Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site mtxinu.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!mcnc!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!umcp-cs!gymble!lll-crg!dual!unisoft!mtxinu!ed From: ed@mtxinu.UUCP (Ed Gould) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: Re: Re: Yet another new reader. Keyw Message-ID: <322@mtxinu.UUCP> Date: Thu, 21-Mar-85 19:03:47 EST Article-I.D.: mtxinu.322 Posted: Thu Mar 21 19:03:47 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 26-Mar-85 04:59:32 EST References: <214@unc.UUCP> Organization: mt Xinu, Berkeley, CA Lines: 30 > It was easy to switch from "negro" to "black", since the words > mean the same thing. "Negro" is Spanish, whereas "black" is English. > > Frank Silbermann > University of North Carolina It's true that in Spanish "negro" means "black", but in English, and in our culture, Negro is to black as Caucasian is to white. In both cases, the former is a more formal, more "scientific" description of a race of humans. We switched to "black" because members of the black community didn't want to be described with false formality. They wanted to be referred to in the wame way as whites. The *same* is the case for calling adult females "women". As long as we call adult males "men", then we should do the same for women because that's what the community wants. Most people prefer to be called by their own name - that is the name *of their own chosing.* Men, especially, object to their names being "diminutized" (I really wanted to say "diminished" since that's probably the right word, but had too strong a connotation). For example, I dislike intensely being called "Eddie" - I use "Ed" exclusively - except by a few *very* close family and friends. The issue is *exactly* the same as women being referred to as "girls". -- Ed Gould mt Xinu, 739 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94710 USA {ucbvax,decvax}!mtxinu!ed +1 415 644 0146