The STOPLight

Teen deplores demeaning slang

There are a few things that teenagers know more about than adults, and slang is one of them. I don't really know what spurs slang trends, but I do know that the current vocabulary of American teens consists of remarkably few expressions. Unfortunately, many of these terms somehow glorify prostitution: pimp, whore, slut, ho, bitch. Standard profanity has taken a back seat to make room for these trendy newcomers.

I may be one of the most liberal people around, but for some bizarre reason, I have little tolerance for demeaning language. Maybe I am crazy. I get so little support for my opinion, it is difficult to know if I should stop caring. Humor me. Listen to what I have to say.

Parents of teens are in denial about the language their kids use. This slang is not reserved exclusively for "disruptive" students. Whatever their religion, socioeconomic status, race, grade level, academic ability, involvement in extracurricular activities, or where one shops for clothes, the students all have one thing in common: the terms pimp, whore, slut, ho, and bitch are regularly interspersed throughout their conversations.

Parents, you might think that your "good Christian child" is immune to using such harsh language. I've got news for you. Its use is across the board. I've met many teenagers who proclaim themselves Christians, but I have yet to meet even one who chooses to bypass these basic staples of "teenage culture" and use more dignified, less offensive language. For example, at a local Lutheran youth group gathering recently, I counted no fewer than a dozen cutting statements, using the language I've described, made in a brief few minutes before our class began. This monologue came from a younger, understated girl while she lounged nonchalantly behind the pastor's desk.

This teenage terminology is widespread. Yes, I am guilty of its influence myself. I must come clean. If not by association, then by the hefty amount of money I regularly spend at insensitive media outlets. I do not own a single album that doesn't have the "explicit lyrics" label on it. I rarely see movies that are not rated "R," and although I don't like to admit this, I am a Howard Stern fan. I am conscious of my many flaws and I know this is one of them. The difference is, I believe I have a healthy balance (not overly sheltered; not out of control), and most importantly, I have the ability to use restraint when I speak publicly and privately -- unlike many of my peers.

I do not know why teenagers feel compelled to use such dehumanizing language. It is possible that a very popular song, "Bitch," has triggered a resurgence in its use among teens. Meredith Brooks, the song's writer, promotes the use of bitch as a positive descriptor for a self-fulfilled woman. Well, here on planet Earth, I rarely hear the word used without negative connotations and the other degrading attributes. I do not blame Brooks for the over-use of the word bitch. I do, however, blame her for introducing it to my eight-year-old cousin and confusing him about its meanings. He feels he has permission to refer to any woman as a bitch because a song on his favorite radio station says it's okay.

Many of my peers tell me to lighten up or they defend themselves, saying their conversations would be simply too boring without the use of these terms. I ask them to be more creative and expressive, but without the demeaning buzz words. They tend to laugh at me. This is my point -- the words we use reflect our personality and values. If we teenagers continue to use such vile language to describe people in everyday occurrences, we are going to accumulate a reputation as a vindictive and thoughtless generation.

I think you parents need to correct this language in your children. And please, encourage your kids to be more imaginative with the words that they do use.

I am almost done with high school, and I have noticed something very important about this topic -- the words get old, are monotonous, and sound stupid. Tell your kids that! This may seem like a petty thing to raise awareness about, but it really isn't. Communication is universal -- demeaning people should not be.

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