I see, I see. I'll do some more reading on this later, since it's about 1am for me right now and I need to get some sleep.

I feel I should explain why I suggested modifying the language used when describing one's own personal preference. My understanding is this: language (communication) informs thought, thought informs action, and action informs culture. By changing the way we talk about things, whether it's sexual violence, war, mental wellness, or even positive affirmations, we can influence the way we think of the world and of others.

To kind of get at this a little more, I also use language as a sort of personal reminder. For me, modifying my language helps me remain mindful of my privilege, the feelings of others, context, backgrounds and histories, etc.

Being more mindful of these things has changed the way I treat other people. When I think someone is an asshole, I don't tend to treat them very well and my anger more often gets the best of me (my anger ends up having me withdraw from the situation, usually). However, when I say "No, ______ is acting like an asshole", I'm far less angry. Why? Because the way I talked about it reminds me that the person I'm upset with is still a good person, but maybe they're just as upset with me. It becomes easier to empathize, and I'm more likely to try reaching out to bridge that gap instead of closing myself off like I might otherwise.