Words matter: Why I cringe every time I hear someone say “Grandfather Clause”

Last week I had the pleasure of accompanying my 21-year old son to the polls to vote in our local election. A couple of weeks ago, he and his girlfriend asked me, “What do we think about Prop A?” -- a local proposition surrounding policing policies, a very hot topic for our community and our family.

More than anything else, I was excited to see our young people actively engaging in the civic process. As we discussed it, I told them I was proud of them for asking questions, gathering information, and getting out and voting. Voting is a precious right that was hard-fought, especially for Black women like me. We got left behind, TWICE.

It got me thinking about the term “Grandfather Clause” -- and all of its variations, like “grandfathered in” -- and why some people, like myself, cringe every time we hear them. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not because of the policy itself, which is generally invoked to exempt a particular group from new requirements or pricing, but because of its historical roots.?

A brief history of the “Grandfather Clause”

Look at this part of the definition from Merriam-Webster:?

When the 15th Amendment was ratified, many Southerners were concerned with the legal right of Black men to vote. So they instituted requirements like poll taxes and literacy tests in an attempt to disqualify Black voters. (There’s a lot more to say on the history of the Anti-Literacy Laws, but I’ll save that for another discussion.) Inadvertently, however, they jeopardized the ability of poor, uneducated white voters to participate as well. Enter the Grandfather Clause. Roughly, if your Grandfather was eligible to vote before the rule change, then you could too.?

Eventually, these Grandfather Clauses were ruled unconstitutional, but the terminology, like many artifacts of the US’s not-so-glorious, racially-charged past, remains.?

When you know better, do better

To some, especially people whose right to vote has always been a given, this may not seem like a big deal. But this is one of those microaggressions that has a simple fix with a high-value result.?

Want to raise the bar on inclusion? Here are some quick, easy wins:

• Engage: Let’s use “legacy” instead of “grandfathering”. Besides, it’s totally hip to verbify.
• Educate: When someone asks why the switch, drop some of the above knowledge.
• Empathize: Even though this may not trigger you, know that it triggers others. Believe their experience.
• Expect: Hold each other accountable. If you hear it in a meeting, see it in a document… say something about it and make the change.?

Being an ally means speaking up so your BIPOC friends and co-workers don’t have to do all the heavy lifting. Words matter, and we can use them to make positive change.