[aptsurdist]

There was another thread commenting on the usage of the term "chick" and how it can be interpreted as derogatory. I agree that this term can be derogatory because it can be condescending. The commenter who took offense was flagged, and nested replies derided the commenter for taking offense. I am really disappointed to see the hacker news community unable to appreciate the nuance of this discussion. I know this term was not meant to be offensive, but that is not the point. It's important to challenge ourselves to think about these subtle issues. Our prejudices affect our language, and our prejudices are perpetuated by our language. Let's not flag and ban this discussion when it arises.

[mercer]

I think for many (myself included) it's not about being unable to appreciate the nuance. It's rather that it gets extremely tiresome to read a comment that 1) seems tonally out of proportion, and 2) comes across as 'white-knighting', as in, policing others on behalf of (hypothetical) others.

While I try not to react too strongly to this behavior (and instead see the intention behind it, which I'd say is commendable), I've become rather allergic to this kind of policing. If you're not personally affected, there's no reason for 1 and not always good reason for 2. If you are personally affected, then it would still be preferable to avoid 1, but I can at least understand.

I suspect a good proportion of downvoters/flaggers feel this way, and would otherwise happily avoid the term 'chick' if it causes offense.

[CodeMage]

I was really glad to see that Hacker News community was able to recognize white knighting and deal with it decisively. While it's indisputable that "chick" can be interpreted as derogatory, context is even more important than knee-jerk hair-trigger sensitivity.