"GALS"

rml_16

Also, since it was a term used by white people towards black women, white people don't get to decide if it's offensive or not.

You are saying this like it is fact, can you provide some insight to your opinion? Where was this used?

I have never heard gal used as a derogatory term toward black women, so I am curious what your reference for this is.

It's not an opinion, it's history. I studied cultural anthropology. I am sure if you google "gal derogatory black women" or "gal black slavery" you will find plenty of information.

You actually don't though -- I googled it and I only get a link to Urban Dictionary.

ETA I was googling "gal" and "racist" and also "gal" and "slur".

http://www.blackvoicenews.com/columnists/joseph-a-bailey-ii-md/45114-slave-names-in-the-americas.html

And that is the ONLY result I got when I googled.

And he lists no sources.

djtj14

Another word white people can't say?

rml_16

Once the vigorous years of his prime were passed, he was allowed to assume the title of “Uncle.”

So now what do I call my father's brother???

sillygoosie

From my research it's a cockney vulgarity from the 1700's. I couldn't find any reference to racism.

RaeLB

I'll try my best to word things better and make things more clear from now on. Sorry for causing so much chaos and confusion.

Anyways, I tried to answer your question. Good luck lol...

Expect_The_Worst

Once the vigorous years of his prime were passed, he was allowed to assume the title of “Uncle.”

So now what do I call my father's brother???

Bro Daddy?

Derp_Diggler

What group is it supposed to be racist towards? :huh:

Buffalonians.

I nominate this as "The Best Joke No One Else Got". I laughed.

I'm glad someone did. lol

I got it too. I lol'ed, in my head.

skullshank

Another word white people can't say?

oh you can. just make sure its only with your white friends though.

TheRoadDog

Once the vigorous years of his prime were passed, he was allowed to assume the title of “Uncle.”

So now what do I call my father's brother???

Good question, which reminds me to call my nephews and nieces and tell them how disappointed I am in them.

MiloBloom83

Also, since it was a term used by white people towards black women, white people don't get to decide if it's offensive or not.

Your "white guilt" is showing. There's a black president. You can start letting go now...

UsedToBeHusky

Also, since it was a term used by white people towards black women, white people don't get to decide if it's offensive or not.

My grandmother called me "gal". And we are both white?

She's obviously a racist. Duh.

Actually, she is. LOL!

But she's 86 and from a completely different era...

Quasita

Historically speaking, it is equated to using the term "boy" to refer to a male slave. It is considered offensive, particularly when used towards Black women, as it references slavery terminology.

While the word has historical implications, I do think it is also demeaning to women as a whole, as it is synonymous with "girls" which implies a certain level of immaturity or inferiority. That is, gals/girls refers to young females, whereas woman/lady refers to an adult woman.

Do I personally get up in arms about it? No. I don't know many who do. I don't think it's fair or reasonable to say that the White population has no say in the matter, either. There are etymological understandings, and then there are colloquial ones. One needs to ask themselves, what is the intention? Is this worth being upset over? The only way we can move past this kind of offense is to realize that now is not then. Many words used today meant totally different things at their inception, words that people don't even think twice about, providing us ample examples of how things can, indeed, change.

In this case, it sounds like it was directed towards a mixed group of people, so I'm not sure how it would be directly linked to any intentional offense unless the person writing the email was intending to belittle the intelligence of all women on the recipient list.

As a Slavic woman who is often confused with "other" white people and asked to answer for a part of American history that my family took no part in, who also happens to have a degree in ethnic, cultural, and gender literature, I can say with relative certainty that over the course of time, language builds and fluctuates in its intention and intensity, as do the attitudes of the people involved.

If we continue to insist on putting barriers between people based on their skin color... Whether it be to shame, or to say "You can't have a say or understand"... we are never going to move on to the greatness waiting for us as a people.

rml_16

Once the vigorous years of his prime were passed, he was allowed to assume the title of “Uncle.”

So now what do I call my father's brother???

Good question, which reminds me to call my nephews and nieces and tell them how disappointed I am in them.

Little bigots.

djtj14

Another word white people can't say?

oh you can. just make sure its only with your white friends though.

Noted! lol

Quasita

Also, since it was a term used by white people towards black women, white people don't get to decide if it's offensive or not.

You are saying this like it is fact, can you provide some insight to your opinion? Where was this used?

I have never heard gal used as a derogatory term toward black women, so I am curious what your reference for this is.

