What qualifies someone as being "white trash"?

Question

How come no other nationalities derogatory racial portrayals end with "trash"? "Trash" is just such a dirty, stinky word.

Answer 1

The Demolition Derby car parked in their yard year round.

Answer 2

Thank God someone feels the same way I do! I've always wondered about this. Apparently being white and poor with supposedly bad manners and low moral principles is what 'qualifies' a person as "white trash"... I hate the term. It gives the impression that whites are so 'holier than thou' that those of us who don't fit the stereotype must be classified separately. Love sluggo's answer by the way--"No person is 'Trash' even if they're looked upon as being so...the ones who pass judgment on people that aren't rich [and] beautiful...are the ones closest to being 'trash'". It's a "stinky" word indeed. Hopefully it's use will become less common someday :).

Answer 3

Living in the lower class of poor white people. It is just maybe a teansie bit better than being homeless.
I grew up in this subgrouping and yeah using the word trash to describe a person is very derogatory considering trash is a waste product from people. People always come up with derogatory terms for groups of people everybody experiences this at a whole lot growing up. Anybody who says they didn't is just being delusional.

Answer 4

First of all, say I'm white, and you're white. Me calling you "white trash " cannot be construed as racially motivated. I think that white trash is an attitude more than a defined persona. Labels are usually placed on some people by people who simply don't understand, or can't find a way to relate to them. Let's take government for example. ( easy target ) It's easy for us to say that politicians are morons and they don't know how to run our country, city, state town province, car wash etc. We can't relate to that, solutions seem simplistic to us, but we aren't them, so we can't relate, and consequently think the most of them are little more than a bunch of completely incompetent boobs. Strangely enough though, we vote for them.

Answer 5

I must say I used this term (which I rarely ever use) the other day referring to people I saw when I was at the children's playground with my kids (though not to my kids). This couple had come to the playground with her wearing clothing and make up suitable for a street corner and him looking like he was coming off a four-day binge and their kid with greasy hair and torn-up clothes. They proceeded to allow the child to play without watching him and parked their rear ends on a bench where little children were playing with sand. They then chain-smoked the entire time they were there, dropping ashes and cigarette butts into the play sand.

If that's not white trash, I don't know what is.

Answer 6

if you have kids to collect welfare and drink the cash wipe with newspaper shower once a week but use no soap brush teeth once a month and hate minorities but never meet one, i can go on but in short u white trash

Answer 7

Well, in Australia we call white trash people "Ferals".

Look it up.

PS - trash isn't a widely used word in Aust. We use the word rubbish. White Rubbish, or Trailer Rubbish just doesn't have the same ring to it...

Answer 8

Because of the tendency to collect and keep broken appliances and vehicles in the yard..
some nationalities are associated with porches, taxis, or station wagons..

Answer 9

Stereotypes definition: Caucasian with low morals and little money who wears tawdry clothing.

There are derogatory definitions of every race if you want to look for them...I prefer not to

Answer 10

Going on the Jerry Springer show