[bluejays]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

To break this down as simply as possible:
- What's offensive? The term "gold digger"
- Do people exist who fit the term exist? Yes
- Is it offensive to point out the general fact that people like this exist? No, and nobody is suggesting that
- Is it fair to label a specific group of people that way without knowing, definitely, that they fit the term, based on their sex, appearance, and the wealth of their partners? No
- Is the definition loosely defined? No, it's the definition, you cannot loosely define a definition
- Is there a gold-digging spectrum? No, there is no "gold-digging spectrum"
- Yes, it is a negative term


The issue seems to be that you don't understand the word, which is your right. But if your response is "I don't mean it offensively, I'm talking about a spectrum and people with motivations other than pure money" then you're simply using the wrong word.

It would be completely ridiculous to call a horse a dog and when someone explains to you what a dog is, you say "I'm referring to the dog spectrum, mostly, I mean dogs, but also horses, is it not fair to say dogs exist?"

I have to admit I’m a bit lost because I truly think my understanding of the term is the same as the general populations and not the etymological historical use of it.