To be able to play the game responsibly but also somewhat historically accurate, we decided that we will create a glossary for us and our players. The glossary contains all the problematic and derogatory in-game words and phrases we are going to use during play. We will not tolerate any other violent terms. It also explains why they are problematic and give a suggestion for an alternative use off-game and during calibration.

We won’t use those terms off-game

That way, we want to increase awareness while not falling into the trap of just ignoring this problematic part of our history by replacing it with fantasy language or avoiding it. If anyone does not want to play with any of the words on this glossary, please contact us. We will consider adjustments and advice from players, especially if someone is directly affected by discrimination factors we’re playing on.

We know this is a difficult part to get right. Our hope is, that by creating this glossary, we will encourage everyone to read into these topics.

Derogatory Language

• Aborigines

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  First Nations people
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people(s)
  Indigenous Australians

• Context:

  Inappropriate

  The term ‘Aborigine’ was commonly used up until about the 1960s but is now generally regarded as outdated and inappropriate. This is in part because ‘Aborigine’ is a noun, while ‘Aboriginal’ is an adjective sometimes employed as a noun. The distinction is important as the term ‘Aboriginal’ recognises that there are hundreds of diverse Aboriginal groups and languages throughout the continent, not just one mob. ‘Aborigine’ also has connotations of colonial Australia, and the injustices afflicted upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from that time on.

  Source: https://www.workingwithindigenousaustralians.info/content/Indigenous_Australians_3_Approrpiate_Terms.html

• American

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  USAmerican

• Context:

  USA-centric perspective

  Referring to the USA as “America” ignores the existence of the other countries in the Americas, e.g. all of Latin America.

• Civilized

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Do not use
  (replace with a description without judgement; e.g. with wealthier, economically stronger, well educated, clean, etc)

• Context:

  Shaped by colonialism, (culturally) racist and naturalizing perspective

  The use of the word for a country, a society, religion, person, etc. always implies a contrast to a so called primitive way of life.

  See also: Primitive, Imperialism, Colonialism

• Esquimauxs / Eskimos

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Inuit or Yupik people(s)
  Use of a group’s specific name

  Note:
  One Inuk
  Two Inuuk
  Three or more Inuit

• Context:

  Shaped by colonialism

  Although the colonial name “Eskimo” was commonly used in Alaska to refer to Inuit and Yupik people of the world, this usage is now considered unacceptable by many or even most Inuit, largely since it is a colonial name imposed by non-Indigenous people. Indigenous peoples in Alaska increasingly prefer to be known by the names they use in their own languages, such as Inupiaq or Yupik. “Inuit” is now the current term in Alaska and across the Arctic, and “Eskimo” is fading from use. The Inuit Circumpolar Council prefers the term “Inuit” but some other organizations still use “Eskimo”.

  Although some people(s) refer to themselves as Eskimos others strongly reject it as a colonial, derogatory term. Therefore we have decided to not use it off game at all.

  See also: Colonialism
  Source: https://www.uaf.edu/anlc/research-and-resources/resources/archives/inuit_or_eskimo.php

• Greenhorn

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Inexperienced person (if addressing the inexperience)
  Portugese (if meant to address the origin)

• Context:

  From Middle English grene horn, which is attested for “horn of a recently killed animal” and as the name of a horse. It may also have been used of young horned animals. In all cases “green” refers to the idea of “fresh, young, recent”, used in Middle English for all kinds of things irrespective of their colour, e.g. wounds, leather, fish, cheese. Figurative use for inexperienced people dates from the 17th century.

  Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/greenhorn

  In some places Greenhorn is also used as a derogatory term for Portugese people. Often used when referring to those of Portugese descent who come from the Azores. Meaning stupid and backwards.

  Source: http://www.rsdb.org/slur/greenhorn

• Idiot / Eejit / Mental Deficiency

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Do not use

• Context:

  Shaped by ableism, shaped by eugenics

  In 19th- and early 20th-century medicine and psychology, the Idiot or Irish Eejit specifically referred to a person with an intellectual disability, being diagnosed with “idiocy”.

  The term “mental deficiency” served as a more general term encompassing various levels of mental disability, which were ranked in accordance with an intelligence scale. Such designations as “idiot,” “imbecile,” and “moron” were introduced into the psychological community as scientific descriptors denoting various levels of mental deficiency.
  This is also related to classism and racism, as lower classes and other “races” were often labelled with mental deficiency.

