N-word pass

English

Alternative forms

• n-word pass

Etymology

From the fact that the word nigga is commonly used in African American Vernacular English, despite being considered racist when used by a non-black individual.

Noun

N-word pass (plural N-word passes)

1. (slang) A notional pass giving permission for a non-black person to say the words nigga or nigger without being considered racist.
   • 2018 November 2, Rafael Motamayor, “Bodied is one of the most surprising, scorching satires of the year”, in Polygon‎^[1], archived from the original on 2022-12-06:

     Behn jokes about the kid being just another white boy looking for an "n-word pass", but then Adam accepts a challenge by a cocky rapper looking for an Old West-type draw (the punk even calls himself Billy Pistols).

   • 2019 May 26, Matthew McClure, “End the "N-word pass"”, in The Spokesman-Review‎^[2], archived from the original on 2022-10-22:

     I have had the N-word said to me three times and when I said, "Hey that's not OK," they replied that I have the "N-word pass," I am 1% African American, or they said that racism is over, and that is sadly not true. People today are still being treated differently because the color of their skin.

   • 2020 January 23, Lisa Damour, “My Son's Friends Use Slurs in Online Games. What Can I Do?”, in The New York Times‎^[3], archived from the original on 2022-11-25:

     Your son might question this last idea if he is familiar with the concept of an "N-word pass," by which a black person grants a nonblack person permission to use the term.

   • 2020 June 11, Janelle Griffith, “Georgia high school investigating racist yearbook photo involving Martin Luther King Jr.”, in NBC News‎^[4], archived from the original on 2022-12-26:

     The doctored photo shows Martin Luther King Jr. next to a student who is holding a sheet of paper that reads, "Official N-word pass."

   • 2021 October 21, Laura Meckler, “Justice Dept. finds Utah school district allowed 'severe racial harassment' of minority students”, in The Washington Post‎^[5], archived from the original on 2021-10-24:

     It found that some non-Black students demanded Black students give them an "N-word Pass," which would allegedly give them permission to use that slur freely, and said that if Black students resisted, they were sometimes threatened or physically assaulted.

Usage notes

• In the popular conception of N-word passes, a "pass" may only be granted by the explicit approval of a black person.
• It is considered highly offensive for a non-black person to use the words nigga or nigger in any context, a "pass" notwithstanding. See the usage notes on nigga.