Bearcat, do you really think it's a good idea to call someone by a racial or ethnic slur? Is it okay because, fReEdoM? I'm not talking about censorship. I'm talking about lack of consideration. Most ethnic slurs are used with the clear knowledge that they will be hurtful. So are many other terms used about other marginalized people. Often those terms are used with the intention of being hurtful. There is never a good reason to use that kind of terms. That is not to say that there is a good reason to ban those terms. Heck, I don't want them banned. I want to know who the a**hats are who choose to be hurtful.
I don't think I can successfully help you, since you appear to be using your emotions rather than your brain here. However, others will eventually read this, so, for the benefit of a hopefully calmer and more rational posterity:
First of all, your implication is ridiculous and misleading. I never stated that I think it is a good idea. I stated that freedom is a far more important value to protect than subjective feelings.
Second, you write, "Most ethnic slurs are used with the clear knowledge that they will be hurtful." By saying this you ignore the axiomatic fact that no term can do harm to anyone who does not choose to be offended by it.
Ironically, YOU are the one demeaning your precious "marginalized people" with the status of victim, as if they were not capable of judging for themselves as individuals, not capable of choosing not to be offended, whatever the intent of the term-caster.
I have no desire or need to shout down the moronic people who think that applying labels on themselves, or claiming victim status, grants them the right to dictate what terms I use or any other form of speech. However, I do reserve the right to call them just what they are, and to refuse to be cowed into paying even lip service to their absurdity.
Respect cannot be demanded, it has to be earned, on an individual basis. It does not come as a perk of being a member of some kind of victim class.
It is a self evident fact that all persons are NOT equal.
If someone made a remark that my background, Irish, consists of people who are belligerent, violent, drunks, terrorists, that would not bother me in the least. Not only because I have the option of ignoring those comments, but because I know, factually, that a great many of "my" people DO objectively fit that description, whether I do or not.
If I'm bothered by that "slur" as you would put it, it's utterly absurd and asinine to invent a "movement" to stamp out the "slur words", or to insist on being called "IRISH AMERICAN" rather than "Mickey" or "Paddy". If that "slur" bothers me, it's up to me to address those within MY cultural group to correct their ways, to stop being living breathing proof of the negative stereotype. But most of these "marginalized people" you refer to aren't interested in personal responsibility and accountability. They just want every unearned privilege that victim status can get them.
Slapping the label "Big Beautiful Woman" on herself and adopting a snotty attitude can't negate the factual reality that obesity should be met with revulsion in most cases, because it defies nature, it is bluntly unhealthy. Screaming BBW isn't going to insulate you from the factual reality of diabetes and heart disease, sorry ladies. If you don't like the label "fat" that is usually entirely in your hands. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you don't get to name yourself that.
Stereotypes don't come out of thin air, they're based on observation of actual behavior in the real world over time. Are they universally applicable? Of course not. It's called a "rule of thumb", and life would be literally impossible without them.
When I go to the light switch, I "pre judge" that it will cause the light to come on, because I've observed so many times that it does so. It's merely a common sense conviction: Prejudice. Will it sometimes not work that way? Sure. But I'm not going to let some idiot yell at me not to call a particular brand of switch a hunk of crap when that brand consistently breaks, because that is "offensive to the marginalized inferior quality switch community"
Objective Reality doesn't' care how you feel about it.
By all means, taxlady, pour your empathy and indignation down a rat hole. But when you move in the direction of attempting to stifle free speech, watch out. I will be there to stop you.