  All these terms were used to bring people into “mental hospitals” were they were forcefully sterilized, held captive, etc. The Nazis also used those terms to kill a big number of people (number unknown to us) in concentration camps. The term is still used today to discriminate people and people who are thought to be “stupid” still face a lot of discrimination, stigmatization and disadvantages.

  Source: https://www.eugenicsarchive.ca/encyclopedia?id=53480acd132156674b0002c3
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics

• Mick

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Irish person

• Context:

  Shaped by harmful stereotypes

  A popular given name in Ireland.
  Because of its popularity in Ireland is often used as a derogatory term or ethnic slur for an Irish person or a person of Irish descent, particularly ethnic Irish Catholics.

  See also: Irish

• New World

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  The Americas
  North and South America

• Context:

  Shaped by colonialism

  The term romanticizes conquest, expropriation, expulsion and genocide and suggests that there was no (relevant) population in the Americas before the European colonization.

  See also: Imperialism, Colonialism

• Primitive

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Do not use
  (replace with a description without judgement; e.g. with economically disadvantadged, poor, undereducated, etc)

• Context:

  Shaped by colonialism, (culturally) racist and naturalizing perspective

  The use of the word for a country, society, religion, person, etc. always implies a disparagement in contrast to the so called “civilized” way of life.

  See also: Civilized, Imperialism, Colonialism

• Slaves

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Enslaved people

• Context:

  “Slave” normalizes and reifies the condition of slavery as a state of being, rather than an active process of dehumanization and bondage imposed on a person or people, while the term “enslaved people” emphasizes that “the slave status has been imposed on individuals.”

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

• Sodomy / Sodomite / Buggery / Pederasty

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Homosexuality, Bisexuality
  Anal Sex

• Context:

  Shaped by homophobia, biphobia and queerphobia

  Prejorative term for homosexuality between men, especially the act of anal sex.
  Also refers to any sexual act between human and animal, therefore equating homosexual sex with bestiality.
  Sodomy laws in many countries outlawed and still outlaw especially male homosexuality.

  Pederasty today and in ancient Greece referred to male attraction towards adolescent boys. However in Victorian England, there was no emphasis on there being an age or class difference, so it was probably used for homosexuality in general as well.

  There is no contemporary term for transexual people in the 19th century. See Queerphobia.

  See also: Queerphobia
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology_of_homosexuality
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pederasty

• the Empire

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  the British Colonial Empire

• Context:

  Shaped by colonialism and imperialism

  In Britain, the term “Imperialism” had a positive connotation at that time. The British Colonial Empire was the largest empire of its time and the foremost global power for a century. This was achieved by colonisation and oppression of people whose homes were invaded, violently forcing the colonizers’ way of life and their values onto those under their rule. The consequences of British imperialism are negatively effecting communities to this day. It was by far not the only empire to do this.

  See also: Imperialism, Colonialism

• Tribe

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Use of the peoples’ specific name (if addressing people living in colonized areas)
  (Indigenous) society / community

  Group, Crew, Friends or Circle (if addressing a smaller group of people)

• Context:

  Shaped by colonialism, unequal use

  Although the origin of the word was rooted in the ancient Roman tribus, the modern concept of tribe emerged in the era of Euroamerican colonial expansion. It became the standard term for the social units of peoples considered primitive by the colonists, and for those thought to be uncivilised in historical accounts of antiquity.

  The use of the word “tribe” in a more positive way by non-Native people with the meaning “group”, can also be offensive as tribal identity is important for Indigenous People. So when non-Native people say “find your tribe” or use “tribe” to describe groups of shared interest, it is offensive because it erases the significance of tribal sovereignty, identity, and people.

  See also: Indigenous

  Source: https://www.anthroencyclopedia.com/entry/tribe
  Source: https://wernative.org

• Untamed Peoples

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Do not use

• Context:

  Shaped by colonialism, (culturally) racist and naturalizing perspective

  The term implies that people can be tamed and implicitly equalizes humans with animals.

  See also: Primitive, Colony, Imperialism

• Whore

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Sex worker (if addressing the profession)
  Woman

• Context:

  Shaped by sexism

  Derogatory term for (female) sex workers and women that have multiple sexual partners, sometimes used more generally as a misogynistic insult. Often also used to insult women in general.

