The expression "grandfathered in" or similar expressions like "grandfather clause" aren't always immediately clear to people for whom English is a second language.
But I'm hard pressed to come up with a synonym that captures the same meaning while also being easy to comprehend, and preferably more inclusive (the history of grandfather clauses isn't that great, and the notion that someone's grandfather would need special exemption seems less than ideal).
Is there a synonym (either a single word or a phrase would be fine) to express the idea of something being allowed or special-cased for existing instances but for which future instances are prohibited or discouraged?
Best Answer
Just so it's abundantly clear where this unforgivable expression actually comes from:
The term "grandfather clause" originated in the American South, way back in the 1890s. At that time, several Southern states developed and enforced the clause as a way to get around the 15th Amendment, and thus prevent black Americans from utilizing their then-newfound right to vote. The "grandfather clause" stated that black men could only vote if their parents or grandparents were able to vote before the year 1867 — which was, conveniently for racist lawmakers, many years before black Americans were permitted access to voting rights.
So yes. "Legacied" is a good alternative.