[NFB-Web] Terminology shift

[Skye]

I did not realize there would be a need to explain why the group should 
make this overdue change on a racist/superiority/sexist term.  This is 
not a new revelation. People of color have been long aware that terms 
like this one are meant to indicate a level of superiority and/or draw a 
connection to slavery.  Women have also been long aware that so many 
terms are skewed male.  But it took until now for some people to really 
pay attention and make the effort to change. And it seems that some 
people still will not.

I guess there will always be people who are happier with the way "things 
have always been" - a world where white men were the only ones allowed 
to vote (and own property); where human beings could own (aka master) 
other human beings; where wives are property of their husbands; where 
one (master) race could slaughter and torture people of another race, 
indigenous tribe or religious group; and where there were no laws to 
prevent discrimination against people with disabilities.

Yes, the term webmaster has always been offensive and recognized as a 
racist and sexist term.  In addition to the obvious racist and 
superiority connotation, the term also disregards women in valid roles.  
Too many male based terms are either the standard or else a mutation of 
the term is created just for women.  And neither the term or even the 
internet itself has been around long enough to try to use that as a 
justification.  Would there still be an objection if the term had 
previously been established as webmistress or webslave?  Or if the terms 
whitelist or whitehat represented negative and dangerous concepts but 
blacklist and blackhat were the positive and safe concepts?

We evolve as a society...or at least some of us do. Universities are 
changing their references away from house masters.  The real estate 
community will no longer call the owner's bedroom a master suite.  Tech 
organizations like Drupal, Twitter, etc. changed the terminology way 
before the protests began.

When the NFB issued a recent statement to denounce racism, was it only 
an empty statement just for show?  Will history record that the members 
and supporters of the NFB are a close-minded group that refused to evolve?

Sorry for the long explanation but hope this helps anyone on the fence...