sidneyia:

mothernatureisamisogynist: axon-axoff: When did everyone on Tumblr start describing everything as “problematic”? In my opinion, it is a weak weasel-word. Thanks to its recent overuse, it just signals that the writer is vaguely offended by something but doesn’t want to come up with (or commit to) a specific, analytical statement. Flimsy buzzwords obfuscate and weaken arguments that may very well deserve more passionate wording. Welcome to every radfem and social justice warrior on Tumblr. “Problematic” is Tumblr’s version of the check engine light. They won’t tell you what’s wrong or what you can do to fix it. They just want you to know there’s a “problem”.

Pretty much.

I think I recall an essay from a feminist blogger (like a legit one not just a shitty Tumblr) a couple years ago saying it’s time to retire the word because it’s lazy and vague. I try not to use it unless I feel like it’s self-evident to me and whoever I’m talking to what the problem is with something but sometimes I’ll still use it when I don’t know how to explain that something bugs me. Otherwise I’ll just say “that is/seems (a little bit) _____ist/offensive/etc”.

(via sidneyia)