Homeless vs Unhoused Vancouver Debate Misses the Real Problem

A few weeks ago, I was sitting with friends talking about what’s actually working and what isn’t when it comes to Vancouver’s homelessness crisis. We were sharing ideas about shelters, addiction support, and how to vote for real solutions. Then someone interrupted to say, “You can’t say homeless. It’s unhoused.”

The energy shifted instantly. The discussion that had been about people and policy turned into a debate about language. What could have been a productive conversation became another opportunity for someone to display empathy that was purely performative, virtue disguised as compassion. It didn’t build understanding. It shut down meaningful dialogue about how to address complex social issues.

The Language Trap: When Good Intentions Go Sideways

It’s not that people mean harm when they correct you. They want to show empathy, to sound informed, to get it right. But in that instant, the air changes. Compassion turns into correction, and the real issue disappears behind the need to appear kind.

While we polish our language, people are still sleeping under awnings in the rain. Words do not keep anyone warm. They only make the rest of us feel better about looking away.

When Empathy Turns Into Performance

Somewhere along the way, caring started to look like a contest. Online, compassion comes packaged as hashtags, statements, and the perfect phrasing. People say the right words not to help, but to be seen helping.

It is easy to post about the “unhoused community” and feel righteous for a moment. It is harder to spend an hour volunteering or calling a city representative about unsafe shelters. Social media rewards moral display, not follow-through, and that makes empathy feel more like branding than action.

The Homeless vs Unhoused Vancouver Debate

The people sleeping in doorways or under tarps on Hastings do not care which word you use. What matters is the meaning behind it, the intent to see them, to listen, and to fight for solutions that actually help.

Empathy is not about sounding enlightened. It is about caring enough to look beyond language and focus on what will make life better for another human being. When social issues become a stage for performative empathy, we lose the sincerity that drives real change.

Virtue Signalling Isn’t Empathy

Correcting someone’s language is not activism. It is an easy way to sound informed without doing the work. The homeless vs unhoused Vancouver debate has become a distraction that lets people feel morally superior while nothing changes for those sleeping outside.

Casual conversations matter. They shape how people think about complex issues, influence who they vote for, and ultimately decide what policies get funded or ignored. When virtue signalling and linguistic policing take over, we lose those conversations. We alienate the very people who might have cared enough to act. It serves the individual’s need to look morally correct at the expense of those who are actually suffering.

What Vancouver Needs Instead of Word Police

Real change will not come from trending terms or carefully worded posts. It starts with ordinary people choosing to act. Donate to shelters like Covenant House or the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, volunteer with outreach programs, or simply treat those living rough with the same respect you would want if you were in their place.

Empathy should be inconvenient. It means showing up when it is raining, speaking up when it is unpopular, and voting for leaders willing to fund real housing and mental health care. Vancouver does not need more linguistic perfection. It needs people who care enough to do something.

Words Will Not Fix It, But We Can

Every year, the debate over what to call homelessness gets louder, while the problem itself grows. Language can inspire compassion, but it can also become a distraction.

Vancouver does not need better words. It needs more action, more sincerity, and more courage to look at the problem head-on. Because at the end of the day, words do not keep anyone warm, but people can.

Written by Cindy Peterson for StaySafeVancouver.

This article reflects the author’s personal opinions and experiences. It is intended for general information and public discussion about social issues in Vancouver. It should not be interpreted as legal, policy, or professional advice. All organizations mentioned are referenced respectfully for context only. StaySafeVancouver encourages readers to consult official city and provincial sources for verified information on housing and social services.