this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2025
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askchapo

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34
Why do people call others "white trash?" I recently discovered this term. (hexbear.net)
submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by HexaSnoot@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net
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For me, it's occasionally coming up when I listen to comedians. A year back I also heard a story about a white person who grew up poor, became financially stable with a good job, and then punched down and started calling other white people "white trash."

To me it's obvious this is poor-shaming. But I have a feeling it's far more complex than that. I'm not even white and I feel degraded whenever I come across those words. I barely know what it means, but it breaks my heart anyways to hear.

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[–] LangleyDominos@hexbear.net 12 points 7 months ago

I just woke up and I can't clearly remember my history right now so I may be getting it wrong. I think it originally comes from the discarded labor force from US colonies. The people that they felt were too ignorant to learn, or too lazy were dumped in the middle of nowhere to fend for themselves. Sort of how the UK would ship their unwanted labor to Australia or the US. The rejects were seen as trash by the colonial administrators and landed gentry.

I can't remember if one of those dumping grounds was the Great Dismal Swamp or not. I know indigenous people fled to the swamp to avoid colonists. Also escaped slaves (maroons) would make a life as well.