Skinjob
/SKIN-job/ noun (slur)
≈ “Racial slur (for replicants/humanoids)”
A derogatory term for replicants — bioengineered humanoids. Implies they're merely skin stretched over machinery, denying their potential personhood.
“Christ, Deckard, you look almost as bad as that skinjob you left on the sidewalk.”— Captain Bryant (M. Emmet Walsh)
Etymology
Combines 'skin' (their human-like exterior) with 'job' (manufactured product). The term reduces sentient beings to their manufactured components. Adopted into BSG and other sci-fi.
Usage History
Introduced in Blade Runner (1982). Used in the sequel 2049 (2017). Referenced in BSG where 'skin job' was used for human-looking Cylons.
Taboo Trajectory
Began as police slang in the original film. By 2049, it's deeply embedded institutional language. The term's persistence shows how slurs calcify over generations.
Semantic Drift Timeline
Used in both Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017), showing the slur persists across decades of in-universe time.
Regional Notes
Used by human police and civilians in future Los Angeles.