Victims of discrimination often feel ostracized after speaking out. Taking them seriously begins with how the initial report is handled and the words we use in the process.

Dear US Military, Please Stop Calling Discrimination Victims The “C-Word”

No, not THAT C-word. I’m talking about the word “Complainant.”

The Navy’s official Equal Opportunity and Sexual Harassment form. Alleged victims are referred to as “Complainants,” a word criticized for downplaying the seriousness of their issue.

In 2018, I found myself staring down at a NAVPERS Form 5354/2. This acronym and randomized number was meaningless to me. This is how I tell my Chain of Command about the awful discrimination I’ve endured? The military has a unique skill at getting nuanced, complex situations and whittling them down to a cold, blunt, fill-in-the-blank form. A game of Mad Libs without the laughs.

As I began to fill out the form, I noticed the first box referred to me as a “complainant.” The root of which is the word ‘COMPLAIN.’ Am I complaining? Does the military see discrimination victims as mere ‘complainers?’ I immediately had a sick feeling that I wasn’t going to be taken seriously.

A premonition that would be quite the understatement, for sure.

The Army’s discrimination form is riddled with the word ‘Complaint’ which has a connotation of ‘whining.’

When I think of complaining, I think of a ‘Karen’ in a restaurant who wants to see the manager about her mimosa being flat. I think about my toddler wanting dinosaur chicken nuggets instead of the humdrum ‘regular ones.’

The word ‘complainant’ summons thoughts of a whiner, moaner, sourpuss, grumbler, Grumpelstiltskin (insert eye roll emoji). Discrimination covers serious bigotry, prejudice, and intolerance that can have a serious effect on a service member’s career and mental health.

Words build worlds.

I wasn’t taken seriously. The issue wasn’t addressed in a timely manner. I wasn’t assigned a Victim Advocate. I was retaliated against. My form was lost by the Command Climate Specialist, so I had to re-submit it (and re-live the experience, again). And the 90 day process took over 2 years to handle.

Perhaps this choice of word is why discrimination victims are unconsciously (or consciously) not taken seriously. Would it be appropriate to refer to Rosa Parks as someone who complained? (Too much? I swear I’m not comparing myself to Rosa Parks….but still, you get the point.)

Let’s just call victims of discrimination what they are: victim.

Above is Air Force Form DD 2910. This is used by the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) office. The form uses the words ‘victim’ and ‘victim advocate’ for the person assigned to help the victim, a privilege not available to victims of non-sex-related incidents.

By replacing ‘complainant’ with the word ‘victim,’ it will be a subtle, but powerful reminder that there is a sufferer, a loss, a casualty of morale, an unsafe work environment. In other words, a human who NEEDS help and is reaching out in the only way the military allows them to.

Besides, most people already feel the V-word is more appropriate then the C- word, right?