by Tom Renz, Esq., America Outloud:
I had no idea how culturally insensitive and racist my vocabulary was until today. I heard that there were institutions in the beautiful woke state of California that were banning the word “field” – the new “f-word” – due to it now being racist, and I had to look into it further. After some enlightened research, I discovered that both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services as well as the University of Southern California’s school of social work have recently taken steps to ban the word “field” from all official documents, again due to it now being classified as racist. I played football growing up, and as you know, we typically played on football fields; I have to admit that the guilt I feel about it now is almost unbearable.
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Suzanne Dworak-Peck at USC sent out a memo recently to all students, faculty, and staff at USC stating that they are no longer allowed to use the word “field” or “field work” because, obviously, this word could only be construed through the lens of slavery. I’m sure the proud parents of students at USC and taxpayers everywhere are proud to see their hard-earned money going to such a noble and just cause at this prestigious school.
As I previously stated, after today’s dive into wokism and the banning of really bad words, I learned a lot about myself. When I was young, I worked in the world of computer IT; unfortunately, I was unaware at the time how racist the profession is, until today. Thankfully, the University of Washington’s IT department was way ahead of USC and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and back in August of 2022, they published a comprehensive document, “IT Inclusive Language Guide,” that lists the many words and terminology that can no longer be used within the field… I mean, profession, apologies for letting the “f” word slip again.
In the introduction, they state that “Words matter. Words that reflect racial or other discriminatory bias are contrary to the values of diversity.” They go on to say these really bad words, “undermine the inclusive environment we aim to create.” This all seems fair and reasonable. I know my listeners will agree with me when I say that words do matter and, above all else, must ensure inclusivity and woke awareness… right? After all, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words they really hurt me… maybe?
I’ll leave you with a few of my favorite banned words and terminology, as stated by The University of Washington. I hope you all enjoy them and learn from them as much as I did.
Blackbox
Definition:
- A “blackbox” is a reference to a physical machine (machine learning algorithms) or testing.
- In testing, “white box” indicates the presence of knowns and a clear view, and “black box” indicates unknowns or lack of visibility.
Why it’s problematic:
- Because these words are derivatives of racist tropes — “black” for something undesirable, wrong or bad, and light or “white” for desirable, right or good — they perpetuate concepts that have been used to oppress people of color.
Blackhat
Definition:
- A “blackhat,” “Black Hat” or “blackhat” hacker are criminal hackers that concentrate on malicious breaking of cyber defenses for money or fame.
- A “whitehat,” “White Hat” or “whitehat” hacker are ethical hackers who focus on testing cyber defenses as part of an organized corporate development process, cybersecurity plan or strategy.
- A “Gray Hat Hacker” is a hacker who exploits a weakness in cyber defense and brings the weakness to the attention of the owner, with the goal of improving security. They don’t have permission to hack into a system; they bring attention to the system owner, so they are straddling between right and wrong. They think they’re doing good, but they’re still doing something illegal.
Why it’s problematic:
- Because these words are derivatives of racist tropes — “black” for something undesirable, wrong or bad, and light or “white” for desirable, right or good — they perpetuate concepts that have been used to oppress people of color.
Dumb Terminal
Definition:
- An original, and still technically intact, Old English meaning of the word dumb, which means to be mute/unable to speak. The function of a terminal is confined to the display and input of data (no local programmable data processing capability) and depends on the host computer for its processing power.
Why it’s problematic:
- It’s a negative word often associated negatively with those who cannot speak and should not be used in an association with technology.
Dummy Value
Definition:
- A known test or sample values for an identifier or scheme that has no meaningful value.
Why it’s problematic:
- The origin of the word, “dummy,” is a person who cannot speak. Because the use of this word is often negatively associated with a disability, implying a person is worthless, ineffective or incapable, an alternative word should be used. (On a personal note, it seems like this word is simply an accurate description of most of the people in Washington, DC).
Male or Female Connectors and Fasteners
Definition:
- A “male” connector is commonly referred to as a plug and has a solid pin for a center conductor. A “female” connector is commonly referred to as a jack and has a center conductor with a hole in it to accept the “male” pin.
Why it’s problematic:
- Use of male or female anatomy to describe electrical and IT connectors and fasteners and sexualize how they fit together is inherently problematic. Applicability of the issue includes for USB and A/V jacks.
Man-in-the-middle
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