A few weeks ago, I started asking left-leaning people their thoughts on slurs being peppered into everyday conversations.
An inclusive eraKayla Cash, a 31-year-old PR manager, grew up using words she now considers offensive.
Some of the language felt ubiquitous; she remembers the 2004 release of "Let's Get It Started," the Grammy-winning Black Eyed Peas hit that was originally released as "Let's Get Retarded."
It was billed as discussions between two "bohemian layabouts" who called out performative aspects of progressive politics — while using language more often associated with the right, such as that offensive term for someone with intellectual disabilities.
Looser language and new rulesEveryone I talked to for this story had rules for which words they would and wouldn't say.
Persons:
It's, I've, Kayla Cash, Cash, Obama, Ari Lightman, Lightman, Seth MacFarlane, Kevin Hart, Robbie Goodwin, would've, Donald Trump, Goodwin, Reagan, who've, Zach Beauchamp, Ezra Klein, Beauchamp, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk
Organizations:
University of Idaho, Rosa's Law, Twitter, Carnegie Mellon University, New York Times, Yorker, Vox, Democratic
Locations:
Vietnam, Brooklyn