Hello friends! I recently posted on the LGBTQ subreddit using this phrase (for the purpose of calling out bigots), and I got several comments directing me to this NPR article and saying it’s a racist phrase.

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/19/224183763/is-it-racist-to-call-a-spade-a-spade

I read the article, and frankly, given the long history of the phrase (being used well before the word “spade” itself became a racial slur), and the many other uses of the word “spade” itself (playing cards, gardening, etc.) I’m just not seeing the racism in the phrase. I certainly can for the word “spade” itself based on what’s presented in the article, but nothing is saying that this very common and old phrase (that has nothing at all to do with race) has ever been used in a racist context.

That said, given how many comments I got about this, I wanted to come to you all to get your thoughts.

Feel free to check my post history to take a look at the context in which this phrase was used. I was admittedly probably too defensive about it in the comments, but I could very easily see this being a case of my fellow liberals overcorrecting. But I trust all your lived experiences much more than I do miscellaneous SJW redditors, so I'd love to hear your perspective on this.

I promise to just listen and learn instead of getting defensive like I did on my other post. I want to make sure to learn from my mistakes if I am indeed wrong.