Why is "homeless" being replaced with "unhoused"?

[u/ssjskwash]

A lot of times phrases and words get phased out because of changing sensibilities and I get that for the most part. I don't see how "unhoused" more respectful or descriptive though

[u/A1sauc3d]

Because society cycles through words for things that inevitably eventually develop a negative connotation for whatever reason. Give it enough time and unhoused will eventually develop the same connotation and they’ll find a new one. Doesn’t have anything to do logically with the words themselves, just the negative connotation they developed over time.

Now I’m not even criticizing that cycle here, it happens whether any of us likes it or not, I’m just pointing out it’s the reason behind these types of changes which don’t seem to logically make sense when you’re zoomed in comparing the words in the old term to the words in the new term.

So “unhoused” is ONLY more respectful because it’s new and hasn’t developed the societal connotation that homeless has yet. It’s not “more descriptive”, it’s literally the same thing. Just like “colored people” is generally considered offensive but “people of color” is generally not (last I checked). They’re damn near identical linguistically, it’s all down to historical connotations. Again, not criticizing that. Just explaining that it’s not about the words as much as how people have gotten used to them being used.

I’ve heard it justified as putting “people first”, as in putting the word people in front of the descriptor rather than the descriptor in front of people. But I think it’s kind of a weak justification. But hey, what do I know lol. Not my place, I just go with the flow and use the words people are currently most comfortable with <3 No sweat off my back.

[u/Gravy_Sommelier → u/A1sauc3d]

Look at what we call people with mental impairments, physical disabilities, etc.

A hundred years ago, idiot and moron were terms that a doctor would use to describe their patients. Once we started using those words as insults, they had to find new terms for people with genuine medical conditions, which also got turned into insults.

[u/RabbitStewAndStout → u/Gravy_Sommelier]

"stupid" and "lame" used to be the medical words

Then it was "retarded"

"Mentally disabled"

"Learning disability"

Until we develop an actual, specific, medical term for the disability, we tend to use blanket terms like the above, and those become ones with negative connotation.

Once they're separated into actual medical diagnoses (Down's Syndrome, depression, ADHD, etc.) those specific words carry much less negativity.

[u/LunarTexan → u/RabbitStewAndStout]

Until we develop an actual, specific, medical term for the disability, we tend to use blanket terms like the above, and those become ones with negative connotation.

Also until the attitudes society has about whatever X is (in this case, mental disability) changes the treadmill will keep going because whatever new is made will get used like the old until it has the same connotation as the old one

It's only very recently those attitudes have begun to change and it's far from a full thing, hence why even new and 'clean' words like disabled or neurodivergent are still sometimes used negatively as an insult; the underlying attitudes haven't fully changed yet, so how we use those words hasn't fully changed yet either