  See also: Sexism

Historical Context

• Aboriginal / Native / Indigenous

• Context:

  In Canada, the words Aboriginal, Native and Indigenous refer to the same group of people. This is in the same context as Caucasian or white.
  The term Indigenous was chosen by Indigenous leaders in the 1970s to identify and unite diverse communities and represent them in global political arenas. The term Indigenous is a relational word that highlights a peoples’ connection to traditional territories, as well as their experiences of colonization.
  The term Aboriginal was introduced in the 1982 Canadian Constitution by the federal government as an ‘umbrella’ term to include First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Some people dislike the word Aboriginal for this reason and because the prefix “ab” is Latin for “away from” or “not”. Ironically, Aboriginal can be interpreted to mean “not original”.
  The terms Aboriginal, Indigenous and First Peoples are generally accepted terms in Canada and are inclusive of First Nations, Métis and Inuit.

  Source: https://indigenousawarenesscanada.com/indigenous-awareness/aboriginal-native-or-indigenous/
  Further Reading: https://nelliganlaw.ca/a-legal-timeline-of-indigenous-rights-in-canada/

  This information is from a Canadian source from a company for Indigenous awareness training and refers to Indigenous Peoples of Canada. It does not mean, that all Native people globally and even in Canada agree and do self-identify with those terms. Especially the word Aboriginal, which in Europe is probably associated more with Australia is used differently in other parts of the world and is not to be confused with the term “Aborigine”, which is is derogatory and should not be used.

  See also: Aborigines

• Annexation

• Context:

  Possession taken of a piece of land or a country, usually by force or without permission. In current international law it is considered to be an illegal act, but it was one of the ways the British imperialism sought to bring foreign regions into their expanding economy and territory.

  See also: Imperialsim
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation
  Source: https://www.lse.ac.uk/Economic-History/Assets/Documents/Research/GEHN/GEHNConferences/conf2/WideningTheGap.pdf

• Annexation of Basutoland (1868)

• Context:

  The Kingdom of Lesotho (known as Basutoland under British rule) was a small landlocked country in southern Africa. In 1868 it was brought under British rule as a protectorate due, as King Moshoeshoe feared the loss of land and people to the attacks of the neighbouring Boers (descendants of Dutch colonists), which resisted British rule.

  In order to block the Boers’ efforts to directly incorporate it into the Boer Orange Free State, Basutoland was declared a British royal dominion in 1868. The territory remained a British protectorate for two years, until Moshoeshoe died in 1870. Thereafter, Basutoland was forcefully annexed to the British Cape Colony, which would soon be granted self-government but nominally remained under British rule until 1910.

  See also: Colony, Imperialism
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Free_State?ref=africarebirth.com
  Source: https://www.africarebirth.com/lesotho-and-the-british-why-the-south-africa-locked-country-is-not-part-of-south-africa/

• Classism

• Context:

  Victorian society revolved around rigid discriminatory social class structures. Upward social mobility was extremely difficult, and the upper class treated the lower class with contempt. The significance of social class in Victorian England engendered ideas of classism and social Darwinism which affected the values of society.
  The upper class highly valued the severe social divisions of the Victorian era, reasoning that they were entitled to their position of superiority due to inherent virtuousness. During the Victorian era, men and women of higher class had a patronizing attitude towards the working class.

  It was deemed of the upmost importance to maintain one’s social status or improve it, and this principle was instilled into children from an early age. During the Victorian era, Queen Victoria was seen as the ideal model of civility, and British society became driven by propriety. Parents aspired and arranged for their children to marry into a higher-standing or wealthier family in order to move up the social ladder. People in all levels of society complied to the rigid social hierarchy, with the lower classes inadvertently deferring to those of the upper class, while those at the top assumed a position of superiority.

  Source: https://edubirdie.com/examples/social-darwinism-and-classism-in-censorious-victorian-england-and-great-expectations/
  Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Darwinism

• Colony / the Colonies

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  (formerly) colonized areas

• Context:

  A settlement forcefully controlled by a foreign and often geographically-distant power. The British Colonial Empire was made up of numerous colonies around the world, in which the British Crown exercised administrative, military and legal control.

  The practice of colonialism usually involved the transfer of population to a new territory, where the arrivals lived as permanent settlers, while maintaining political allegiance to their country of origin. It is strongly related and part of imperialism which describes the way that one country exercises power over another, through settlement, sovereignty or mechanisms of control.
  European systematic colonization began in the 15th and 16th centuries with military conquest of the world and violent subjugation of its people. It was marked by extractivism of materials, slavery and repressive rule. During colonialism hierarchies were created based on external human characteristics that became known as race, and colonialization therefore was origin and is strongly associated with modern day racism.

