It’s been 26 years since the strip that dealt with her first one, and Evans still can’t say the word “period.” Which is weird, because other than dancing around the word, the strip seemed to handle the whole thing pretty well.
Now let’s be clear, refusing to use the proper term for something you’re discussing is idiotic. I’m not using this as an opening to bash this strip either (as you’ll see below, I don’t think this is on the writer); I’m referring to any type of verbal gymnastics used to avoid being clear. When I taught suicide intervention and prevention, I always told my students that when talking to a potentially suicidal person they should always use the word “suicide” or “kill yourself” and not such euphemisms as “hurt yourself” or “do something stupid.” And no excuses about “well I’m afraid I’ll give them ideas.” If you’re talking to them at all, they likely already have the idea in their head; saying it won’t make it more likely to happen. And (and this is the important part here) how can they trust you to talk with them honestly about a sensitive subject if you’re too afraid to even use the word for it?!? How can you expect them to be open and honest with you if you’re holding something back?Euphemisms are for cowards. If you want to discuss a subject honestly, then do so. Say what you mean or don’t bother talking about the subject at all.
Though from what I understand, the decision to not use the word back then was made by the publisher and not Evans himself. So really the ones to blame are them. Of course, that was then; I imagine the editorial rules must’ve been relaxed a bit in the past 26 years, from seeing some of the other stuff newspaper comics are getting away with nowadays (9CL for example.) So whoever it is deciding the word “period” is still just too much needs to grow up.
It’s been 26 years since the strip that dealt with her first one, and Evans still can’t say the word “period.” Which is weird, because other than dancing around the word, the strip seemed to handle the whole thing pretty well.
Now let’s be clear, refusing to use the proper term for something you’re discussing is idiotic. I’m not using this as an opening to bash this strip either (as you’ll see below, I don’t think this is on the writer); I’m referring to any type of verbal gymnastics used to avoid being clear. When I taught suicide intervention and prevention, I always told my students that when talking to a potentially suicidal person they should always use the word “suicide” or “kill yourself” and not such euphemisms as “hurt yourself” or “do something stupid.” And no excuses about “well I’m afraid I’ll give them ideas.” If you’re talking to them at all, they likely already have the idea in their head; saying it won’t make it more likely to happen. And (and this is the important part here) how can they trust you to talk with them honestly about a sensitive subject if you’re too afraid to even use the word for it?!? How can you expect them to be open and honest with you if you’re holding something back?Euphemisms are for cowards. If you want to discuss a subject honestly, then do so. Say what you mean or don’t bother talking about the subject at all.Though from what I understand, the decision to not use the word back then was made by the publisher and not Evans himself. So really the ones to blame are them. Of course, that was then; I imagine the editorial rules must’ve been relaxed a bit in the past 26 years, from seeing some of the other stuff newspaper comics are getting away with nowadays (9CL for example.) So whoever it is deciding the word “period” is still just too much needs to grow up.