A college in Minnesota is campaigning to curb the use of what proponents call offensive words—everything from retarded to phrases such as you guys.

The More Than Words: Inclusive Language Campaign is the brainchild of McAlester College’s Department of Multicultural Life. Students are encouraged to replace crazy in their cultural lexicon with person with a mental health condition. Instead of the word derp, the Multicultural Life Department favors a person with a learning or cognitive disability. According to the campaign’s website, the word lame is also offensive because of its oppressive impact in our society.

“Our culture is heterosexist, it’s racist, it’s patriarchal,” says SooJin Pate, a visiting assistant professor of American studies at the college. “It’s transphobic, homophobic, ageist, ableist.” Making our language more inclusive, she says, is a tool to help change the culture. (Campus Reform)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife Wendy and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.