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The post the following quote comes from approaches linguistic reclamation from the feminist perspective, but there are parallels to how the Democrats --specially liberal or progressive Dems-- are treated by the media which, in the main, take their cues from Republican talking-points as they work to obscure that fact by repeatedly reporting that these same Republicans complain that the press is just oh so liberal which multiple talking heads prove by pointing to the few reporter/journalists endowed with working brains who are capable of gathering, investigating, probing, and interpreting information, data, and facts.
------------------------Linguistic reclamation is the re-appropriation of a term used by those in power to demean and disparage those in a less powerful group. One way in which women refuse the object position and reclaim their subjectivity is to take back control of pejorative terms such as “bitch”, “slut”, “chick”, “crone”, and “harridan”. Defused, a reclaimed word can become an in-group identifier, with a positive, powerful spin. It’s all about who gets to define “us” - “them” or “us”? Reclamation is about refusing to let others define your group, set the parameters, or establish the meanings. In some instances, reclamation is about reclaiming not just an arbitrarily-defined pejorative word, but about proudly reclaiming the pejorative meaning, when it is based in the fear of women speaking their minds, defending themselves, not letting their personal value be defined by their sexual worth to patriarchy.
I suppose PIG was a linguistic reclamation? Anyone remember Pride-Integrity-Guts. I don't hear that anymore. I suppose because police forces have evolved into occupying armies --except for the LAPD which always behaved as an occupying army-- and no longer wish to be identified with the communities the used to 'serve' and now enjoy terrorizing.
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