Like, subtitles and quotes will not accurately reflect them, people in discussions will use euphemisms like "the _ word", instead of referring to them directly, and even when someone doesn't know and like asks, they will do everything to avoid saying it.

It feels weird. Like, you aren't applying the slur to anyone, you're just referring to it, so why don't you name it? We agree that using the grape emoji instead of saying "rape" is bad, wouldn't the same reasoning apply here?

Many people don't know that "gypsy" is even a slur, and i think that this is a contributing factor. Making the words themselves taboo, rather than the application of them to derogatorily refer to an oppressed minority mystifies them in a way, that i think contributes to negative cultural tendencies, it makes them seem scarier than they really should be, and makes racists and edgelords feel cool for using them.

And i don't see an actual reason for why it's considered rude to directly name the slur when referring to it.

Well no, it's quite consistent. Don't steal my stuff (art, writing, etc) but I can steal whatever (movies, tv shows, other forms of art and commerce).

Like there's so much complaining about how AI steals art and deprives the artist of credit and potentially money. Which is valid because it does.

But how is not paying for a movie not also stealing? Just taking it.

And yes, paying for streaming when they take off movies is shitty and if you pay for the copy of a movie specifically to then company decides to take it back that is also stealing. But that's beside the point.

The mainline ASOIAF fandom seems to all have a better version of the books in their head and like. If we ever get TWOW and then even less likely ADOS, they're all going to be very disappointed. Just enjoy the series for what it is- kinda shitty, but fun, low brow fantasy with problematic elements- instead of trying to make it something else.