Who is your hero? We think of hero’s being celebrities or famous people. Mostly often they are people who advocate for you, support you or stand by you.
As I write this I’m thinking of who is my hero? Truthfully I have a few friends and me.
My heros’ are the ones who are willing to change and adapt, it’s like the starfish that is out of water and you throw them back in the water so they thrive.
My hero’s are people say I love what you are doing, count me in. How can I support you?
My hero’s are those who are willing to listen to my ideas.
For example, I feel like I am the lone advocate to get people to eliminate “homeless or homelessness,” phase from their vocabulary. Yet their has been much written about it.. People have even said, the gov’t still uses the words.
So, I will keep using these labels, then you are the problem.
Change comes from each of us, don’t blame other orgs for your lack of behavior or language.
It’s just the same for we all want a kinder workplace – my question to you is – how are you contributing to make it a kinder place? What are you doing or saying to be kinder?
Or why should I not use those words or labels? Because I am asking you not to.. I have shared that it is degrading, it’s a put-down it’s telling people they are less than. It’s an attack on the person, not the situation.
Their reply is that I am not attacking you.. in a sense you are.
Rather than me just asking people, here are some are other articles that backs up what I am saying.
Labels affect people’s well-being.. when we refuse to define ourselves as “homeless,” our well-being is much higher. Than those who label themselves “homeless.”
A college counsellor and I were giving a presentation to a HR Dept of a local city, he was speaking of the students who are homeless. When I spoke I said, “I don’t think of myself as homeless, only unhoused.” “Homelessness” is a group of people, that we seem to label as “those people.” Easier to blame.
Architectural digest wrote an article about it’s time to change our words or labels about people.
How our language obscures solutions to people who are experiencing being unhoused. They are disadvantaged, as they lack safety nets, due to lower incomes. Systemic discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or chronic illness. Dehumanizing language obscures solutions to the challenges we face.
We all can be unhoused at any given time, lose a pay check, unable to gain ground in more income, getting sick, medical bills, etc.
We can all make small changes in our language that make a big difference in combating the stigma of homelessness. By adjusting the phrases we use to describe “homelessness” we eliminate the shame that can often keep people from pursuing the help that they need. Read more on my neighbor
Other reasons why is that it keeps the negative stereotypes going, it’s dehumanizes, it increases discrimination, violence and hate crimes against people who are without a house. When we objectify or dehumanize, we make it easier to treat people poorly.
First and foremost, we are a human beings. These type of changes may be subtle, but they represent a shift in the ethos of services.
Specifically, Salvation Army staff no longer use terms such as “homeless people” as a primary way of referring to people using their services. This language systems change reflect a broader change in how services are provided to people. When consciousness is raised regarding language and labels used by service providers, and even policymakers, people needing and using services do not readily assume that needing assistance is defining a trait of the individual.
“Moreover, removing labels more fully eliminates the ideology of blaming the victim, while supporting community psychology values and assumptions. Reframing or changing our language is no easy task.
However, often, this behavior further perpetuates the system, and rather than focusing on dismantling systems, people who are unhoused or similar to other oppressed groups, are further ridiculed, blamed and stereotyped for their predicament.
Yet, advancing language reformations must change.” Written by Community Psychology Practice
In conclusion, I hope you will consciously change your phrases in how you define people -become their Hero.. Be an advocate in your neighborhood. Who is your hero?
#Kindness Matters