Duke "You Don't Say?" campaign aims to ban words from daily use

This campaign is a collaboration between Think Before You Talk and Blue Devils United at Duke University. The campaign against words on Facebook, social media, and campus posters is called "You Don't Say". Duke students pose & state which words they won't use, and why they no longer use them. Their goal is to foster dialogue on the intersection of language and gender and sexual identities, and stem the use of words like "fag" "bitch" "pussy" "tranny" as well as expressions like "man up". No word yet on "douche" or "big man on campus". Relax, I'm joking, but there's a lot more expressions in use today that are sexist, ableist, genderist and whatnot that I'm sure soon will be included in the Duke campaign.

The "You Don't Say Campaign" seeks to raise awareness around the misuse of language that relates to the LGBTQ community and gender issues. These words dehumanize and marginalize many within the Duke community and beyond and it is important to understand why.

The facebook is overrun by equal amount of cheer as scorn. "Can we say "control freaks"?" quips one sarcastically. We're come a long way, baby, from the 90s when "queer" was reclaimed and I was dubbed "Dabitch" for being the only girl in the gamer room and a bloody vicious player at that.

Also, the core thought of removing words reminds me more than just a little of Lean In's "Ban Bossy" campaign, with celebrities, and without celebrities. Orwell is busy facepalming in his grave. I'm having flashbacks to the 70s now... Do you get your mail delivered by a mail carrier or a mailman, by the way?

You Don't Say? Campaign
Created by Think Before You Talk & Blue Devils United