  The effects of European colonialism remain in the form of rampant poverty, unequal economic relationships, resource extraction and civil unrest in the destabilized former colonies, as well as race-based hierarchies in former metropoles and colonies alike.
  But it also influences our everyday lifes. We all have unconscious attitudes, reactions, stereotypes and categories shaped by colonialism.

  If we want to support change, it is important that we try to understand the history and current reality of how colonialism affects our lives.

  See also: Penal Colony, Imperialism

  Source: https://subjectguides.library.american.edu/c.php?g=1025915&p=7749710
  Antiracist Praxis: https://subjectguides.library.american.edu/antiracistpraxis/home
  Decolonising The Mind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decolonising_the_Mind

• Harry Brown / Indigenous Guides

• Context:

  Harry Brown, a young Aboriginal man from Newcastle, accompanied the Prussian explorer, Dr Ludwig Leichhardt, on two expeditions into the interior of Australia in the 1840s. He possibly also had an Aboriginal name, which we couldn’t find out. It was common that Europeans would give their Indigenous guides European names because it was more “convenient” for them.

  Brown was a highly intelligent, resilient and skilful man who made an enormous contribution to Australian exploration, yet has been “overlooked” in Australian historiography. Diminishing local guides was common in colonial nineteenth-century newspapers. His contribution to Australian exploration is an exemplar of Aboriginal influence during the nineteenth century which extends well beyond simplistic portrayals of Aboriginal people as useful, submissive and subservient guides. Without the courageous and resolute Brown along with his perspicacity and judgement, the widespread celebration of Leichhardt’s discoveries would surely not have been forthcoming.

  Source: https://hunterlivinghistories.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/2015-blyton-brown.pdf

• Imperialism

• Context:

  Imperialism comes from the Latin term imperium, meaning command. The term is used to describe the way that one country expands by exercising power over another. This has historically been done by military or economic power, which established sovereignty over an area (e.g. by annexation) and diplomatic power. It went hand in hand with colonizing areas which let the imperial force take physical control over an area and exploit its value.

  Imperialism and colonialism both dictate the political and economical advantage over a land and the Indigenous populations they control. The meaning of imperialism is to create an empire, by conquering the other state’s lands and therefore increasing its own dominance. Colonialism is the builder and preserver of the colonial possessions in an area by a population coming from a foreign region.

  The term was used with positive connotation in 19th century Britain. During that time there were monetary and military reasons for the European countries to expand economic and military power, but humanitarian and religious goals as well as Social Darwinism played a role as well. Many European people believed Europe should “civilize” the colonized countries and have a “moral and religious obligation” to do so. Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species” during that time which introduced the concept of “survival of the fittest”, which was later used to justify the conquest of so-called “inferior people” as Social Darwinism.

  Imperialism adversely affected countries all over the world. Under foreign rule, Native culture and industry were destroyed.
  Imported goods wiped out local craft industries. By using colonies as sources of raw materials and markets for manufactured goods, colonial powers held back the colonized areas from developing industries. One reason why the standard of living was so poor in many of these countries was that the natural wealth of these regions had been funnelled to the imperial forces.

  This impact is still present in many areas of the world up to today.

  Also see: the Empire, Colonialism, Annexation
  Source: https://subjectguides.library.american.edu/c.php?g=1025915&p=7749710
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperialism
  Source: https://www.tamaqua.k12.pa.us/cms/lib07/PA01000119/Centricity/Domain/119/TheAgeofImperialism.pdf
  Further Reading: https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/expansion-was-everything

• Indian Rebellion of 1857

• Context:

  From 1757, Britain increased its control of India through the East India Company. Beginning as a monopolistic trading body, the Company became involved in politics, law and order, representing British imperialism in India from the early 18th century to the mid-19th century.
  However, for many Indians, life under the control of the East India Company meant poverty and violence from British merchants. Indian workers were forced to sell their goods to the British at very low prices and were then made to buy British products at much higher prices. High levels of poverty and high taxes left Indians particularly vulnerable when famines hit the region, as they struggled to afford food.

