Why are some slurs still seen as ok?

[11NigelTufnel]

There was a thread title I recently reported, as it had the word "dumb" in it. It remained unedited and completely filled up, so I assume that up to 1000 people were fine with the term. Mumsnet also said that the word is in common parlance, so wouldn't be deleted. Why is it considered acceptable to use disabilities as a slur still? We rightly condemn sexism, racism etc, so why are disabilities seen as fair game?

I think it's absurd how everyone in our society is offended by literally EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME.
I will say I wish I had that much free time to worry about how others chose their words because if I did I assure you I would put that time to more productive use.....

I've seen threads where people say 'moron' is an ableist slur as it used to be used as a medical term for the intellectually challenged. But so were the words idiot and fool so I'm not sure why moron is singled out.

I'd agree with that. The acceptable racism left is against gypsies and Jews. MNHQ doesn't stand up against it either, which means people who are racist hide behind those without getting challenged. It disgusts me.

With anything you could get offended about, and you choose the word dumb?!

bloody hell

or sorry is that offensive too

I opened this thread expecting the slur to be cunt or some such.

Yeah OP it's definitely ableist - but so are insane, lunatic, moron, idiot, hysterical, psycho, imbecile, and lame. They are used so frequently that people don't even realise or think about their roots. Then there are those that are considered really bad - retard, spaz, mong.

Dumb originates from from being unable to speak - now it means stupid. Retard was a medical diagnosis for intellectual disability and now it means stupid. Why is it that people would argue retard is unacceptable but dumb isn't?

'Thick'.

What about that one, OP?

FFS. No more dumb waiters ! The world has gone mad.

I just had my previous post taken away to be looked at because I was comparing the word dumb to the many other ableist words that are considered acceptable and a few that aren't considered acceptable and asking why.

To me dumb is the same as the 'R' word that is still used sometimes in America (can't say it as may get post taken away to be checked again) They both once related to disabilities and both now mean stupid. Everyone accepts dumb however whereas the 'R' word is generally considered completely unacceptable.

So I agree with you OP. dumb is an ableist word but I don't really know what makes some acceptable and some unacceptable.

This is my view too. I use dumb, but you're right, I probably shouldn't.

There was a thread last week about using "paddy" to mean tantrum. Paddy is an outdated, offensive term for someone who's Irish and that's WHY it's an offensive term for tantrum.

Same applies to dumb, surely.

@itsmyp4rty I saw your previous post. I think it has a lot to do with the way it is used. 'Dumb' is not a very strong word in my opinion and not used in it's original context, to describe someone who is non-verbal.. You might say something like "that dumb dog has done.." or "I can't walk in these dumb high heels". Whereas the R word you mentioned is always used as a direct insult towards someone's intelligence and therefore still carries much of it's original meaning.

Dumb is used in ANOTHER COUNTRY to mean stupid.

In the UK, where we invented the bloody language, it means something different. Therefore, in the UK, there is no reason to not continue using it for its other meanings.

I think the thread you are referring to is 'dumb things you just found out' or similar, the word dumb wasn't even used in the context of a person and from recollection it was mostly about people not knowing what hi-fi meant or confused signage in different languages. It couldn't have been more innocent.

I think you have a point somewhere but I think this is the wrong word to hang your hat on.

I mean, ‘dumb’ is a word with two meanings. It’s not used as a slur when in relation to the disability (which I’d use ‘mute’ for, anyway), or someone dumbfounded/struck dumb. But in its meaning as ‘stupid’, it’s relatively minor. The etymology might have originated from mutism, but no-one links the two anymore.

Growing up, we often called each other ‘gay’, ‘retard’, ‘window-licker’, ‘spack(er)’, ‘mental’ etc…things we wouldn’t consider calling people now because the insults were clearly made likening the insulted person to the denigrated group, for attributes ascribed to a small-minded caricature of that group. God bless the Nineties.

Maybe, one day, we’ll stop using the word dumb. Or maybe it will carry on, like ‘imbecile’, which means weak or feeble-minded, but whose origin is mostly forgotten and therefore intent is removed.

Language changes and evolves, dumb may have been offensive before but its not the same anymore. That's not to say that being called dumb might not hurt some feelings, buy I think you're being way over the top here.