Content Warning:
This article addresses sensitive issues and discusses the use of racial and transphobic slurs, including potentially offensive language and the reclamation of such terms within marginalized communities.
On the reclamation of slurs; “My Friend Called Me Tranny and I Liked It?” By Ramya Pushkar
During my fourth semester as a philosophy major, I took a course called Language and the World. As a part of this course, we had multiple discussions regarding the use of racial epithets, more commonly known as slurs. We discussed many different perspectives, and how they approach the use of slurs. At that point in time, I was just coming to terms with my transness and my gender dysphoria and my experience as a genderqueer person threw a different hue of light on the course. This essay was originally written for an assessment but below is an edited version for public viewing.
In this essay, I will critique the naive semantic view by understanding the reclamation of slurs. In the first section, I will explain what this view is. I will then explain my objection to this view. Finally, I will explain why my objection is a problem for the naive semantic view.
Naive Semanticism
Semantics
The semantic strategy, of which Naive Semanticism is a part, says that the derogatory content is inherently a part of the semantic meaning of a slur, regardless of any context. If the slur is uttered, it’s derogatory. Naive Semanticism claims that the meaning of a slur is ‘possessing a property and being despicable because of it’. In this paper, I will use the example of ‘Tranny’ which is a transphobic slur that has been used all over the world, throughout the ages to refer to anyone who doesn’t fit in the binary of societal gender roles, though it’s largely targeted to transfem people (people assigned male at birth but now identify as female). In this case, the naive semantic would say that the meaning of ‘tranny’ is ‘transgender person and despicable because of it’. And no matter what the context, this meaning would hold.
The Problem
However, sometimes the slurs don’t seem to carry derogatory content. To illustrate this, let’s consider the following example:
Reclaiming The Slurs
The reclaiming of slurs is not a new phenomenon for anyone who listens to rap music or is part of the queer community. In these contexts, slurs that are typically used as derogatory terms are often reappropriated within the community, by using them to refer to other members of the community. Through reclamation, ‘Tranny’ now becomes a term of endearment, celebration and appreciation. I have observed people saying ‘it’s giving tranny’ (loosely translated to ‘your outfit embodies the tranny aesthetic’, intended to be a compliment) when somebody asks about their outfit or even using ‘trannylicious’ as a positive adjective. Very often trans people also refer to themselves as ‘trannies’. For example, I have heard multiple people in my circle say something similar to ‘I am just a pretty ‘tranny’ trying to live and then the electricity goes out.’ or something like ‘I was just daydreaming in my delusional ‘tranny’ head about the summer breaks completely forgetting Delhi summers are going to suck.’
So How is this a Problem?
Taking into account the linguistic data above, I critique the idea that the derogatory element of the slur is part of its semantic meaning. Clearly in the examples above, the term does not mean ‘transgender and despicable because of it’. Rather than being used to degrade people of the community it is used by these people to validate and celebrate their identities. This means that there is a context in which the slurs can be used where they are not derogatory. This leads to the fact that the derogatory content of a slur can not be part of its semantic content.
Now What?
This however does not mean that our lexicon is thrown into chaos, everybody starts using slurs and we degrade to a society of lawlessness, no rules and no consideration. A linguistic purge, if you will! This begs the question: How do we uphold the gravity of the slur’s derogatory content, whilst also separating this content from its semantic meaning? I believe an important similarity to note in the reclamation of any slur is that it is reclaimed by the community it was used against. Even with the examples of the positive use of ‘tranny’ given above, it is certain that the derogatory use of this word is still abundant. It also means that when somebody who is a foreigner to the community, an outsider or a transphobe, uses the word, the derogatory content is present in most cases. I believe there are certain criteria that need to be met for a slur to be reclaimed. (a) It should be reclaimed by the community it targets; (b) it should be reclaimed on the community’s terms. This means that if there is consensus within the community about the term being reserved for their use (for example, the use of the racial n slur by the black community), this should be respected. Alternatively, if the term is adopted as a broad identifier by the community (as with the term queer), it should be embraced accordingly.
In conclusion, the reclamation of slurs is a complex process that relies on community ownership and the negotiated terms under which these terms are used, challenging the fixed, derogatory meanings proposed by Naive Semanticism.
Bibliography
Hom, C. (2008). The Semantics of Racial Epithets. 105(8), 416–440.
Lochan, V. (2021, June 8). Casteism In Our Words: 10 Casteist Slurs And Why We Need To Stop Throwing Them Around. Homegrown. https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-voices/casteism-in-our-words-10-casteist-slurs-and-why-we-need-to-stop-throwing-them-around
Lowder, J. B. (2014, May 30). The “Tranny” Debate and Conservatism in the LGBTQ Movement. Slate. https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/05/is-tranny-a-slur-or-an-identity-who-decides.html