DAILY DILEMMA: Auntie, Unk, and OG Energy
On my @therealmaddhatta post, folks had plenty to say after a woman got called out by a popular influencer for saying “Auntie.” Now let’s be real: in the Black community, “Auntie” is usually not an insult. Most times, it’s love. It’s respect. It’s how we salute a woman who carries wisdom, presence, style, and that “been there, done that” energy.
But slang lives in context.
The same word can hug you or shade you, depending on who says it, how they say it, and what room it lands in. “Auntie” can feel warm and familiar, like calling somebody “Unk” at the cookout or “OG” in the barbershop. Those words often signal honor. They say, “You’ve earned your place.” They speak to experience and standing in the community.
To get a pulse on how the community really feels, I put up a poll: Is being called an “auntie” a term of disrespect? Seventy-one percent said it was a term of endearment, not shade.
And the comments came quick. @rbcadt said, “I’ll be 42 and I have a niece and nephew in their early 30’s. I don’t get offended.” On the flip side, @thebigdonbizzle chimed in, “Yes, the influencer was right. Grow Up!”
Still, everybody doesn’t hear it the same way. Some people receive “Auntie” as affection. Others hear, “You old.” And in a culture that already puts pressure on women to stay forever young, that reaction is not hard to understand.
That’s why intent matters, but tone matters too. Generational gaps matter too. What sounds respectful to one person may feel dismissive to another.
So no, this is not just about one word. It’s about how we talk to each other, how we honor each other, and how quickly meaning can shift. The lesson? If respect is the goal, make sure it sounds like respect when it leaves your mouth.
Check out the Daily Dilemma weekdays at 2:20 in the afternoon on The Madd Hatta Show on Majic 102.1.
Check out the post @therealmaddhatta on Instagram and take the poll and leave a comment. Click below.
