are only willing to be nice to someone so long as they have potential for sex. If this is the case, then you should probably reconsider your priorities, and that girl, or guy, has excellent judgement.
2. “No Homo.”
Just because you think or say someone of the same gender is good looking or attractive, doesn’t mean you immediately want to jump their bones. Also, why the shame about being thought of as gay, anyway? There is exactly nothing shameful about your sexual orientation. I say, proudly own and voice your complimentary thoughts. There’s no need to make an entire group of people think that you’d be ashamed to be considered gay.
3. “That’s gay.”
Think before you speak. Calling something “gay” when referring to it negatively makes you seem like an ignorant, disrespectful person. But of course you knew that already, didn’t you?
4. “I won’t like (insert awesome, nerdy thing), it’s just for fangirls.”
I’ve noticed a lot of hate directed towards fangirls recently. The first two Google autofill options for fangirl are “fangirls are annoying” and “fangirls ruin everything.” I don’t get it. Fangirls are the best people! They have unmatched passion for something/someone they love, so why should their passion be shamed? Also, it’s incredibly reductive to assume that some pop content becomes less worthy of positive acclaim just because it has a large, young, female fan base.
5. “I consider myself a humanist, not a feminist.”
If you’ve ever said this, do me a solid and look up the definition of feminism I’ll wait right here.
…
I can’t wait any longer. Here it is: the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. Basically, the radical notion that men and women deserve equal rights and opportunities!
So, do you agree with this? Yes? Congratulations, you’re a feminist! Don’t agree with it? You’re not even a humanist. The term humanist is valid, but when discussing gender inequality, it just isn’t enough. Choosing to use the term humanist rather than feminist doesn’t foster the dialogue necessary to bring attention to gender inequality. It would be like talking about racism without mentioning race.
If you’re still reluctant to identify as a feminist, please see Emma Watson’s recent speech at the UN headquarters launching the #HeForShe campaign. Basically, Hermione, err, Emma Watson, is the best.
6. “I got gypped.”
“Gypped” is derived from the word `gypsy`, which can be considered a racial slurr and be offensive to some people. They prefer to be referred to as Roma or Romani, a nomadic, dispersed ethnic group. These people have been unfairly depicted as cheats and thieves over the past century. When we use the term “gypped,” we are essentially reducing an entire, misunderstood people to nothing more than a racist assumption of their character.
7. “I’m a little bit OCD.”
Did you know OCD stood for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? OCD is not a quirky character trait, it’s a terrible, destructive mental illness. People with OCD are often trapped in a cycle of anxiety. A person with OCD will become obsessed with actions or things that make them anxious, e.g. cleanliness, locking doors, checking the oven. They tend to use compulsive behaviours to soothe their anxiety, thereby, forming a ritual which must be repeated over and over again otherwise the extreme uneasiness becomes overwhelming. So, just because you like to keep your room neat or eat your Smarties in order of colour doesn’t mean you have OCD.
8. “I could care less.”
It’s “I COULDN’T care less.” Saying you could care less means that you have achieved a level of caring about something, that if the thing were to become any less interesting you could mathematically care less about it. For a much more eloquent version of this tiny rant, please watch this video by British actor, writer, comedian, and journalist, David Mitchell.
9. YOLO – You Only Live Once.
Though what it stands for is correct, we do indeed only live once, the message has been warped into something fatuous by people trying to justify stupid or irresponsible acts like binge drinking or eating a turducken. Also, the overuse of it has become sickening. It’s like hearing Blurred Lines on the radio all the time, all over again. Remember when that happened? Yeah, I don’t know why it did either.
10. “I think Beyoncé is overrated.”
Okay, honestly, this one is a stretch. I don’t think anyone actually ever has, or will EVER say this. That’s my point though, this just shouldn’t be said by anyone, at all, ever. Beyoncé is so great, that even my iPhone autocorrects her name to spell it correctly. That’s how important she is. Also, her VMA performance was a life altering experience. Thank you, Beyoncé. You’re right, we are all flawless.
There you go. 10 phrases to erase from your vocabulary that will instantly make you a better person. Think of reading this as an exercise in self-improvement. You’re welcome.
Picture sources:http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article9689108.ece/binary/original…https://www.utexas.edu/features/archive/2003/graphics/romani2.jpghttp://www.chicagonow.com/nails-on-a-chalkboard/files/2014/05/New-Feminism.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LRVkadIdop8/UYleCoStZAI/AAAAAAAAAMU/2INmY7c0am…https://img1.etsystatic.com/029/1/8848424/il_570xN.602526929_56ma.jpghttp://strippers-and-coke.tumblr.com/post/15597385000/i-am-killing-this-meme