In Durham, North Carolina, United States, an anti-discrimination campaign, launched last spring, by students of the Duke University has been taken on by its sports department to help challenge the use of discriminatory remarks also in sport.

The You Don't Say campaign, an awareness-raising online initiative challenging the offensive nature of phrases and slurs used in everyday conversation, is currently supported by 41 Duke student-athletes, who through photographs are addressing the problem in sport.

"Sports are really integral to our campus culture, and with that comes a pretty big microphone around our athletic culture,

"It's easier to dismiss a message if it's coming from a social justice-oriented group on campus...By getting people who aren't traditionally seen as the social justice kids on campus to stand up for this message, it carries a lot more weight. It's also that these student-athletes care a lot about the issues." said Daniel Kort, one of the campaign founders.

Since its launch, the initiative, which is addressing issues including racism, sexism, homophobia, mental illness and disability pejoratives, has been the target of criticism on social media.

"We're not trying to outlaw words," Kort said.

"Free speech means that you can't be prosecuted for the words that you use, but it doesn't make you exempt from the social consequences that you'll suffer from using language that others don't like.

"I think that this campaign can really inspire a more aware bystander culture,

"When we overhear a teammate or a classmate or another peer using language that could be construed as derogatory towards others, there will be people in the room who have hopefully seen this campaign and our message and will have them be inspired to speak up." he added.

For more information about the campaign visit here.

I don't say "that's so gay" because homosexuality should never be an insult. #YouDontSay pic.twitter.com/3IxO9EcHiu

— You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 28, 2015

I don't say "they asked for it" because sexual assault is never the victim's fault. #YouDontSay pic.twitter.com/BIe4N7Pkvs — You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 21, 2015

We don't say "retarded" because mental disability is not a laughing matter. #YouDontSay pic.twitter.com/Umw9306Loq — You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 20, 2015

I don't say "man up" because it suggests that women can't be courageous. #YouDontSay pic.twitter.com/Ys0iNUC3ow — You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 20, 2015

We don't say "shemale" because trans* individuals deserve to self-identify their genders. #YouDontSay pic.twitter.com/BDksXKiDRu — You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 13, 2015

I don't say "what are you" because I am not limited by my skin color. #YouDontSay pic.twitter.com/v7PTw97qx2 — You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 13, 2015

I don't say "rape" because even the hardest workouts don't compare to the trauma of sexual assault. #YouDontSay pic.twitter.com/EWXccyUbAg — You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 13, 2015

I don't say "don't be a pussy" because it degrades femininity and stereotypes women. #youdontsay pic.twitter.com/rbPWwcGEBl

— You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 12, 2015

I don't say "mulatto" because identifying with more than one race doesn't make me any less of a person. #youdontsay pic.twitter.com/yuCb9aUaMG

— You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 11, 2015

I don't say "no homo" because it limits and stigmatizes the ways in which we express kindness. #youdontsay pic.twitter.com/crJ3MGdvGO

— You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 11, 2015

I don't say "femi-nazi" because it equates social justice with genocide. #youdontsay pic.twitter.com/nHe9PUaeiV

— You Don't Say (@youdontsayduke) January 10, 2015