 | This is an essay on civility. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Profanity can be considered offensive by individuals in discussions. Find a way to avoid its use for the sake of civility. |
The policy Wikipedia:Wikipedia is not censored is a community standard, and this essay does not dispute it. In an apparent logical conflict, the policy Wikipedia:Civility helps to identify incivility as "rudeness, insults, name-calling, gross profanity or indecent suggestions." How does this shake out?
The essay Wikipedia:Offensive material states, "Material that could be considered vulgar, obscene or offensive should not be included unless it is treated in an encyclopedic manner." That's the measure used in this essay.