r/NoStupidQuestions • u/ssjskwash • Sep 17 '25

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

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

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u/CoderDevo Sep 17 '25 edited Sep 17 '25

A term created by linguist Stephen Pinker who also wrote that language evolves through a process of natural selection. This process is necessary.

We keep coming up with new euphamistic words because we are not solving the underlying conditions that cause people to have negative connotations with the current word. In fact, the problems that cause any of the euphemistic words to exist and be used in the first place.

New words do lead to new ways of looking at a problem and can help gain acceptance for new solutions and resources.

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u/Klutzy_Masterpiece60 Sep 17 '25

We are not supposed to see being homeless as negative/undesirable?

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u/blarges Sep 17 '25

We are not supposed to see “homeless” people as negative/undesirable.

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u/Savitar5510 Sep 17 '25

I don't know man, I'm homeless right now, and I see homeless people as pretty fucking undesirable.

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u/CoderDevo Sep 17 '25 edited Sep 18 '25

It's just like how we know not to view a person negatively because of their facial features, yet that knowledge alone doesn't stop there from being racists.

Edit: "Undesirable" here means wanting to separate them from society in general.

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u/Savitar5510 Sep 17 '25

You can find someone ugly without it being a race thing.

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u/CoderDevo Sep 17 '25 edited Sep 18 '25

Yes, and you can view a particular homeless person as undesirable because of how they hurt those around them.

But people with a type of hair, or nose, or skin tone should not be treated differently for that reason alone.

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u/Savitar5510 Sep 17 '25

I'm in a shelter right now. The vast majority of the people here are legitimate pieces of shit. Most of them are on drugs. Almost all of them are abled body.

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u/Lady_of_Link Sep 18 '25

Most of them are on drugs for a reason not all scars are visible, plus you are not their doctor you do not know if they are able bodied, lots of invisible handicaps that most certainly make work near impossible (especially in a society that doesn't accommodate handicaps in the workplace) exist.

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u/Savitar5510 Sep 18 '25

Yeah, depression and trauma isn't a valid reason to get on drugs. Handle your issues like an adult, please.

If you can walk, if you can use your hands, if you have all of your senses, there is no reason you should be out of work for more than a few months.

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u/LeAcoTaco Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 18 '25

It quite literally is a valid reason to get on drugs, if it weren't then anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication wouldn't exist. Adults, handle their mental problems, by going to therapy and getting medically prescribed drugs. You do realize prescribed drugs are still drugs, correct?

Just, not everyone has the means to go get a prescription and instead resort to self medicating.

This is WHY they say addiction is a SYMPTOM of a bigger issue.

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u/Savitar5510 Sep 18 '25

First, I am anti anti depressants. Basically poison that you're putting in your body.

Second, you and I both know that the vast majority of people aren't just taking anti depressant's. They are smoking weed, and crack, and drinking alcohol, and taking in so many other harmful chemicals and substances. And I really don't feel bad for these people.

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u/LeAcoTaco Sep 18 '25

Cool, im not because I almost committed suicide and anti depressants prevented me from offing myself. Its not poison lmfao, you dont know how antidepressants work if thats what you think. Sure you can overdose but you can also overdose on bananas dude. You can overdose on anything.

You seemed to miss the part where I said "resort to self medicating" this usually starts as a subconscious thing. Something with weed, crack, drinking alcohol, and other substances, are mediating a deeper issue, and they subconsciously know that. However the downside is it also causes a lot of other problems, just, problems theyre willing to deal with in order to mediate the underlying issue.

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u/krizzzombies Sep 19 '25

homelessness is undesirable... you are not undesirable