Not all words are fit for public consumption.
Words can wield power in our society, and with the focus in more recent years on sensitivity and inclusion in language, lapses are far more noticeable.
TikToker @curlyjess was fairly certain her coworker was not making a mistake when she suggested naming their job team "porch monkeys."
The phrase is a racial slur against Black people most commonly found in the southern United States pre-World War I.
@curlyjess “Oooh okay”
@curlyjess/TikTok
@curlyjess/TikTok
The woman plainly laid out the team cannot be called the "porch monkeys" because it is a racial slur.
In the aftermath of the incident, our original poster (or OP) provided a follow-up video.
@curlyjess Reply to @curlyjess update
The team chat name was supposed to be for coworkers meeting on Zoom.
OP said she was shocked to hear a well-known slur so casually suggested by a White southerner.
@curlyjess/TikTok
@curlyjess/TikTok
@curlyjess/TikTok
@curlyjess/TikTok
OP said the meeting host tried to start the meeting hurriedly, when she began recording and pointed out the slur.
Her boss then also apologized for the situation in a private Zoom meeting later, and gave her the info to reach human resources.
OP said she'd be filing a full report.
@curlyjess/TikTok
@curlyjess/TikTok
@curlyjess/TikTok
@curlyjess/TikTok
In another follow-up video, a malicious commenter suggested OP was making up workplace racism for clout. She responded beautifully to quell their ignorance.
@curlyjess Reply to @willc1984
May we all follow her example.
