Simple name change of one of the hair styles

[sc1zzen]

It may not seem like a huge deal but "dreads" is an outdated term and some find it offensive.  Swap it to "locs" or "locks" and its more inclusive.

[theFlu]

It's the apocalypse, all the hairstyles are going to be dreadful ..

 

[Riamus]

That is interesting.  I know people with them and they refer to then as dreads.  I've never heard anyone refer to them as locks.  Maybe it is just a location-based issue?

 

I think people take offense too easily these days when it is clear that something isn't intended to be offensive.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Riamus (see edit history)

[Syphon583]

Since when is dreads an offensive term?

 

Good lord, what is happening?

[theFlu]

19 minutes ago, Syphon583 said:

Since when is dreads an offensive term?

Since 1984, approximately.

[warmer]

Let me make sure I understand this correctly. So the solution is to use the second half of dreadlocks and not the first half... 

 

OK

Edited July 31, 2023 by warmer (see edit history)

[sc1zzen]

Here is the thing,  say you know that something is offensive to some people and changing to something else isn't to anyone and is very simple,  why not change? 

 

 

 

On 7/30/2023 at 12:25 AM, Riamus said:

That is interesting.  I know people with them and they refer to then as dreads.  I've never heard anyone refer to them as locks.  Maybe it is just a location-based issue?

 

I think people take offense too easily these days when it is clear that something isn't intended to be offensive.

 

Intent doesn't matter when you offend someone, and just because you don't find something offensive, doesn't mean that that is the litmus test on if it should be or not especially if said thing doesn't pertain to you.

 

 

7 hours ago, Syphon583 said:

Since when is dreads an offensive term?

 

Good lord, what is happening?

Does it really effect you that much that you cannot possibly change your views on it? you just HAVE to call them what you want to? 

 

7 hours ago, warmer said:

Let me make sure I understand this correctly. So the solution is to use the second half of dreadlocks and not the first half... 

 

OK

You do understand how etymology works right? how two words over time can become one word over time, or were you to focused on trying to insult me by saying I live with my parents?  Which I gotta say, mighty lame my guy.  If you are going to try to insult someone at least have the decency to be original. 

[Syphon583]

15 hours ago, sc1zzen said:

Does it really effect you that much that you cannot possibly change your views on it? you just HAVE to call them what you want to? 

No where in my reply did I state I wouldn't be willing to change my point of view.

 

Perhaps my use of "Good lord, what is happening" was a little strong. It was mostly meant in jest. However, my initial response stems from the fact that there are many terms in recent memory that are being forced out of use because people are choosing to be offended by them. Of course there are terms that are implicitly racist and should be phased out of use. Maybe "dreadlocks" falls in to that category. I grew up in an area where this hairstyle was common and the use of term "dreadlocks" was the standard name for that hairstyle. However, I've never once heard it expressed in news, media or acquaintances that the term was offensive in nature. It was just surprising to me to hear it now.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Syphon583 (see edit history)

[warmer]

This affects less than 1% of the population and doesn't warrant any attention.

 

Your personal feelings do not trump those who don't care. It's pretty pretentious to assume 1% can dictate the behavior of the other 99% because that isn't how "reality" works.

[BFT2020]

I thought that Jamaicans call them dreadlocks, as part of their culture.  Are we denying their culture now?  🤔

[theFlu]

10 hours ago, sc1zzen said:

Which I gotta say, mighty lame my guy.

You do realize that "lame" is quite offensive to some people, and you should not be using it. It's not even the pointlessness of the request; it's the utter hypocrisy of the requesters, "just don't insult the better people, mmkay".

[Riamus]

16 hours ago, sc1zzen said:

Here is the thing,  say you know that something is offensive to some people and changing to something else isn't to anyone and is very simple,  why not change? 

 

 

 

 

Intent doesn't matter when you offend someone, and just because you don't find something offensive, doesn't mean that that is the litmus test on if it should be or not especially if said thing doesn't pertain to you.

 

 

Does it really effect you that much that you cannot possibly change your views on it? you just HAVE to call them what you want to? 

 

You do understand how etymology works right? how two words over time can become one word over time, or were you to focused on trying to insult me by saying I live with my parents?  Which I gotta say, mighty lame my guy.  If you are going to try to insult someone at least have the decency to be original. 

If a small percent of people using them costs then offensive but most consider it the correct terminology, then trying to get rid of the use of that isn't right.  People today have very thin skin and I think that is on purpose for many.  If it is clearly not intended but anyone to be offensive and most people using them do not consider it offensive, then it is acceptable to use the terminology.  I have never heard anyone who has them say anything whatsoever about the term being offensive.  Again, this could be limited to a small part of the world (maybe a very small part) where those there wasn't to change the word because they don't like it.  But if the rest of the world considered it acceptable and normal, then there isn't any reason to change it outside of that location and no reason at all to be offended by people using it.

 

There are certainly words that are intended to be offensive and those should absolutely not be used.  But to call a word offensive when it isn't intended by anyone to be offensive and is just the weird everyone uses, then that isn't a reason to try to prevent people from using the word outside of that location.

 

Let's look at it another way as well.  Locks are typically used to describe children's hair.  I think many people who wear dreadlocks would take offense at them being equated with children's hair as everyone I know with them take pride in them.  If I found a lot of people who said locks were offensive, would you tell everyone you know who calls them locks that they can't do so anymore because some people are offended by the term?  Would they listen to you?  I doubt it.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Riamus (see edit history)

[Melange]

This is an odd choice of a word to target as 'offensive' while TFP continues to use the word pimp in its company name. Try and start that uproar and see if it gets any more traction here than this perceived need to rename a dreadful hairstyle.