• Pyff Daddy@lemmynsfw.com
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    1 year ago

    Yes, generally referring to groups of people as pluralized adjectives is considered dehumanizing.

    Note that Blacks and the Blacks are both considered offensive and should not be used. Black people is the preferred plural form of Black.

    https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog/lcdrg/appendix/black-person

    [A]im to use Black as an adjective, not a noun. Also, when describing a group, use Black people instead of just “Blacks.”

    https://nabjonline.org/news-media-center/styleguide/#styleguidea

    This is for the exact same reason you would not refer to a singular Black person as “a black”. If you still have trouble perceiving the issue, consider how jarring the term “a gay” would seem in print.

    • Stinkywinks@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I didn’t say “a black”, context matters no? Everyone thought saying Indian was offensive and came up with native American, until realizing that is more offensive? Just because it’s plural doesn’t make it dehumanizing. Black people says blacks, I don’t hear them say a group of black people.

      • Pyff Daddy@lemmynsfw.com
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        1 year ago

        Are you under the impression that race and nationality are equivalent? If you’re asking whether the term is considered dehumanizing, that’s been answered for you, and if you’re asking why, that’s been answered as well. In English, racial and ethnic terms are generally used as adjectives, and we don’t use adjectives as nouns when referring to groups of people.