welfare queens
Mythologized assistance abusers
A welfare queen is a woman, typically Black, who allegedly exploits government assistance programs through fraud or excessive dependence.
The term emerged in American political discourse in the 1970s and 1980s, used disparagingly to argue against social welfare spending.
Critics note it relies on racial stereotypes and exaggerates the prevalence of welfare fraud: Politicians invoked welfare queens to justify cutting benefits.
- moneyCurrency for transactions
- benefit fraudIllegally obtaining public assistance
- mythTraditional explanatory tale
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- dog whistleHigh-frequency pet caller
tax dollars · check · racial profiling · caricature · poverty · misperception · food stamps · stereotype · entitlements · Reagan · archetype · bag · rhetoric · food · moral panic · taxes · stigmas · government assistance
welfare queensjob creators
Those providing employment opportunities
breadwinners · taxpayers · entrepreneurs · wage earners · bootstrappers
welfare queenspillars of the community
Respected, influential local figures
deserving poor · salt of the earth · contributors · givers · working class heroes
welfare queensfat cats
Wealthy, influential people
trust fund babies · robber barons · tax dodgers · the one percent · tax evaders
welfare, queen, queens, queenly, queenship, fare, fares, fared, faring