The death of the swear word? Gen Z are more offended by slurs than expletives - with p***k, d**k, and c**k now ranked among the LEAST offensive terms of all

A new study from Macquarie University in Australia has found that younger generations, specifically Gen Z, are increasingly offended by slurs, including racist, sexist, homophobic, and ableist terms, rather than traditional expletives. Words that were once considered highly offensive profanities, often related to sex, religion, or bodily functions, are now seen as tame and are losing their power to shock. Researchers surveyed Australian university students and found that out of the 20 most offensive terms, 16 were slurs. Traditional swear words that made the top 20, such as "c**t" and "m**********r," were often classified as sexist. Conversely, sexual terms like "p***k," "d**k," and "c**k" were ranked among the least offensive. The study suggests that societal changes, such as increased secularism, have diminished the taboo surrounding religious expletives, while cultural influences, particularly from American media, have elevated the perceived offensiveness of slurs like the N-word. This shift in what is considered offensive reflects b... download the app to read more