Peoples acceptance of disability/illness

jazabelle

krisskross wrote: »

So why is it so bad to say someone is a cripple?

I have heard many people say they are 'crippled with arthritis', suffer from 'crippling migraines'. They mean they are effectively disabled by these ailments.

So is it OK to use the word as a verb or adjective but not as a noun? Or are you suggesting that the term cripple is solely used in a derogatory sense?

Surely you can see a difference between saying crippling migraines, and someone calling someone a cripple?

One is an insult, the other has not. Terms move on in the language. Calling someone a retard was a medical term, now it is an insult. Calling someone an idiot was meant as people with mental issues. Now it means you're stupid and again is an insult. So we phase those out of use medically.

So, no, I was not suggesting that any use of cripple was bad, using your examples above would be fine, obviously.

System

I admit i refer to my medication as crazy pills, and amongst friends with MH probs we do refer to ourselves as crazies, but i'd never use it as an insult to anyone.

krisskross

jazabelle wrote: »

Surely you can see a difference between saying crippling migraines, and someone calling someone a cripple?

One is an insult, the other has not. Terms move on in the language. Calling someone a retard was a medical term, now it is an insult. Calling someone an idiot was meant as people with mental issues. Now it means you're stupid and again is an insult. So we phase those out of use medically.

So, no, I was not suggesting that any use of cripple was bad, using your examples above would be fine, obviously.

I don't think using the noun retard has ever in my memory been a medical term. Yes someone may be described as !!!!!!, which simply means delayed, but 'retard' has only EVER been used as an insult.

My husband actually says he is now a cripple because his mobility is so poor. He sees nothing insulting in it and would not be offended if say one of our grandchildren asked him if he is a cripple.

It is in tone of voice and intention, not just a word.

We will soon have no words left except the dreadful ' disabled'. Tells no one anything, just a blanket word that encompasses everything from a broken toe or panic attacks to tetraplegia.

Indie_Kid

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

I admit i refer to my medication as crazy pills, and amongst friends with MH probs we do refer to ourselves as crazies, but i'd never use it as an insult to anyone.

I know people who do that too.

Someone I know did once call someone a loony; which I found rather insulting. (It was to describe someone with MH problems)

tenmah

There is a difference between calling yourself a cripple, as has been said, or having a grandchild ask if you are a cripple, but if someone shouted it at you in the street in an obviously derogatory way, that is another thing altogether.

jazabelle

krisskross wrote: »

I don't think using the noun retard has ever in my memory been a medical term. Yes someone may be described as !!!!!!, which simply means delayed, but 'retard' has only EVER been used as an insult.

My husband actually says he is now a cripple because his mobility is so poor. He sees nothing insulting in it and would not be offended if say one of our grandchildren asked him if he is a cripple.

It is in tone of voice and intention, not just a word.

We will soon have no words left except the dreadful ' disabled'. Tells no one anything, just a blanket word that encompasses everything from a broken toe or panic attacks to tetraplegia.

I meant !!!!!!.

You seem to be reiterating what I said?? I said if you or someone close to you says it, it's fine, but no one would be happy to be called it by someone you don't know as it's an insult.

If your husband was in a shop and the shop assistant said "I'll serve the cripple next" I think he would mind.

And now you are going to argue he would be fine and dandy with that, just because you like to be contrary.

krisskross

jazabelle wrote: »

as it's an insult.

If your husband was in a shop and the shop assistant said "I'll serve the cripple next" I think he would mind.

And now you are going to argue he would be fine and dandy with that, just because you like to be contrary.

No of course I am not going to say I would be fine with that and neither would he.

Did you not notice the bit where I said that the insult would not necessarily be in the word itself but in the tone and intention?

You cannot just strike perfectly useful inoffensive words out of existence because you happen to think that on occasions they are used in a derogatory manner.

Oh and you didn't mean (a) retard as !!!!!! unless you don't know the difference between a noun and an adjective. You made it very clear what you meant.

tenmah

Oh so of course you know what Jazzabelle meant more than she does?

In the same way you know what it is like to be 'disabled' because your husband is?

krisskross

tenmah wrote: »

Oh so of course you know what Jazzabelle meant more than she does?

In the same way you know what it is like to be 'disabled' because your husband is?

As I have PTSD, panic attacks and anxiety issues perhaps I can count myself in the ranks of the 'disabled' in my own right. Need antidepressants on occasions, propanolol to try to control the panic attacks. What do you reckon?

No good trying to insult me because someone is shown to be wrong.

jazabelle

krisskross wrote: »

Oh and you didn't mean (a) retard as !!!!!! unless you don't know the difference between a noun and an adjective. You made it very clear what you meant.

I can't believe you are arguing with me because I put retard as opposed to !!!!!!. :mad: I type quickly and that was the word that came to mind, instead of !!!!!!. I meant whatever the doctors used to use as a diagnosis has now become an insult, so has fallen out of use. You understood what I was saying, but chose to pick on me instead.