Politics and Religion
RNs vs YNs
I recently had a conversation with a 21-year-old about how younger generations use language differently, especially around the N-word. He said that many people his age do not really use the full word the way older generations may have heard it in music, school, or everyday conversation. Instead, they often use terms like “YN,” meaning “young N-word,” or “RN,” meaning “real N-word.”
I thought this was interesting because it shows how language does not always disappear; sometimes it changes form. Many younger people grew up in schools with zero-tolerance policies around racial slurs, and they were also raised by parents or communities that discouraged or completely banned the use of the word. Because of that, they may avoid saying the full word out loud, but the meaning still exists through abbreviations, slang, coded language, and even emojis.
For example, there is also the ninja emoji, which a lot of people use to symbolize the N-word without actually saying it. That shows that the word has not completely disappeared, but the way people reference it has changed. The N-word is not said out loud or used openly the same way it was 20 years ago, especially in schools, workplaces, and public spaces where people are more aware of consequences and the harm attached to the word.
This also connects to music and social media. In some newer rap songs and online spaces, younger people may use “YN,” “RN,” or emojis instead of saying the full word. So, in one sense, the N-word may be becoming less publicly acceptable among younger people. However, I do not think it has completely “died.” It may be more accurate to say that it has changed. The word still carries power, history, and harm, but younger generations seem to be finding different ways to refer to it without saying it directly.
This raises an important question about language and culture: when people stop saying a harmful word directly but replace it with an abbreviation, symbol, or emoji that means the same thing, has real progress been made, or has the language simply adapted? I think both can be true. It may show more awareness and restraint, but it also shows that the meaning behind the word is still present in culture.
Overall, this conversation made me think about how each generation handles difficult language differently. Younger people may not be using the N-word in the same way, but the history and impact of the word are still very much alive.
It's complicated,
K
It's complicated,
K
So I asked him if he preferred to be referred to as African-American or Black. He said Black, adding, "I'm not from Africa. I was born here."
In another iteration, GaG once told me he'd gotten in trouble with a Black girl from the Islands by referring to her as African American. "I'm not American," she said.
TER reviewers are stuck with misleading options. "White" "African American" etc.. Some (many? most?) reviewers use this field to communicate complexion, not ancestral roots. Which is why I think TER should change to a "Complexion" color palette ("Pick One") and some sort of "Cultural" data field. In another iteration, GaG once told me he'd gotten in trouble with a Black girl from the Islands by referring to her as African American. "I'm not American," she said.
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I have known women from Brazil who range from Espresso to Coconut. Likewise for REAL African-Americans who are American and trace their roots to Africa: Espresso to Coconut.
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EDIT: Changed image to less blurry version.
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OK. And now back to our regularly scheduled P&R stuff.
-- Modified on 5/13/2026 5:48:09 AM
