To start off, let me say this thread isn't some attempt to censor every single trope that has a slur, but a platform to discuss trope names that other users find outdated and/or offensive, such as the usage of slurs or outdated medical terminology.
Fag Hag is the trope that really brought this to my attention, as despite it being a widely-used name from the gay community beyond this wiki, it's faced vandalism
criticizing it for having a slur in the title. I've seen similar, but far less extreme, discomfort with some tropes using "queer" in the name, as it's still used as a slur in some areas and it's a contentious point in the LGBT community.
Since we previously decided, after many years of discussion, to rename Transsexual to Transgender to reflect terminology more widely-used and accepted than the previous name, I'm curious if any other tropes would warrant this problem.
MOD EDIT, note:
- A sandbox collating discussed tropes is at Outdated or Offensive Trope Names.
- See also Prescriptive vs. Descriptive Language (we trope using the language that is used, not how we would like the language to be) and Trope Renaming Guidelines (it is not very easy to rename a trope, so renaming is done after proof of usage onsite [and offsite, if applicable] is presented).
Edited by Synchronicity on Feb 2nd 2023 at 8:54:52 AM
I'm helping!
A lot of people do not prefer "with disabilities" or "differently abled". it turns out disabilities aren't a monolith, who knew
"Disabled" versus "with disabilities" seems to be approximately a function of which disability is involved, while in our experience "differently abled" is often regarded as condescendingly euphemistic.
Trouble Cube continues to be a general-purpose forum for those who desire such a thing.
Made further tweaks to the OP to point towards Trope Renaming Guidelines. I want people to read that first and come here with arguments stronger than "I personally do not like this word".
Trans Siberian Anarchestra (it/they)
I'd prioritise Evil Cripple and Genius Cripple over "handicapped". "Cripple" has been regarded as a pejorative since the 1970s, and while I've heard people who want to reclaim it, I don't know that that's really stuck. (It seems like a lot of the relevant citations about it are pretty outdated themselves.)
Edited by Noaqiyeum on Jan 18th 2023 at 10:03:58 AM
The Revolution Will Not Be Tropeable
For Schizophrenic Difficulty, I'd like to suggest the alternate names "Difficulty Flip-Flop" or "Inconsistent Difficulty." I personally think having the word "schizophrenic" in there isn't helpful in defining the trope, and just leads to unnecessary confusion. It would be like if Flip-Flop of God were called "Schizophrenic God" in my opinion.
the Retromancer
"just leads to unnecessary confusion", evidence is needed.
"Schizophrenic" to me also associates with "chaotic", which is what the trope is about.
TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
No longer active.
IIRC, "schizophrenic" being used as a synonym for "disjointed" or "chaotic" is increasingly looked down upon as ableist, so I'd say it fits the "offensive" part.
Be kind.
She / Her
From what I know, it's considered ableist to use schizophrenic in that sense and I personally can see why. Granted, I don't have schizophrenia myself so I'm not the best judge of that.
the Retromancer
I don't know any other meaning of Schizophrenia beside "an illness that causes the irrational recognition, thought process, movements or behavior", but if that's wrong then I apologize.
TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
No longer active.
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
That's the basic gist of it, but it's more about using the names of conditions as generic adjectives (similarly to how people used "autistic" as a generic insult for ages).
Wick checker for hire
What about Difficulty Rollercoaster? Or it would be considered a snowclone of Cerebus Rollercoaster?
The best character is always the one-shot disguise.
Har har har
I don't think that'd be a snowclone. "Rollercoaster" is a pretty common term for something constantly changing.
Definite improvement.
the Retromancer
He/Him
If we're going to rename Schizophrenic Difficulty, I'd like to toss Uneven Difficulty into the mix of potential names
My troper wall
(she/her)
So, if we do end up renaming tropes like Schizophrenic Difficulty for having outdated names that contain offensive words, how do we go about taking them to the TRS? A trope's name being offensive is rarely enough for it be renamed on its own, so we would need to check usage with a wick check as the mod note on the pinned thread states.
However, if the wick check shows that the trope isn't being misused, I am not sure if we can take it TRS as things stand now. I am not against Schizophrenic Difficulty being renamed. I just want to know what the procedure would in the event that the trope's name is the only thing problematic about it.
Macron's notes
Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
I could be dead wrong as I was not around/posting regularly when it happened, but wasn't the problem with Hot Gypsy Woman that there was no other name that worked for its concept? If Schizophrenic Difficulty has a better name, would that argument still apply?
TRS Queue | Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall
No.
I think the main argument would instead cite our policy of Prescriptive vs. Descriptive Language.
Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
he/him | Image Pickin' regular
A wick check would not be necessary or helpful for a TRS thread about Schizophrenic Difficulty if the issue is that the name is offensive. I dislike the mentality that every TRS thread needs a wick check.
Edited by rjd1922 on Feb 4th 2023 at 3:11:06 AM
Keet cleanup
But if a wick check finds misuse, there's a stronger case to rename. Just do one, it won't hurt.
If we change the name to better reflect how people would describe the concept nowadays, I don't really see any prescription in that. We're just going off how people already communicate.
And a wick check wouldn't hurt, either.
Edited by badtothebaritone on Feb 4th 2023 at 3:13:11 AM
Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
Sandbox.Schizophrenic Difficulty Wick Check <— if anyone wants to do it.
EDIT: Eh, created it anyway. Grabbed 50 random wicks from a list randomizer—will crosspost to the Wick Check thread.
Edited by themayorofsimpleton on Feb 4th 2023 at 4:29:41 AM
TRS Queue | Works That Require Cleanup of Complaining | Troper Wall
Friends forevermore
I doubt Schizophrenic Difficulty would go the way of Hot Gypsy Woman; some reasonable names have been brainstormed here, even if we technically should have waited for the TRS thread.
I had a dog-themed avatar before it was cool.
Any pronouns
Was Schizo Tech already mentioned in the thread?
We are the best friends, we stand as one. Whatever life may bring, we are never alone.
I prefer the term "with disabilities" over "disabled" and definitely over "handicapped."
I even prefer the term "differently abled" over "with disabilities" but it would present new ambiguity.
Edited by Nen_desharu on Jan 18th 2023 at 12:12:07 PM
Kirby is awesome.