this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2024
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[–] Kidplayer_666@lemm.ee 75 points 5 days ago (4 children)

Unhoused? Has homeless as a word been banned?

[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 45 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Not sure about Canada, but in the US:

Homeless = no permanent residence, which also includes couch surfing, parents and children who just fled an abusive family member and are temporarily ltaying with friends or relatives, and people who are living in their car. All people without a home.

Unhoused = homeless people that don't have a roof over their heads. Might include living in a car.

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 25 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

They are synonyms. Please don't make things up.

Edit: to all the knee-jerk downvoting. This is literally a quote from an article the user himself supplied as proof that there is a difference.

Unhoused is probably the most popular alternative to the word “homeless.” It’s undoubtedly the one I see most often recommended by advocates. But it doesn’t have a meaningful difference in connotation from the more common term, “homeless.”

It's literally just a pc synonym of homeless.

[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

They are not. I work with data collections on students and have had to explain the difference to people who don't understand that a kid who is kicked out of their home and is staying with friends is homeless even if they are not out on the street for federal reporting.

Homelessness defined in law: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/11302#

A more thorough explanation that contrasts the terms: https://invisiblepeople.tv/homeless-houseless-unhoused-or-unsheltered-which-term-is-right/

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 11 points 5 days ago (1 children)

And what's the definition of unhoused according to law? You aren't wrong in what you just said but its missing the point, unhoused literally means the same thing. The goverment only uses the term homeless if I'm not mistaken.

Unhoused is probably the most popular alternative to the word “homeless.” It’s undoubtedly the one I see most often recommended by advocates. But it doesn’t have a meaningful difference in connotation from the more common term, “homeless.”

That's a quote from the link you just gave.

[–] sunbytes@lemmy.world 29 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I think the idea is to put the responsibility for housing onto society/authority as opposed to the victim.

[–] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Doesn't homeless imply its society's fault too?

[–] sunbytes@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Perhaps to some people, but to me it does sound like a homeless person just happens to be without.

Whereas an unhoused person has been let down by whoever is responsible for ensuring people are housed.

[–] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I dont see how. If anything, its just a matter of time until you see houseless as being their fault. Because the baggage is something you (and society in general) is adding. Its not implicit in the word itself.

[–] sunbytes@lemmy.world 0 points 4 days ago

I've been using it a couple of years now and I'm not victim blaming yet.

But I guess "a matter of time" is pretty open ended.

I tell you what though, it's a personal choice, so you keep saying homeless if you like.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 20 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Welcome to the euphemism treadmill

[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 18 points 5 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

In the US they mean different things, as homeless includes people living in other people's homes. That can include people whose house just burnt down and are living with friends or family because they lost their permanent residence (home). Unhoused is about where they are staying.

People on the street are homeless and unhoused.

[–] leisesprecher@feddit.org -4 points 5 days ago (2 children)

And you really think people use and understand these terms like that?

You may be correct in the academic sense, but completely wrong in all other senses.

[–] BassTurd@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Are you suggesting that the incorrect terms should be used to cater to those of you that don't know there is a difference? Even if you were unaware that there is actually a difference, was the intent and meaning of the headline lost in confusion, or did you understand exactly what they meant?

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

He isn't correct in an academic sense. They are synonyms. Unhoused is being used because homeless has negative connotation to it.

[–] kandoh@reddthat.com 10 points 4 days ago

Language has power. You'll notice successful effort on the right to get pundits to refer to Oil as Energy. Oil has negative implications, energy has positive. Homeless has negative implications for the person, unhoused has negative implications for the government.

[–] allthelolcats@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

There’s also the difference in how the word is used more as an adjective than a noun. In the same way calling someone a disabled is a lot more dehumanizing than saying they are a person with a disability.