<p>This is what happened, me and some of the girls from my floor were out to dinner, and I made a comment calling them “my lil hillbillies” because they’re all from the south (not rich). This one girl got really mad, I don’t see anything wrong with calling someone a hillbilly, it’s not the n word or anything along those lines. This same girl has called me uppity, so I’m not going to stop or apologize.</p>
<p>It’s not offensive as a word but it is offensive to call someone a hillbilly.</p>
<p>Really, it’s equivical to calling someone white trash…</p>
<p>Redneck is probably more offensive than hillbilly.</p>
<p>It’s probably as offensive as saying “idiot.” Since, at least to me, hillbilly = backwoods moron.</p>
<p>Don’t forget the “inbred” connotations of “hillbilly.” I’m sure those must have been ultra-flattering, too. </p>
<p>(Besides, unless they’re from the Appalachians, hillbilly doesn’t even fit. It’d be rednecks for plain Southerners.)</p>
<p>Hillbilly is a derogatory term. Have you ever heard someone call someone else a hillbilly and have it mean something good?</p>
<p>I think hillbilly (like redneck) that is primarily offensive to people who aren’t actually in that group–i.e., southerners who aren’t from Appalachia. A person who actually is a hillbilly (or a redneck) will likely respond: “D**n straight. And proud of it.” It’s like calling somebody a “hick.”</p>
<p>I’d rather be called a hillbilly than white trash.</p>
<p>My kids have learned to embrace their inner hillbilly as 1/2 of their genetics is from the Mountains of West Virginia and another 1/4 is from the Coal Mines of Pennsylvania preceeded by their ancestors who were hillbillies back in Germany. The 4th quarter is from the Wales which is a very mountainous and mystic country. </p>
<p>My great-great-grandfather stole a pig from his neighbor and had to flee from Pennsylvania to Ohio with his family. It doesn’t get much more hillbilly than that.</p>
<p>I do think the term mountain girl is a little offensive.</p>
<p>“This same girl has called me uppity, so I’m not going to stop or apologize.” - Grow-Up, If you offend someone even by mistake then apologize. Escalating drama won’t ever make you any friends. </p>
<p>Being from the south, I can tell you that depending on the area that you grow up in being called a “Hillbilly” can indeed be a large insult. Your most likely way too young to know that being called Hillbilly a generation or two ago meant that quiet proud mountain folk who had lived off the land for generations found their culture totally unvalued. The general media showed them as poor, uneducated, stupid and inbred. If your “friend” or her relatives are from that area you may have truly insulted and shamed her (and her family). </p>
<p>Like all of us you will undoubtedly put your foot in you mouth many times in any given year. You should ALWAYS apologize, and if given the opportunity you can ask the offended person what it meant to them and maybe learn a thing or two about some of the people who share our wide and wonderful world.</p>
<p>Hillbilly is offensive. Much more so than ‘redneck,’ and some people take redneck as a compliment but very few are happy with being called a hillbilly. It’s a slur like any other.</p>
<p>Hillbilly is just as offensive to most native Appalachians as the “n” word is to blacks. This, according to my step-mother, who was born and raised in West Virginia.</p>
<p>If it upsets someone, you probably should stop- unless your goal is to upset them. The person being addressed gets to decide whether a term is offensive or not.</p>
<p>I guess it would be along the lines of calling somebody a “cracker” or “peckerwood.”</p>
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<p>I wouldn’t go that far, and I’m also from WV. Some people may take similar levels of offense to it but I and 90% of the people I know wouldn’t, unless you were seriously insinuating that we were lesser people because of our heritage. You can probably get away with calling someone a hillbilly as a joke, you can’t get away with calling a black person a n!gger as a joke.</p>
<p>Hillbilly is akin to calling an Italian a wop, an Irishman a mick, and a German a kraut. It is a derogatory term and some people are more sensitive than others–simple as that.</p>
<p>Hillbilly is offensive. So what if it’s not “AS offensive” as the n-word is? Being called “moron” isn’t as offensive as that either, but most people don’t want to be called morons. </p>
<p>Do the right thing and apologize.</p>
<p>No offense, but I do think it is kind of “uppity” to call people “my little hillbillies” simply because they are “not rich”.</p>
<p>I have to admit that I cringed when I read “my little hillbillies”. It made me think of stupid little petting lap dogs, which is not an image I would like imposed upon me. I definitely think you should apologize.</p>
<p>I think hillbillies are allowed to own that term and use it if they want–as african-americans can own and use the “n” word [rolling my eyes here because saying ‘n’word is just silly] or gay people took "queer’ for their own, but for someone to call others hillbillies it is usually offensive.</p>
<p>I completely agree with ncmentor that an apology is in order. If you accidently offend someone it is appropriate to apologize and say you didn’t realize the term was offensive and ask for forgiveness and move on from there. Live and learn.</p>
<p>hillbilly (or any word) isnt offensive if used correctly
i.e. if they ARE a hillbilly. </p>
<p>remember, the truth should not (and can not) offend.</p>
<p>“hillbilly (or any word) isnt offensive if used correctly
i.e. if they ARE a hillbilly.
remember, the truth should not (and can not) offend.”</p>
<p>So in you world, You can label anyone anything you want, as long as you think the slur fits. Did you think this out…
I think that attitude is just justifying being rude… Sorry</p>