Slur as a prompt?
Printed From: NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting
Category: GENERAL DISCUSSION
Forum Name: Questions & Answers
Forum Description: Ask any questions you have regarding NYC Midnight competitions here. We will answer as quickly as possible.
URL: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=67017
Printed Date: 27 Mar 2026 at 12:19am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Slur as a prompt?
Posted By: Roaringhorn
Subject: Slur as a prompt?
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 1:22am
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Just got my prompts for R2 of Scary Story. G21 has 'a spaz' as the character prompt. Does this mean something different in the US? Because here that's an offensive slur for someone with a condition like cerebral palsy, same with its long form 'spastic' and is comparable to the r-word. Am I supposed to be writing about someone with a movement disability? ------------- RS1 topic65865.html" rel="nofollow - Fear Not, Little Flock //bit.ly/4ozO1st" rel="nofollow - Archive //davidtrunkfield.com |
Replies:
Posted By: NYC Midnight
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 1:33am
------------- Next up is the https://www.nycmidnight.com/ffc" rel="nofollow - Flash Fiction Challenge kicking off May 1st |
Posted By: CFulwell
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 4:50am
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You have made a significant error here. Outside the US bubble, particularly here in the UK, ‘spaz’ is worse than ‘retard’. Would you use ‘retard’ as a character prompt? I am writing to Charlie directly to withdraw from all NYCM competitions and I’ll be taking this to the AAPD and similar groups. I strongly encourage you to think carefully about this- it’s not acceptable.
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Posted By: ASimpson
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 4:50am
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The link you've shared confirms that this is Offensive Slang, the Etymology of the word from shortening spastic. This is not okay.
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Posted By: Roaringhorn
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 5:14am
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I appreciate the clarification and understand this is an oversight rather than bad faith. Having said that, I think its the US that's the exception here rather than the rule, and it's an unacceptable term in most other English-speaking countries. Even mentally substituting it for klutz, it's still thrown me a little bit. I think the prompt ought to formally changed to something that doesn't have the same history and connotations. I get it's the middle of the night there though, and making that kind of call and switch probably takes a little time though. ------------- RS1 topic65865.html" rel="nofollow - Fear Not, Little Flock //bit.ly/4ozO1st" rel="nofollow - Archive //davidtrunkfield.com |
Posted By: mblackman
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 5:25am
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Chiming in as a fellow Australian and a teacher of students with disabilities who also happens to have learnt a lot about the history of disability rights in the US...this is not an acceptable character prompt. And as already pointed out, the dictionary definition provided states that is an offensive term. How is NYCM generating these prompts? I suppose there's some kind of random generator thing used but is there no human oversight? ------------- https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic54215_post576069.html#576069" rel="nofollow - The Rocks https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-g94-ghost-story_topic46140.html" rel="nofollow - The Last Hurrah |
Posted By: Frey_a
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 5:33am
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The dictionary flags it as offensive and derogatory. Even that definition offered flags it as often offensive (though I don't believe there is a non-offensive use). Mentally replacing a derogatory term with another word is not a solution. ------------- https://forums.nycmidnight.com/author-archive_topic43498_post581969.html#581969" rel="nofollow - Author Archive http://www.tinyurl.com/2mwfxxen" rel="nofollow - SWC FINAL |
Posted By: CFulwell
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 5:40am
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Also you have clearly not taken your own condescending advice and looked the word up in a ‘reputable dictionary’ Here’s the Oxford English Dictionary- reputable enough? It’s considered offensive. NYCM have got this wrong. It needs addressing. https://www.oed.com/dictionary/spaz_n?tl=true" rel="nofollow - https://www.oed.com/dictionary/spaz_n?tl=true |
Posted By: R.C. Ahlstrom
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 6:29am
| I agree 100% with the above responses. I was extremely taken aback by this prompt. I don't know how to begin writing for this, it has completely thrown me. I don't see how it matters whether it is used differently in the US. This is an English-language writing competition. No words that are derogatory in any form of standard English should be acceptable here. And, as others have pointed out, every reputable dictionary clearly states that this word is derogatory and offensive. |
Posted By: heyerinm
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 8:00am
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I thought it was considered offensive here in the US, too. That has been my understanding for some time now, at least. I remember several years ago when Lizzo had the word in one of her songs and ultimately changed it and apologized after receiving public shock and dismay.
------------- https://tinyurl.com/m6hj8xd7" rel="nofollow - 100 R1 - Quite the Catch (Romcom) https://tinyurl.com/bdfzmes5" rel="nofollow - Author Archive |
Posted By: fioOxf
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 10:57am
Just to add to C.A. Fulwell's comment, the Oxford Dictionary, the Cambridge Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster all give the 'offensive' tag and the etymology. I imagine the Macquarie does too, but it's behind a paywall. Wikipedia even has long sections dedicated to the differing usage across the English-speaking world. 'klutz', on the other hand, is clearly marked as 'mainly US' in the Cambridge, 'used in North American English' and 'Yiddish' in the Oxford, and only unmarked in the Merriam-Webster (the dictionary of US English only). Seriously, you need to think outside the US English bubble. If you're using regular common nouns as prompts, you're probably safe, but as soon as you wander into slang/colloquial terms, you're entering a minefield and should properly research them. The inclusion of the word as a prompt has obviously been unintentional, but asking people to imagine and to consult a reputable dictionary.... ?? No, you really should rethink that reply. Presumably equally unintentional, but even so. NYC Midnight has international reach far beyond 'NYC', and, as one of the most expensive competitions out there, it's fair for ALL participants to expect due diligence and oversight. ------------- https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-g101-hot-horrorish_topic67248.html" rel="nofollow - R1 G101 Hot (Horror) https://tinyurl.com/2rs4nw9z" rel="nofollow - SW26 R1 G27 The Inevitable End of Pau (Suspense) |
CFulwell wrote:Posted By: CFulwell
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 10:57am
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Looks like Charlie’s issued a full, thorough and appropriate apology, for which I am grateful. This has not been a great experience and has left me with significantly less time to write for R2 than I’d imagined. |
Posted By: Paul Bee
Date Posted: 10 Jan 2026 at 1:13pm
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I remember this coming up a few years ago in a Beyoncé song. As a Canadian I also had no clue it was a slur. ------------- R2 scary just copy and paste the dumb thing plz https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r2-g13-heavy-metal_topic67046.html |