I See You, Time

[Content Note: Anti-feminism; misogynoir.]

Time has published a terrific, ahem, poll asking "Which Word Should Be Banned in 2015?" This is their list of candidates:


Bae, basic, bossy, disrupt, feminist, I can't even, influencer, kale, literally, om nom nom nom, obvi, said no one ever, sorry not sorry, turnt, yaaasssss.

Last year's winner, they inform us, was twerk.

So, first of all, let us note that feminist is the only community identification that is included among the words that "should be banned." And their justification for its inclusion?

feminist: You have nothing against feminism itself, but when did it become a thing that every celebrity had to state their position on whether this word applies to them, like some politician declaring a party? Let's stick to the issues and quit throwing this label around like ticker tape at a Susan B. Anthony parade.

Wow.

"You have nothing against feminism itself." Except, of course, for all the people who do.

With multiple current major news stories about feminist women being driven from their homes, subjected to violent threats, and abused with wanton abandon on social media, Time thinks it's a fun idea to suggest banning the word feminist, and then has the audacity to imply that it's silly to imagine that's because anyone has something "against feminism itself." Fuck. Off.

Secondly, I notice an awful lot of misogynoir happening in that list, too—words and phrases originated by black women, which have since been appropriated by the larger culture.

Why don't you just be more honest, Time, and instead run a one-question poll asking if Black Feminist Twitter should be banned?

Fuckers.

[H/T to Aphra_Behn.]