It's not an opinion, it's history. I studied cultural anthropology. I am sure if you google "gal derogatory black women" or "gal black slavery" you will find plenty of information.

You actually don't though -- I googled it and I only get a link to Urban Dictionary.

ETA I was googling "gal" and "racist" and also "gal" and "slur".

http://www.blackvoicenews.com/columnists/joseph-a-bailey-ii-md/45114-slave-names-in-the-americas.html

And that is the ONLY result I got when I googled.

And he lists no sources.

'

Interesting, seeing as when I Google "gal derogatory black women" as the poster suggested, I got several results. Now, they aren't as specific to the term as the poster would like to think... And when I wrote my response to this thread, I was discussing loosely from my own study. The term is an alternative pronunciation of the word "girl", which is how it connects. There is ample usage in historical literature to support the usage of "boy" and "girl" as a way to de-personalize the person in reference.

rml_16

Also, since it was a term used by white people towards black women, white people don't get to decide if it's offensive or not.

You are saying this like it is fact, can you provide some insight to your opinion? Where was this used?

I have never heard gal used as a derogatory term toward black women, so I am curious what your reference for this is.

It's not an opinion, it's history. I studied cultural anthropology. I am sure if you google "gal derogatory black women" or "gal black slavery" you will find plenty of information.

You actually don't though -- I googled it and I only get a link to Urban Dictionary.

ETA I was googling "gal" and "racist" and also "gal" and "slur".

http://www.blackvoicenews.com/columnists/joseph-a-bailey-ii-md/45114-slave-names-in-the-americas.html

And that is the ONLY result I got when I googled.

And he lists no sources.

'

Interesting, seeing as when I Google "gal derogatory black women" as the poster suggested, I got several results. Now, they aren't as specific to the term as the poster would like to think... And when I wrote my response to this thread, I was discussing loosely from my own study. The term is an alternative pronunciation of the word "girl", which is how it connects. There is ample usage in historical literature to support the usage of "boy" and "girl" as a way to de-personalize the person in reference.

Oh, there were plenty of other websites that came up. It's just that as I glanced through them, this was the only one that referred specifically to this issue. Others were completely or mostly unrelated and talked about other things.

For example, one was about galley slaves on ships from long before Columbus even came to the continents we now call the Americas.

TheRoadDog

I find it interesting that the Acronym GAL means "Get a Life".

Quasita

Also, since it was a term used by white people towards black women, white people don't get to decide if it's offensive or not.

You are saying this like it is fact, can you provide some insight to your opinion? Where was this used?

I have never heard gal used as a derogatory term toward black women, so I am curious what your reference for this is.

It's not an opinion, it's history. I studied cultural anthropology. I am sure if you google "gal derogatory black women" or "gal black slavery" you will find plenty of information.

You actually don't though -- I googled it and I only get a link to Urban Dictionary.

ETA I was googling "gal" and "racist" and also "gal" and "slur".

http://www.blackvoicenews.com/columnists/joseph-a-bailey-ii-md/45114-slave-names-in-the-americas.html

And that is the ONLY result I got when I googled.

And he lists no sources.

'

Interesting, seeing as when I Google "gal derogatory black women" as the poster suggested, I got several results. Now, they aren't as specific to the term as the poster would like to think... And when I wrote my response to this thread, I was discussing loosely from my own study. The term is an alternative pronunciation of the word "girl", which is how it connects. There is ample usage in historical literature to support the usage of "boy" and "girl" as a way to de-personalize the person in reference.

Oh, there were plenty of other websites that came up. It's just that as I glanced through them, this was the only one that referred specifically to this issue. Others were completely or mostly unrelated and talked about other things.

For example, one was about galley slaves on ships from long before Columbus even came to the continents we now call the Americas.

Yes. Columbus was a horrible man as well, and enslaved the indigenous people of South America.

Personally, I find studying the existence of white slaves and the existence of Black slave owners/sellers very interesting as well. This is mostly because it goes against the typical things people associate with slavery.

American history in slavery is relatively short and young compared to the existence on a global scale, which is one of the reasons the vehemency of people is so interesting to me.

rml_16

American history in slavery is relatively short and young compared to the existence on a global scale, which is one of the reasons the vehemency of people is so interesting to me.

<~~~~ Jewish

Quasita

American history in slavery is relatively short and young compared to the existence on a global scale, which is one of the reasons the vehemency of people is so interesting to me.

<~~~~ Jewish

I enjoyed this immensely, I wish I could have "liked" it haha