  In March 1857 a sepoy named Mangal Pandey attacked his British officer and was executed. By May, the rebellion spread as tens of thousands of other sepoys turned on their officers, in some cases killing them. Although the sepoys initially had some successes and took some territory, the British defeated the rebellion after 18 months of fighting.

  During that war 6000 British and probably 800’000 Indians were killed.

  A significant consequence of this rebellion was that it began the direct rule of the British government over India after a British victory against the sepoys. The East India Company was no longer in control, the British government was. This was later known as the British Raj.
  The huge amount of money made from colonising India, as well as the fact that some of the current crown jewels were taken from India, is one of the reasons some historians say the colony became known as the ‘jewel in the crown’.

  See also: Colony, Imperialism
  Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zx8sf82
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857

• Irish

• Context:

  Ireland was first invaded by the English in the 12th century and has been at least partly under English rule until 1922 and the formation of the modern state (though some would argue it is still under British rule with Northern Ireland). The people of Ireland have faced oppression and multiple attempts to eradicate their language, religion and culture while living through famines and wars. During the 19th century, many Irish people immigrated to England. There was a perception at the time of the Irish being lazy and poor, filling the so-called Rookeries in London. In reality, the Irish were a far more varied and diverse migrant population. They did come to occupy jobs in well-paid occupations and were not simply restricted to the worst sorts of labouring works on docks, in tanneries, chemicals works, or in construction—although such jobs were important for the numerous among them without a formal education.

  Further reading: https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms/the-irish-in-early-industrial-britain-diversity-and-differing-opinions
  Anti Irish Sentiment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Irish_sentiment

• Local Women

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Local Women (if from this specific town)
  Indigenous Women (if using the colonialist term “local”)

• Context:

  Women’s lives were tied to the shipping trade long before they started to travel and work on the ships. In smaller, family-run firms, the women often played an active part in the business; acting as clerks, they attended to business matters while the men were away. Ports had ample opportunities for women to make a living, from running inns catering for travelers, or lodging houses for the crew on shore, to owning chandlers’ stores and selling provisions to shipowners. They might work as seamstresses, sailmakers, laundresses or cooks, or own a small shop. Those were the more respectable port professions, but there was also the flourishing business of sex work, as there was always a ready market for transactional sex in any port. In addition, there were the pubs and the gambling dens, where a recently returned sailor could soon be relieved of a large amount of his pay, and rich pickings existed for pickpockets of any gender.

  In colonial context the term “local” was often used in contrast to a more mobile European society that was perceived as “educated”, “wealthy”, “knowledgeable” and “civil”.

  See also: Civilized
  Source: https://lithub.com/the-glamour-and-the-terror-why-women-in-the-victorian-era-jumped-at-the-chance-to-go-to-sea/

• Opium War

• Context:

  Two wars fought between Britain and China in the 19th century over the trade of opium.

  In the 18th century, the European demand for Chinese luxury goods (particularly silk, porcelain and tea) created a trade imbalance between China and Britain. To counter the imbalance, the British East India Company began to grow opium in Bengal and allowed private British merchants to sell opium to Chinese smugglers for illegal sale in China. This reversed the Chinese trade surplus, drained the economy of silver and increased the numbers of opium addicts inside the country.

  Rejecting to legalise and tax opium and after an open letter to Queen Victoria appealing to her moral responsibility to stop the opium trade, the Chinese then used force to create a coastal defence of Guangzhou (romanized as Canton) to halt the opium trade completely. British opium dealers were forced to hand over 2.37 million pounds of opium, which then was destroyed in public.
  Later the British navy destroyed the Chinese naval blockade and launched an offensive. In the ensuing conflict, the Royal Navy used its superior naval and gunnery power to inflict a series of decisive defeats on the Chinese Empire. This led to the Treaty of Nanking which granted an indemnity and five treaty ports to British merchants. In addition Hong Kong Island was ceded to the British Empire.

  The failure of the treaty to satisfy British goals of improved trade and diplomatic relations led to the Second Opium War. By the end of the Second Opium war, China was forced to legalise opium.

  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Opium_War
  Further reading: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/03/world/asia/opium-war-book-china-britain.html

• Pax Britannica

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  British Colonisation

• Context:

  A principle of English colonialism. Latin for “British Peace”.
  The idea was to establish a global “peace” in which all nations and peoples lived together under Christian values and English rule. Those who would not bow to their oppression would face economical, physical, psychological and military violence. The United Kingdom controlled the major trade routes during the time and therefore access to many resources.

