January 30, 2004
begin

write

look

learn

find

Has anybody every called you derogatory names...if so, what names really make you angry?

Oh, people used to call me Cake Mix and Smarty Pants and I don't know what all, and it really bugged me. But now I think Cake Mix is kind of cute and Smarty Pants was probably a compliment, if a sort of unpleasant one. Heck, it used to bug me when people called me Karen, because I went by my nickname most of the time.

Karen, 23
Ames, IA USA

I used to have a disproportionately large nose when I was younger, and I used to get called offensive Jewish nicknames before any of us really understood what they meant, but that was years ago. Although no one's ever used them against me, I particularly dislike harsh homophobic names like faggot, poof, dyke etc. They're used so abundantly, and it depresses me when I hear pre-teens describing things they dislike as 'gay'.

Aly, 17
Cardiff UK

Of course I've been called names--everyone with a childhood has been called names. Those years are long past. Very few people dare to insult me these days (or perhaps they simply lack interest in me and my doings). Those who are prone to insults are not people I choose to listen to.

Jill, 61
Saylorsburg, PA USA

Oh, yesm absolutely. In fact, somebody at work called me a'jerk'...that probably lead to some of my death nightmares...but whatever...

Frodo, 32
The Shire

Most people don't call me names(except my sisters) and I won't tell you what names really sent me on edge.

KarenNJ, 45
Milltown, NJ USA

I was called a "stupid white woman" once because I was pushed getting off the subway and ended up stepping on an elderly woman's foot. Guess she thought my race had something to do
with that. It was one of the most hurtful things anyone has ever said to me which isn't that bad given the sorts of racist things that are said out there. I also was a pretty fat kid with bucked teeth and there were countless childhood taunts related to that.

Felicia, 38
Lowell, MA USA

My sister Karen used to on a regular basis... but that was when we were kids. If anyone is calling me names now I don't know about it.

Laura, 39
Lowell, MA USA

No. I went to a parochial school and that just wasn't allowed. As I got older, it became politically
incorrect to call me names.

Cathie, 54
Novi, MI USA

Probably, but I can't remember, so they must not have made me too angry.

Ryan, 29
Riedlingen GERMANY

Yeah, yeah. I've heard them all. And I got refreshed of the ones I might have forgotten when I quit my job today.

Keri-Jade, 23
Brampton, Ontario CANADA

A kid in my third grade class always called me "fat lips" which is the only insult that sticks in my memory.

Sarah
Lowell, MA USA

No. No derogatory names since...uh...college, I think! Yeay!

Tam

Yesterday / Tomorrow