As a general principle, I do think that the level of offense taken should generally be proportional to the context in which a word is used. This particular circ

As a general principle, I do think that the level of offense taken should generally be proportional to the context in which a word is used. This particular circumstance is really at worst unfortunate. That said... > Perhaps if we ignored some of these reactions to words after... 80+ years, and just let the 'new' meaning become the default... we can move past censoring words that someone, somewhere, used as an insult? The world we live in today lets black rappers use the n-word in their music while also seeing white teachers get fired for using it in the context of a classroom discussion about why it is a bad word and ought not be used. The mental gymnastics of accepting a word which could be either a term of endearment or the most deeply offensive pejorative are too messy for my liking. > It just wasn't a word used in my circle/area This highlights the problem, I think. You've moved from a circle where it wasn't even in use, to a circle where it is in use with one meaning (an acronym), and now another circle where it has been used for 100 years with an entirely different meaning (a slur). You have a decision to make. Acknowledge that other people see the word differently than you do, or try to convince everyone that only your view of the word is the right one. Personally, I think it would be easier for the gimp to be renamed, but I'm also making an assumption (based on the circles I've run in) that more people are familiar with gimp as a slur than they are with it as an acronym for a software program.