  Also see: Colonialism, Imperialism
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Britannica

• Penal Colony

• Context:

  A settlement with the purpose of exiling and carrying off prisoners in a remote location, often and island or distant colonized territory. Penal labor was often used there to help building up the colonial settlements and establish the economy.
  In the 19th century, many British and Irish prisoners were transported to Australia. Australian penal colonies included Norfolk Island, New South Wales, Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and Moreton Bay (Queensland).

  See also: Colony
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_colony

• Queerphobia

• Context:

  Homosexuality

  In the British 19th century, homosexuality was a matter of changing moral standards, and the public opinion on the subject was extremely negative: Homosexuality symbolised decadence and an increase in licentious behaviour that needed to be controlled. The stringent laws against homosexuality were therefore welcome in the public opinion and were considered the “guardian of the righteous”.

  Manliness and patriotism were the virtues young boys were supposed to possess; as a stark opposite to this ideal was homosexuality, a mark of effeminacy and corrupt morals tarnishing the social fabric. The armed forces were stricter in terms of penalisation of homosexuality in the 19th century than the laws that applied to the general public: this was perhaps because they were a symbol of patriotism and masculinity for the country. The usual punishment of homosexuality was death sentence in the armed forces, and this sheds light on the extent to which homosexuality was perceived as a danger. It is interesting to note that while the death penalty had been abolished for many other crimes, it was maintained for homosexual sex acts.

  The usual approach to homosexuality in the 19th century, was to cover up the issue as and when there were cases that came in the limelight. However, with the prosecution of Oscar Wilde for homosexuality, the subject was openly talked about for the first time, even in the press. Wilde was an important personality and the scandals around him made a lot of noise. His trials, therefore, created a “public image for the homosexual”.

  Source: https://cle.ens-lyon.fr/anglais/civilisation/domaine-britannique/the-perception-of-male-homosexuality-in-great-britain-from-the-19th-century-to-the-present

  Transgender

  During the Elizabethan and Stuart era, roles for transgender people were limited, but were reflected somewhat in genderfluid roles in theatre. From the 18th century on, greater number of male identifying transgender people, such as Charles Hamilton began to be identified as ‘female husbands’.

  Other terms like “Transvestite”, or “Transgender” were only introduced in the 20th century with the emergence of more visible transgender activism. The term androgyne was around for a bit longer though.

  We suggest to not use any slurs but play with the confusion of not having a vocabulary to talk about it.

  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender_history_in_the_United_Kingdom

• Sexism

• Context:

  It was a common belief of the Victorian era that women and men were fundamentally different and that a woman’s natural place was in the home. Many male scientists clung to this popular belief, even in the face of a growing movement pushing for female emancipation and woman suffrage. “Scientists could have felt no more threatened than other men by feminism,” writes historian Susan Sleeth Mosedale, “but they were in an especially effective position to attack it.”

  ‘The man’s power is active, progressive, defensive. He is eminently the doer, the creator, the discoverer, the defender. His intellect is for speculation, and invention; his energy for adventure war, and for conquest.. but the woman’s power is for rule, not for battle – and her intellect is not for invention or creation, but for sweet ordering, arrangement, and decision… she must be enduringly, incorruptibly good; instinctively, infallibly wise, wise not for self development, but for self-renunciation: wise, not that she may set herself above her husband, but that she man never fail from his side.’ (John Ruskin, Sesame and Lilies, 1865, part II)

  In this quote, John Ruskin, an art critic and prominent social thinker, highlights how men and women were situated within society during the 19th century. The Victorian era can be attributed to the forming of strict gender ideals and stereotypes. Men and women were allocated specific roles which led men to hold more power over women, and therefore significantly disadvantaged during this era.

  Source: https://daily.jstor.org/the-scientific-antifeminists-of-victorian-england/
  Source: https://www.ool.co.uk/blog/the-role-of-women-in-victorian-england/

• Stage Irish / Paddywhackery

• Non-Derogatory / Off-Game:

  Stage Irish

• Context:

  Refers to a stereotyped portrayal of Irish people in theatre plays. These characters would generally be “garrulous, boastful, unreliable, hard-drinking, belligerent (though cowardly) and chronically impecunious”. In the Victorian era the ‘stage Irish’ caricatures and stereotypes were used in British cartoons to indicate that the Irish were incapable of ruling themselves.

  See also: Irish
  Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_Irish