Weddingbee boards

Just read that it's apparently now a reclaimed term, a moniker of pride.  So, please explain.  What is this new definition? Tks.

I think it might depend on the area. I am from rural Florida.. My husband hunts and fishes. We own an airboat. I have been to Nascar races. 

Yet, we are not considered rednecks. I think for the most part, around here it still has the same deragatory meaning it always has; a poor, uneducated, unsophisticated bigoted white person. People might joke that they are a little redneck, but no one wants to be called that. It's pretty much the same as being called white trash. The people I have heard actually "claim it" and proudly say they are rednecks (not jokingly) tend to fit the above description. 

i think for most ppl its offensive but i dont think its anything to get worked up over. It can go eitherway... if its meant as a insult then yeah its obviously offensive. some ppl take pride in being called redneck, which i think they mean "country" since its used as a descriptive word for ---way of life---

Well, here in Wisconsin (at least in my area), redneck can be both a term of pride and derrogatory. "Rednecks" drive big, loud, old trucks with stack and such, listen to country music, swear a lot, and are generally Republican and often racist. Someone around here flies a huge confederate flag on his truck- definitely considered a redneck, which he obviously loves and most people consider terrible. We may have stolen the flag off his truck once... lol. He replaced it though.

ETA: Oh, and redneck around here definitely does not mean uneducated or poor. I know rich kids and college kids who'd be considered rednecks. And an old man farming and sitting on his porch in his farmer clothes would not be considered redneck at all... maybe a hillbilly, affectionately. Redneck and hick are pretty much synonyms here.

@joy2011:"Redneck" could possibly be said affectionately, like about someone who grew up in the country and is just a poor, uneducated, but nice and friendly, white person.

Being called poor or uneducated would never be taken as a term of affection LOL!

but not bashing you, just saying.......

My neighbor who was like my grandpa was an old "redneck" he never went to school past 6th grade and he was the smartest man ive ever met in my entire life. No Joke..... just saying haha
 

BWHHAHAHA those are AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!

why in the world anyone would want to own those things........ill never understand!

@etrebin85: I would love for people to stop assuming that since I am from West Virginia that I am a 'backwoods redneck' but I understand and appreciate my state's history and if that is the worst thing that I get called, I'm ok with that.

Love this.

@KatyElle: I think it must just depend on the area. My grandma was raised like your husband (but in Florida), and she just considers herself a pioneer. :)

@sunshine_kar: Out of curiosity, what do you consider a hillbilly?

@KatyElle: Around here, people who truly consider themselves redneck are PROUD of being racist.

@KatyElle: I'm not really sure what you mean by that... I'm just saying that where I live, rednecks are what I described above and racist is definitely one of the key points. Not that everyone who's racist is redneck, but I don't know anyone who is redneck in my area that isn't racist and proud to show it. Anyone who isn't racist is ashamed to be associated with rednecks, even if they drink beer, drive a truck, and listen to country.

Where I live, in the south, redneck means simply that, if modern conveniences weren't available, you'd know how to hunt, fish, and grow your own food and provide for yourself.  I grew up "country" and my husband grew up in a big city, but he could "redneck it" if he had to... guess it's like pp said, it is what you let it be.  Not everything can be PC or it would be such a boring world. 

@KatyElle: It's probably just the nature of any word that can be seen as (or was originally) deragatory. I think that the majority of people will still view the word in a deragatory way, so it's just natural for most to think that if you call yourself a term, you are implying all the bad things that come with it. Even if in your own mind it's describes something you're comfortable with or something completely different. 

If I decide that "bitch" is a good word because I think it means "strong woman," and that's how I start labeling myself, I can't be mad when people also label me that way with their own perception of the word. Most people will still think "bitch" means a mean, selfish, unpleasant woman, so if I keep telling people that I'm a bitch, they are likely to start viewing me in that way, even if it's not true. 

Does that make sense? I don't really think it's a big deal if you're comfortable with the label, it's just that the majority of people are likely going to assume the worst in the word. 

@Oneeleven: I am not offended at all.  I just was wondering about this discussion.  For the record, I am a black, middle class woman raised in NYC suburbs, college and law school educated.  I didn't really have a definition at all (besides the obvious) so I was intrigued by the proud redneck idea.

What are truck balls?

@galloway111: HAHA!  I am sure they are.  (I hope you aren't eek, but I respect your right to be that way)

@heather25:  LMAO!  Truck balls are this hideous decoration that looks like a giant scrotum, which some people attach to the rear bumper of their (usually large and loud) truck... I can't stand them! 

@Heather25:

@jjmomma: & @MrsRuby: AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Why haven't these made their way up the northeast coast!  At least to the Jersey shore!

HAHAHHAHAHAH they are HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!   google image search them lmao