Expressions That I Hope Disappear

I’ve recently realized two seemingly harmless expressions may unintentionally continue to shape our thoughts to disenfranchise great groups of individuals.

With some self-reflection I’ve resolved to avoid using the following.

“suck” or “blow”

Alluding to an action that pleasures a man, typically used to describing something bad. The negative connotation being that those things or individuals that are “in service” of men are lesser.

That movie did not “suck”, that movie ended poorly. Those ideas do not “blow”, they could be better refined.

you “guys”

In many languages, describing a collective group tends to default to the male. “You guys” and “ellos” clearly mean “you all” no matter the nationality, gender, or belief of the participants. Yet, gender is explicitly defined in these expressions. “Everyone” or “you all” or even a more casual “folks” can achieve describing a group of individuals.

“You guys” aren’t going to a movie, “you all” are. I won’t greet a group as “hi guys” I will say hello to “everyone”.

“Mind your thoughts for they become your words; mind your words for they become your actions; mind your actions for they become your habits; mind your habits for they become your character; watch your character for they become your destiny.” –Charles Reade